Japansnapping

An Osaka kind of day.

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Old bicycles that apparently no longer have an owner.

Anyone who’s ever explored Osaka’s Shinsekai district will probably have noticed this popular shogi club, its large windows allowing passers-by to peer in and enjoy a very Showa-like scene.

Sadly, after nearly 80 years of business and three generations of family ownership, the Sankei Club closed its doors for good at the end of June 2024. The last of the long-established shogi halls in the area, visitors to the Sankei Club included everyone from day labourers to company presidents, each paying 300 yen an hour to sharpen their skills, or 1,000 yen if they stayed for a whole day.

Some playgrounds in Japan have been designed with sparkle, flair and imagination. And some haven’t.

Everyone knows about the ubiquity of vending machines in Japan. And most of them are in excellent working order. But not this one. The batteries definitely need changing.

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Kyoto blue skies.

Green houses of Hakodate.

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An 83-year-old lady takes a call on an old-style rotary phone in a tiny coffee shop that she's run for the last 51 years.

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One of the wonderful things about the South Hokkaido Railway line is that you can be on it within just a minute of stepping off a bullet train. And as you might imagine, this very rural journey passes by at a much more leisurely pace – in every possible way.

Every year, on the third Monday of September, is Respect for the Aged Day in Japan.

Out and about in Osaka at night.

An Osaka shopping street on its last (wooden) legs.

It's hot.

It’s not very often you see a phone number written in katakana, but here’s a rather striking example on the front of an old tatami shop.