The Pumpkin Express

Posted by Duncan Galbraith (kyoto, Japan) on 21 October 2006 in People & Portrait and Portfolio.

The train earned its name due to its colour (exterior). Its hardly an express though. From Kyoto it meanders through the mountains before coming to a stop at Sonobe. Shigeru Miyamotos hometown for any Nintendo-Otaku out there. The couple featured didnt seem to mind a gaijin flashing his camera about and remained remarkably nonchalant throughout.

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Comments (8)

Ryan Yam from Quezon City, Philippines

Hey I've learned about the term gaijin from the movie "Fast and the Furious" :) Do they really have discriminations against gaijin? I don't really like the angle on this.

21 Oct 2006 12:58pm

Kelvin Chan from New York City, United States

if you used flash then it's clear you're taking pictures of them! why not just lift the camera up to your face and take it?

21 Oct 2006 1:14pm

Kelvin Chan from New York City, United States

look at my picture tomorrow, i'll tell you how to take pictures of strangers on the train with them completely unaware of it ;]

21 Oct 2006 1:15pm

Damon Schreiber from Toronto, Canada

I like this a lot. Captures the feeling of a long train ride - and the variety of people one encounters. The linked hands are the true power in this photo.

21 Oct 2006 1:48pm

Shuva Brata Deb from Hyderabad, India

I am wondering what your position was while you were shooting....you definitely have some courage.

22 Oct 2006 4:49am

Duncan Galbraith from kyoto, Japan

thanks Damon and Shuva :> I was sat opposite them with camera on lap. No flash fired but they were aware of my intention to shoot them and they didnt mind. ryan, as for the term "gaijin" its an contraction of the word "gaikokujin" which basically translates as "a foreigner". As for the question about discrimination....show me a country with none and Ill fly to the moon. Japan is no better or no worse. My experience has been a very enriching one.

22 Oct 2006 8:41am

Jason Kravitz from Brussels, Belgium

Belgium has been pretty accepting towards foreigners (so far for me :) but I can blend in better here for the most part.
Cool shot - I like how they are holding hands

23 Oct 2006 12:20pm