Pedestrians crossing at a scramble crossing in Hachiko Square in front of Shibuya Station.

A Japan Railways educational poster highlighting the negative behaviour of certain passengers activities, at Ryogoku train station in Tokyo.

An elderly man, employed in a job creation scheme, uses a light wand to assist with the flow of traffic at the end of the day's horse racing at Nakayama Racecourse, Chiba.

People smoking in a designated area outside Harajuku Station.

The Audi Forum building on Meiji-dori off Omotesando Avenue, one of the fashionable areas of Tokyo.

An illuminated sign advertises the Hope Church that is situated over a pachinko parlour in the Tokyo suburb of Nishi Funabashi.

Neon lights advertising a Love Hotel, in Nishi Funabashi, called the New Chateau, where stays of a few hours are the norm.

Pedestrians in face masks wait to cross the street at the West Exit of Shinjuku Station. It is a common misconception among foreigners who come to Japan that the people wearing white cotton face masks...

A Japanese girl (left) dressed as Lolita. She visits Harajuku on Sundays to meet friends and have her photo taken by onlookers.

A businessman uses his mobile while standing next to a row of public telephones in Shinjuku Station. Public telephone use in Tokyo, like in other cities around the world, has fallen dramatically since...

Watching race 11, the big race of the day - The American Jockey Club Cup, with total prize money of over 115 million yen (GBP 500,000). The Nakayama Racecourse, located in the suburbs of Tokyo in Funa...

Yamanote green line train slowing down as it approaches Shinjuku Station, the busiest station in the world with approximately 3.3 million people passing through the station everyday.

Women disembark from a 'women only' carriage at Shinjuku Station. JR (Japan Railways) has 16 tracks at Shinjuku Station and there are 38 tracks if you include the subway and metro lines along with the...

Horses parade prior to race 9 at the Nakayama Racecourse located in the suburbs of Tokyo in Funabashi. It is used only for horse racing and has a capacity of 165,676. It was built in 1990 and has 15,9...

Punters checking the horses and the form guide at the parade ring for race 11, the big race of the day - The American Jockey Club Cup, with total prize money of over 115 million yen (GBP 500,000). The...

A young man checks his mobile phone in front of a large advertisement for DoCoMo telecommunications company along the underground concourse within Shinjuku Station. JR (Japan Railways) has 16 tracks a...

Business meeting over lunch at Tsunahachi Rin restaurant, which specialises in tempura, on the seventh floor of Lumine Est Department store. This department store, owned by JR East, like others in the...

Commuters in a packed metro carriage on their way into Tokyo's Western suburbs.

Female punter checking the horses' form at the parade ring for race 10 at the Nakayama Racecourse located in the suburbs of Tokyo in Funabashi. It is used only for horse racing and has a capacity of 1...

Small food restaurant offering noodles and traditional snacks. These small open-sided stalls, amongst the collection of ramshackle huts found along the narrow alleyways, offer food for lunch and after...

After the main race of the day most of the punters head home. But there still remain several hard-core punters checking the form of the last race. The Nakayama Racecourse, located in the suburbs of To...

Yamonote line train and people crossing Yasukuni-dori Avenue.

The Big Issue Japan, on sale through homeless people throughout the country. With no home address, it is often impossible for homeless people to find employment. This is where The Big Issue helps. Eac...

Watching race 11, the big race of the day - The American Jockey Club Cup, with total prize money of over 115 million yen (GBP 500,000). The Nakayama Racecourse, located in the suburbs of Tokyo in Funa...

A guard ensures that all is safe before the train departs from Shinjuku Station. JR (Japan Railways) has 16 tracks at Shinjuku Station and there are 38 tracks if you include the subway and metro lines...

Early morning commuters at Shinjuku Station wait to board a Chuo Line train into Tokyo. JR (Japan Railways) has 16 tracks at Shinjuku Station and there are 38 tracks if you include the subway and metr...

'Women only' carriage waits to depart Shinjuku Station during the morning rush hour. JR (Japan Railways) has 16 tracks at Shinjuku Station and there are 38 tracks if you include the subway and metro l...

Punters checking the horses and the form guide at the parade ring for race 11, the big race of the day - The American Jockey Club Cup, with total prize money of over 115 million yen (GBP 500,000). The...

One of the last Tibetan settlements before descending to the border town of Zhangmu.

Young girls carrying dried yak dung "patties" which are burned to provide heat for cooking, near the town of Barayagan on the Tibetan Plateau.

Everest's Northeast Ridge from Raphu La (6,550 metres), a prominent col which lies at the foot of the ridge.

A vehicle on "The Friendship Highway" passing through the Himalayan mountains.

Trekker passing a cairn as he descends from Camp I (5,460 metres) to Everest Base Camp (5,200 metres).

A glacier excursion across the upper basin of the East Rongbuk Glacier, known as George Mallory's "Magic Highway", heading to Raphu La (6,550 metres), a prominent col which lies at the foot of Everes...

Mount Everest (8,848 metres) viewed from East Rongbuk Glacier, George Mallory's "Magic Highway", between Camp I (5,460 metres) and Camp II (5,970 metres).

Mount Everest (8,848 metres) viewed from the North Side Base Camp. Known as Chomolungma in Tibetan, the local name for the highest mountain in the world translates as "Mother Goddess of the Earth."

Young boy in the snow between Rongbuk Monastery (5,032 metres) and Everest Base Camp (5,200 metres).

Nuns at Rongbuk monastery, which was founded in 1902 in an area of meditation huts that had been in use by nuns and hermits for hundreds of years. Rongbuk Monastery, at 5,032 metres is the highest mon...

A Khampa yak herdsman east of Saga town on the Tibetan Plateau.

Two people are dwarfed by the landscape as they walk along the banks of a lake with salt deposits, east of Saga town on the Tibetan Plateau.

Everest's Northeast Ridge from Raphu La (6,550 metres), a prominent col which lies at the foot of the ridge.

People check the quality of the meat being sold on the main street in Tingri on the Tibetan Plateau. The abatoir was in a tent around the corner. Tingri is a popular market town and many travel in fro...

A Khampa man wearing a large foxskin hat along the main street in town of Tingri on the Tibetan Plateau. Tingri is a popular market town, and many travel in from the surrounding rural areas.

Mount Everest (8,848 metres) viewed from East Rongbuk Glacier, George Mallory's "Magic Highway", between Camp I (5,460 metres) and Camp II (5,970 metres).

A glacier excursion across the upper basin of the East Rongbuk Glacier, known as George Mallory's "Magic Highway", heading to Raphu La (6,550 metres), a prominent col which lies at the foot of Everes...

A Toyota Landcruiser descends from a 4,800 metre pass, east of Saga town on the Tibetan Plateau.

Snowcapped mountains meet sand dunes, east of Barayagan town on the Tibetan Plateau.

A female shepherd with her flock of sheep and goats on the outskirts of the town of Barayagan on the Tibetan Plateau.

People's Court in session.

Bamboo and a post office box in the Gion district.

A couple admire the Sony 'Aibo' robot dog, on display in the Sony Building.

Teenage girls sporting the latest trends on Omote-sando Avenue, in the centre of the fashionable Harajuku district.

Small rice planting machine being used in Shirakiyama.

The first condom vending machine installed in the city, in the centre of the red light district.

Teacher educates through sight, touch to feel vibration, and very loud sounds for the hearing impaired, at a deaf and dumb school.

People's Open Court, held at Anand Niketan Ashram.

Holy cow eating discarded floral temple offering above the Ganges River.

Office workers crossing the street in the Shinjuku district.

Huge 16m tall bronze Buddha inside the Daibutsu-den, the largest wooden structure in the world.

Children carry a straw shrine and offer thanks to the Gods for the October rice harvest.

Women planting rice in paddy fields.