Taking pictures of people taking pictures of people who are sometimes themselves

I went to Asakusa, in eastern Tokyo, across the Sumida River from Tokyo Skytree, to see Senso-ji, the ancient and enormous Buddhist temple.  It is huge and hugely popular.

When I got out of the station at Asakusa, all the way at the end of the Ginza line, I exited the station and saw many, many young men, well muscled, wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts that had the legs rolled up, in the traditional Japanese style, to allow them freedom of movement as they peddled rickshaws around Asakusa, showing tourists Geisha Town, the temple, and the shopping arcades where the locals shop.  I stopped by one of them to ask directions to the temple and he showed me on a map everywhere he would take me adding, "This is where the Sumo shop."  I asked if he could guarantee me we'd see Sumo and he could not, so I asked him if he could please give me directions to the temple.  "About five minutes in that direction.  Look right and you will see it."

Thirty seconds later, I came to the temple entrance and there were roughly a million tourists, many of whom were young locals in kimonos, happily posing for selfies.  It's a total compulsion of mine:  I cannot stop myself from taking pictures of people who are taking picture of people.  There will never be the perfect opportunity, the perfect picture of a person taking a picture, there will only be multiple attempts to try to get the perfect one and then be so pleased with the result, and then go for another the next time I come to a group of people because it might be better still.

I don't use a long lens, so I was really almost in their faces

People were standing underneath the giant Japanese lantern at Thunder Gate, taking pictures of each other.  It was a great picture, of course, and there was much crouching and squatting and pointing.

The young lady at the left was posing but I wanted the centered lantern without too many bods.  Centered for photography but not politically.  That's how I roll.

As I walk to the temple -- about two to three blocks -- there are rows of shops lining the walkway, selling mostly tourist merch and t-shirts.  It opens up in front of the temple and the photography begins anew.

Cute.  Knows it.

OMG!  CENTERED!  PEOPLE TAKING SELFIES!  And I was almost all up in their videos with my short lens.  This one comes close to being a perfect example of my genre IMHO.

Into his photography!  In-the-moment crouching!