Gaurav Vaz » Japan http://gauravvaz.com Bass Guitarist, Artist Manager, Writer, Product Evangelist, Web Developer living in Bangalore, India Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:14:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 When the Internet meets “Real Life” http://gauravvaz.com/when-the-internet-meets-real-life/ http://gauravvaz.com/when-the-internet-meets-real-life/#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2008 06:02:45 +0000 Gaurav http://gauravvaz.com/?p=122 The mysterious “Internet” at the end of the day is real people and that realization has not happened with a LOT of people I speak to. For them, the Internet is still this thing that is part make believe, like the “Movies”. I agree that this is true in part, but for a large part, and depending on how and for what you use the Internet, it can be a real place with real people!

On my recent trip to Japan, I had a moment where I got to see first hand something I know *ONLY* as an Internet phenomenon. The “Free Hugs Campaign” was something I had seen many times on Youtube, it was where I was introduced to the ‘Sick Puppies‘ and some amazing moments captured on video!

So imagine my surprise when walking down Harajuku to find this guy and lady standing with hand painted banners that read ‘FREE HUGS’. I know, looking back at it now, its quite trivial and there have been many such campaigns etc. But for me that was quite a special moment were I was part of something that I had known only to exist on the Internet.

The pictures are of me and my friend Vijay receiving (giving?) free hugs!

So where has the Internet met your real life?

]]> http://gauravvaz.com/when-the-internet-meets-real-life/feed/ 4 The Pensive Skateboarder http://gauravvaz.com/the-pensive-skateboarder/ http://gauravvaz.com/the-pensive-skateboarder/#comments Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:20:36 +0000 Gaurav http://gauravvaz.com/the-pensive-skateboarder/ The Pensive Skateboarder
I just love Harajuku in Tokyo because you see the craziest things happen there and right in the middle of all this, I caught this skateboarder sitting and lost in his own thought as he watched the world pass by!

I did not squat and focus for this shot because I was sure I would pull him out of his pensive state, so I just aimed and clicked without even focussing and it was by pure chance that I got such a brilliant framing!

]]> http://gauravvaz.com/the-pensive-skateboarder/feed/ 0 Tomo – The Kanji Calligrapher http://gauravvaz.com/tomo-the-kanji-calligrapher/ http://gauravvaz.com/tomo-the-kanji-calligrapher/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:43:55 +0000 Gaurav http://gauravvaz.com/tomo-the-kanji-calligrapher/ Tomo - The Kanji Calligrapher
Tomo is a Kanji Calligrapher who is originally a soilder who was part of the Vietnam war. Once back from the war, he wanted a drastic change of lifestyle and started his calligraphy.

I happened to meet him when walking through Harajuku and stopped and got a nice little framed Japanese writing poster for Shilpa. The words of which read, “The road with you is the only one for me”!

]]> http://gauravvaz.com/tomo-the-kanji-calligrapher/feed/ 0 Dog Bomb http://gauravvaz.com/dog-bomb/ http://gauravvaz.com/dog-bomb/#comments Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:21:34 +0000 Gaurav http://gauravvaz.com/dog-bomb/ Dog Bomb
The pavement on the main street in Harajuku is lined up with bands that play their own music, get their own set up, right from the drum kits to the PA to even the audience sometimes!

This band we saw was called ‘Dog Bomb‘ and they were highly impressive with influences from RATM, SlipKnot, Limp Bizkit etc… They were hard hitting and going for it even though there were about 6 people in the audience, they were putting up the show of their lives!

Vijay and I bought 2 of their CDs and they were just over the moon that someone did that for them! There is still passion left in music :)

]]> http://gauravvaz.com/dog-bomb/feed/ 0 A Japanese Lamp Post http://gauravvaz.com/a-japanese-lamp-post/ http://gauravvaz.com/a-japanese-lamp-post/#comments Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:12:24 +0000 Gaurav http://gauravvaz.com/a-japanese-lamp-post/ A Japanese Lamp Post
Walking through a park near Harajuku, we came across this little pathway which led to an amazing forest! well almost .. it was a perfect clearing in the woods and the whole path was lined up with these lovely Japanese lamps.

]]> http://gauravvaz.com/a-japanese-lamp-post/feed/ 0 Day out in the park http://gauravvaz.com/day-out-in-the-park/ http://gauravvaz.com/day-out-in-the-park/#comments Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:58:08 +0000 Gaurav http://gauravvaz.com/day-out-in-the-park/ Day out in the park
I was walking through Harajuku outside Yoyogi park and I saw this boy completely astounded by what was happening around him with the wierdly dressed people and the loud music and craziness!

But in his own way he seemed to enjoy the madness!

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