Vol.11: Tokyo Tokyo Launches - a photo contest!

Welcome to TOKYO BEAT – a special series by your trusty Tokyo Tourism Representative (New York Office) that aims to provide you with story ideas and inspiration. First, we’re incredibly excited to direct your attention to ‘Tokyo Tokyo Old meets New”, a photo contest by Tokyo Tokyo that is running until October 31. The contest aims to draw contributors to share images of Tokyo that showcase either the traditional or innovative sides of the city, vote for their favorites, and win cool prizes. Also noteworthy is a new video series on Tokyo by social media influencer Jackie Gebel, which has made its online debut.

What is ‘Old meets New’ about? Tokyo has, for generations, attracted photographers for both its historical core and contemporary façade. While many iconic images of the city have been captured, from its people to its architecture, food and nature, there is still so much to discover. Tokyo Tokyo is calling for shooters at all levels to share his or her favorite pictures from their photo rolls. “Tokyo Tokyo Old meets New” hopes to collect pictures that are colorful and eye-catching, but also thoughtful and insightful – ultimately showcasing the depth and allure of the city. From comparing the cutting edge Ginza Six mall with classic shotengai street markets to contrasting Cherry Blossoms with sky-high nighttime panoramas, the potential to find the perfect juxtaposition is limitless.

Participants are eligible to enter simply by following the “Tokyo Tokyo” Instagram account (@tokyotokyooldmeetsnew) and then begin posting pictures with the hashtags #tokyotokyo, #tokyotokyoawards, #old or #new, and the category (#food, #architecture, #landscape, #fashion). After a preliminary screening, applicants will receive a direct message from Tokyo Tokyo to confirm his or her entry. Voters can also compete to win a prize by ‘liking’ pictures listed on https://pc.tokyotokyo.jp/en/photo_list.php. With pictures laid out side by side, the juxtaposition of ‘traditional’ and ‘innovative’ shots of Tokyo is a fascinating way to survey Tokyo.

Share or Vote to Win Great Prizes Participants who share their pictures are eligible for a variety of prizes, including the groundbreaking 360-degree photo and video camera Ricoh Theta SC, the perfect blend of ‘old and new’ hybrid instant FUJIFILM instax SQUARE SQ10, a travel suitcase supplied by National Geographic, a Travel Wallet supplied by CNN, and travel books from Lonely Planet. Voters are eligible to win a state-of-the-art SONY wena wrist + Mechanical Head.

The Tokyo Tokyo jury includes professional photographers Hiroaki Fukuda and Masaya Suzuki, National Geographic, writer Cristian Bonetto of Lonely Planet, and Chef Ivan Orkin (representing CNN).

Influencer Jackie Gabel Explores Tokyo Seasoned traveler and blogger Jackie Gebel is no stranger to Tokyo, and she has been specially tapped by Tokyo Tokyo to explore Tokyo and report her experiences on various social media outlets. Watch her features on the Tokyo Tokyo website https://tokyotokyo.jp/features/jackie/for some perspectives from this world popular traveler.

For more information about the Tokyo Tokyo Old meets New Photo Contest, as well as the Tokyo International Film Festival, contact press@tokyo-nyc.com or call 917-200-4887. For general information on traveling in Tokyo, head to TokyoTokyo.jp and Gotokyo.org/en/