The Tokyo International Forum
Built in 1997 by Argentine-American architect Raphael Viñoly, the Tokyo International Forum is found in the center of the city, next to Tokyo Station. The spacious exhibition hall stretches across four buildings connected by a curving glass roof. Steel, glass, sharp angles and plenty of light make the complex ideal for a photographer.
There was an art exhibition in the basement, but we spent our time in the Tokyo International Forum photographing the architecture from the glass tunnels eleven stories above the lobby, and watching the indistinguishable people-specks scurrying to and fro on the bottom floor. Even if you don’t have a specific reason for going, and especially if you appreciate modern architecture, this futuristic forum warrants a visit.
Don’t get me wrong. The building and your photos of it are breathtaking. But the picture that stood out for me is the guy with the rockabilly hairdo. What is his story? How much time does he spend on his hair? Do the women in his life like the hair, or are they jealous of it? The architectural structure of that hair is just, simply fascinating. But the pictures of the building are beautiful, too.