Locations: Osaka
Miyagi : Tokyo : Osaka : Hiroshima
Our city of Osaka has a distinctive culture and ethos you won’t find in other parts of Japan. In its Amerika-mura district, you’ll find tons of funky shops and young people dressed in imaginative fashions; Shinsekai is the haunt of the Osaka men we fondly call otchan; the old shopping malls are filled with cheery obachan matrons and spirited shopkeepers. Places like Osaka castle and the Dotonbori restaurant area are always throbbing with activity.
Osaka is known for kui-daore (lit. “eat yourself to ruin”), and the countless dishes to relish in the process—luscious “batter dishes” like takoyaki octopus balls and okonomiyaki pancakes, skewered deep-fried pork cutlets, udon noodles—are ones we Osaka-ites just love!
The first time you visit, the dynamism of the streets and the energy of its people may blow you away, but once you grasp that power, you’ll find yourself snapping one photo after the next. We hope you’ll come and join us trying to capture this power on film.
The Kogei High School Photography Research Club has its welcome party all planned for you!
| Smile! Have your picture taken in a signboard costume with Osaka Castle in the backdrop! | In summer, what really counts is how much skinyou show! Osaka summers are scorchers! |
The man running both hands raised in this logo mark is one of the symbols of Osaka. | The bleached hair, heavy make-up yamamba girls are now a rarity. It’s your lucky day if you get to see them. |
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| Everything is flamboyant in this city, the people as well as the street signs. You’ll be bowled over by the exaggerated signs. | You can’t help stopping to watch the way the Turkish ice-cream stretches. When the salesman is such a spirited fellow you always end up buying. | Help yourself! The famous Osaka takoyaki octopus balls are crispy on the outside and puffy on the inside. | The huge tori-ningen “chicken” graffiti appeared overnight and is now an established symbol of Amerika-mura, Osaka young people’s fashion mecca. | |||||
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| Festivals are always big events for Osaka-ites. The drum and gong awaken our love of life, and we just can’t keep away. |
On hot summer days, this is a familiar scene in the old quarter of town. | Osaka children are full of life! Just watching them give you energy. |
High school girls get so absorbed in their own world they don’t care who’s watching. It’s bold girls like these who’ll make the next generation of Osaka obachan. |
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| Going shopping in Amerika-mura—our favorite after-school pastime. | Osaka’s real landmarks are its people, even the Tsutenkaku tower is no match for them! | Osaka otchan love to play shogi. This is a scene you’ll find in city parks in cold weather or hot. |
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