Osaka 大阪 2025

Osaka 2025

Had a 7 day (Jan/28-Feb/04) travel trip during the Lunar New Year in Osaka 大阪, Japan.

It has been more than 6 years since I've been to Osaka, just before COVID landed. I was in Osaka when the news started pouring out and measures by countries started taking shape. Flights got cancelled and lockdowns began.

John

The trip was accompanied by John, hobbyist saxophonist and photographer. We met in one of my Jazz session groups, and cooked his maiden voyage to Japan.

Officially my first time to travel with a friend/photographer into Osaka other than a local domestic trip during my time in Japan.

Overall trip was a no-rush, photograph-centric, Kissa Ten 喫茶店 (cafe) chills with coffee and jazz background music, with evening visits to jazz bars/clubs.

Dotonbori 道頓堀

Photo - Not your usual glico shot — Not your usual glico shot

Photo - Kushi Katsu 串カツ — Kushi Katsu 串カツ

The bluefin tuna may be heavier 😆 than me!

Osaka Castle 大阪城

Photo - You can sleep when you're dead! — You can sleep when you're dead!

Photo - Osaka Castle Walls — Osaka Castle Walls

Photo - Running in Winter — Running in Winter

Students running up towards the castle, in Winter. 🥶

Photo - Osaka Castle 大阪城 — Osaka Castle 大阪城

Leica M10 caught a cold

What better way to sour your trip when the only camera you have failed to work as expected?

After the above shot, my M10's rangefinder/patch failed to move entirely, which means I am no longer able to focus.

Rangefinder stopped working, need advice

Fortunately, the M10 recovered after sitting out in the hotel room for a day, just in time for our day-trip to Kyoto.

Arashiyama - Kyoto 嵐山 - 京都

Photo - Checking focus on the M10 — Checking focus on the M10

Photo - On our way to Saga-Arashiyama Station — On our way to Saga-Arashiyama Station

Photo - Saga-Arashiyama Station 嵯峨嵐山駅 — Saga-Arashiyama Station 嵯峨嵐山駅

World Cultural Heritage - Tenryu-ji 天龍寺

Tenryu-ji

Photo - John under the bridge — John under the bridge

Photo - Building Repairs — Building Repairs

John Seiza 正座 Shoot

John practices Aikido 合気道 and was interested in a Seiza 正座 posture shot.

With all the crowds in place... now that's a challenge.

Photo - John Seiza ジョンさん正座 — John Seiza ジョンさん正座

We spent quite some time here for various posed shots, waiting on crowds to pass through and that crowd-less background, time to go back to the original tourist route.

Sogenchi Garden 曹源池庭園

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest 嵐山竹林

One of the more challenging spots to get rid of crowds. If you are preparing for that clean shot, be ready to spend some time here waiting on crowds. As it was winter, sunset was around 430pm, we decided to do a quick run on this spot and make our way back for food and rest.