With the Taylor, Texas series completed, I’m jumping to the other side of the world. Not only is the location a significant change, but the shockingly advanced, high-tech-looking interior contrasts immensely with the old bricks and well-worn look of the Texas town I just covered. We are at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan. One of two airports that serve the world’s largest metropolitan area, with a population of 37 to 39 million people.

My mom and I were there at an ungodly hour for a trip to Singapore back in 2023. Notice that the clock reads 5:37 a.m. on the information pillar in the first photograph. While we start in Japan, this series is about Singapore, another super-modern Asian city. I think you will enjoy the contrast to down-home Taylor.

We purposely arrived early, so we would have plenty of time to visit the lounge. It was too early, in fact. The check-in counters were still closed. That allowed me to explore and make photographs. I get nostalgic for old, worn-out places, like the ones in the previous series. However, my love lies in super-modern, well-crafted architecture. Many new buildings are poorly constructed and poorly designed. It’s a joy to see one that is well-executed.

Haneda Airport, particularly the newest Terminal 3, is fantastic. I was in my element documenting the architecture.

The check-in area for departures is clearly labeled with ample room. It doesn’t look Japan-like, since most things in Japan are small, tight, and crowded. The soaring roof and the generous aisles give an uplifting experience.

I like the lines in this photograph and the mix of colors via both natural and artificial light. The early-morning sun is warming the roof while we get the techno-feeling escalator. In the back, we have the modern and impersonal glow of bright lights, which illuminate the security screening area.

We have a close-up of the escalator that leads us into another world on the fourth floor. I’ll cover that in tomorrow’s post.

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