Osaka is a huge metropolis that welcomed us with livid and blue skyscrapers after getting off the train. Even though it is the third largest city in Japan, my husband, my sister and I spent only half a day there. Unfortunately, we had to catch a night flight from Tokyo. Osaka is a very important commercial and cultural centre on the map of Japan. We were lucky because that day was Culture Day (Bunka no Hi, November 3rd). Thanks to this, we were able to see the parades organised on this occasion.
We saw the city hidden in the fog of smog from the observation deck of the Umeda Sky Building. We then walked through the Glitter Castle park to end in the Dōtonbori district. Thousands of shops, restaurants, nightclubs, casinos and arcades line the canal, all surrounded by crowds of people. However, the abundance is not overwhelming. This is where I managed to take most of my street portraits.
Flavors of Osaka
The city is full of street food especially along the Dōtonbori Canal. Two dishes that come from Osaka (and are a must-try) are okonomiyaki and takoyaki. The former are a type of cabbage pancakes with various additions. The name comes from the word okonomi which means “as you like it”. The second snack is fried octopus meatballs. The balls are sprinkled with katsuobushi (dried fish flakes), which move under the influence of heat as if they were alive.
During my trip to Japan, I also visited other cities. Here you can see reports from Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara.
Osaka Travel Palette
Osaka street photography helps you get to know the city and observe its palette. The obligatory colour (at least for me) for Japan is red. This time it is carmine – like the sun rising over the country. More colours cover the metropolis in fog. Livid powder blue of sky and water. Modern platinum of countless skyscrapers. And finally, the ubiquitous but somehow invisible greyish shade of brown – beaver.
