Photographs from a small group of islands
There are numerous photos of the quieter, faded sides of Japanese towns and cities on these pages. The kind of scenery that is increasingly common due to the nation’s shrinking population. So here then are some more, all of which were taken on a recent Saturday outing, although to be fair, it looked and felt much more like a Sunday. Or perhaps more accurately, a perpetual Sunday.
My first sighting of this lovely little yakitori stall was back in April 2017. I’d passed by the spot several times during daylight hours, and everything had been locked up — the shops located there having long since closed down. From late afternoon onwards though the shutters were lifted and the stall was wheeled out. Then once on the street the grilling could commence. A wonderfully novel idea that I saw again a couple of years later in November 2019.
Sadly they were the only two sightings. Presumably I was either too early on most occasions, or got the day wrong on others. Now, however, it makes no difference what time or even day it is, as the building has been replaced by yet another nondescript car park.
Last month I posted a series of photos from a walk round one of my favourite old Tokyo neighbourhoods. It’s a part of the city I visit regularly, with each and every wander different due to the people, conditions, and consistent new finds.
With that in mind then, a few weeks ago I had the chance to spend several consecutive days there, and with the weather all over the place, along with the varied sights and those wonderfully fleeting street scenes, it turned out to be a productive time. So here is a little of what I saw. A mixture of people, colours, and mostly unknown neighbourhood stories.
This old Tokyo tofu shop has been a favourite of mine for years. The way everything leans this way and that is incredibly appealing, and the huge sign above is without a doubt very special indeed. Or perhaps more accurately, it was special, as sadly it suffered irreparable damaged during a typhoon several years ago and has never been replaced.
Still, sign or no sign, there remains a lot to like, and as an added extra of sorts, the buildings behind the shop were recently demolished, exposing its similarly ramshackle rear.
Below then are some photos taken over the years. Images that date from 2018 to as recently as just last week.
An increasing number of my posts seem to cover people and places that are no longer with us, but thankfully there are still plenty of exceptions, and this wonderful old coffee shop is one of them. A space that it turns out was originally a photo development studio, before a decades-ago conversion into the business it remains to this day.
The opening image is from February 2016, which was the first time I visited. Since then I’ve stopped by on numerous occasions, but until just recently, it had been a while. When returning the other week then, it was a relief to see the seating area unchanged, and despite being unable to manage on her own these days, the owner is still there, and still as smiley as ever.
A few weeks ago I did my first official Osaka photowalks. Three days of exploring and photographing the city’s older, grittier neighbourhoods — all of which are a very different world from the busy streets and bright lights of Dotonbori and the Glico man.
Below I’ve pasted the review of those walks, and the photos that follow are a taste of what we saw. Quieter scenes where time seems to have stood still. All shot in areas that have no fancy modern shops or restaurants, and aside from the occasional convenience store, no famous chains either. In fact, in these instances at least, there aren’t even any smartphones. Just life as it once was, and for now at least, still is.
Review:
We have engaged Lee for full day Tokyo photowalk tours on several previous occasions, and this time were pleased to have the opportunity to enjoy a three day tour with him in Osaka.
Lee’s 20+ years of living the culture and back street life of Japan, plus his easy-going friendly personality, provided the osmotic catalyst that allowed us to leave our tourist bubble and truly see the life and people in the less trodden neighbourhoods. As always the tour was tailored to us, and we got to see, taste, hear and learn about the Japan that is mostly hidden from us.
Lee sought out many genuine scenes that could have been from any time right back to the sixties. The likes of now vanishingly rare vending machines, plus shopkeepers from another era who were often happy to engage with a bit of chat giving us a precious glimpse into their long histories.
Lee also has the natural ability to take a random encounter and produce unique impromptu experiences. Such as a look around the inside of a small town theatre after a chat with a local, and, after passing an unusual doorway, seeing an amazing portrait exhibition of local day labourers taken over a ten year period.
There is never a moment that Lee doesn’t have some information or story to tell as we walk around, so every day was entertaining, educational, and full of photographic opportunities.
Of all the wonderful things we brought back from our visit to Japan, the memories of this tour are the most valuable.
Mark & Deborah, November 2024
