Discovering Kibune: A Tranquil Retreat in Kyoto, Japan

A Scenic Journey to Kibune Nestled in the mountains just north of Kyoto, Kibune offers a peaceful escape from the bustling city. To reach this charming village, we embarked on a scenic journey. From Kawaramachi Station, we took a train to Demachiyanagi Station. From there, a bus ride took us to Kibuneguchi Station, the gateway… Read more »

Glitch Coffee Osaka: A Specialty Coffee Connoisseur’s Dream

Love specialty coffee? This video takes you inside Glitch Coffee Osaka, a haven for serious coffee lovers in Osaka, Japan. Here’s what awaits: Prime Location: Easily accessible from Osaka Station via Dojima Chika Center (Exit C93), right next to the Conrad Osaka Hotel. Exquisite Coffee: Immerse yourself in a world of over 20 different varieties… Read more »

Earfun Air Pro 3: Budget-Friendly Wireless Earbuds with a Bass Boost

From Budget Buds to Immersive Audio: My Journey to the Earfun Air Pro 3 My journey began, like many others, with a pair of bargain-basement, $30 bud-style earphones. These little guys let all the ambient noise flood in, so while I could hear my music faintly, it disappeared entirely in loud situations. These earbuds simply… Read more »

coffee beans spilling out of white cup

Decaf Triumphs at US Brewers Cup: Is This the End of Caffeinated Coffee’s Reign?

In a seismic shift for the coffee world, the 2024 US Brewers Cup witnessed a decaf coffee take the crown. Weihong Zhang, wielding a decaffeinated Colombian Typica, brewed a cup that wowed the judges, shattering the perception of decaf as a flavorless afterthought. This isn’t a mere blip – it’s a tremor that could trigger… Read more »

Recycling Nespresso Pods Thumbnail

Recycling Nespresso Coffee Pods

Coffee pods are a simple and fast way to get consistent, quality coffee in an instant. However, there are common issues against coffee pod machines. To reuse coffee pods with my own fresh coffee beans, I need to pay attention to the grind size and dose. Grinding the coffee too coarse will result in water… Read more »

Yokohama Chinatown, Classic Neg Film Simulation

Street Photography with the Classic Neg Film Simulation in Yokohama Chinatown, Japan This is a street photography series using the Fujifilm Film Simulation “Classic Neg” shot in Yokohama Chinatown, Japan. Classic Neg Classic Neg is a film simulation mode developed by Fujifilm that aims to replicate the look of classic color negative film. Classic Neg… Read more »

KansaiGlicoman

Kansai in Kodachrome – Street Photography in Japan

New Japan Street Photography Series A new photo series inspired by Fujifilm Film Simulations. This time I’m capturing street photography in the Kansai region (around Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe) of Japan using the Kodachrome film simulation, so the theme is “Kansai in Kodachrome”. When I switched to a Fujifilm camera, I decided on a challenge to… Read more »

fujifilm X100V

Fujifilm X100V vs X-E4

Fujifilm X100V and X-E4 Head to Head The Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4 are both digital cameras with similar features. They have identical image quality because they share the same 26.1MP X-Trans BSI CMOS 4 sensorX and X-Processor 4 Image Processor. However, there are some key differences between the two cameras. The X100V has a… Read more »

Filter/Immersion Coffee Method – with a Generic Drip Machine

This is my favourite coffee brew method. It gives me consistently better results than V60 Pour Over or French Press. It’s a mix of both of those brewing methods; Filter (Percolation) and Immersion. There are specific coffee brewers made for this, but you can achieve a similar brew with a generic drip coffee machine using… Read more »

fireworks

Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival 2022 Video

Introducing a Namtastic Video in Osaka, Japan – The Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival was held for the first time in 3 years on August 27, 2022.   The 20km Fireworks Video Challenge This is a video of the finale taken from 20km away in Hyogo Prefecture. From the viewing area I was at, people were… Read more »

Latest
  • Mount Majura Vineyard – Wine Tasting

    Wine Tasting at Mount Majura Vineyard in Canberra Mount Majura Vineyard is a great place for wine tasting located in Canberra, ACT, Australia. It’s easily accessible by car and I really like their “Wine Placemats” for tasting white and red wines. You can see the red wine placemat below. Entrance to the Winery The white… Read more »

  • Huawei Nexus 6P vs SONY RX100M3 Test01

    Here’s a recent comparison test of the photo quality from a Huawei Nexus 6P and a SONY RX100M3. SONY RX100M3 This first shot is from a SONY RX100M3. With a larger sensor and much higher quality lens, the RX100M3 shot is substantially sharper. However, this is probably only noticeable if you zoom in to 100%…. Read more »

  • Nexus6P RAW Snapseed Edit

    Huawei Nexus 6P RAW Photo Test – Edited in Snapseed

    This is a comparison of two photos taken on a Huawei Nexus 6P. One is a jpg straight out of the camera, and one was developed from a RAW file using the mobile app Snapseed. Since Android 5.0 Lollipop, Android phone cameras can take photos in RAW format. On the Nexus 6P, the default Google… Read more »

  • Street Photography in Fukushima-ku, Osaka, Japan

    Here’s a selection of street photography I took in Fukushima ward, Osaka, Japan. The camera I’m using is a big, hefty SONY A700 DSLR with a 50mm macro lens. Fukushima Street Photography 01 – Leading to the Guard Rawtherapee Film Simulation: FujiFP-3000b1n This first shot of a security guard was taken from a moving escalator…. Read more »

  • Radical Personal Finance Podcast

    Here’s a plug for a Finance podcast I’m subscribed to. I mentioned before in a post that I’m aiming to be PROACTIVE, not REACTIVE first thing in the morning. My plan at the moment is to keep my phone on airplane mode and listen to podcasts while preparing my lunch, breakfast and other tasks in the… Read more »

  • YouTube Yoga at Home with a Yoga Mat

    YouTube Yoga – Great Health, Flexibility and Fat-burning all from the comfort of your home This post outlines an introduction to YouTube Yoga, doing yoga at home while watching YouTube videos. I’ve found it’s a very inexpensive and convenient way to maintain fitness. As with any fitness activity, make sure you take the necessary precautions… Read more »

  • Nakanoshima Rose Garden, Osaka Japan 中ノ島バラ園

    There’s a wonderful Rose Garden on Nakanoshima, a 3km long sandbank between Umeda and Yodoyabashi in Osaka, Japan. When the flowers were blooming I took the opportunity to practice some macro photography with my SONY RX100M3. Cloudy Skies in Yodoyabashi I took this shot on the way to the Nakanoshima Rose Garden. Reach for the… Read more »

  • MaoMaoTV – The Richest Ramen in Japan

    MaoMaoTV – The Richest Ramen in Japan This was actually the first video I filmed with MaoMaoTV, Mao’s introduction to her favourite Ramen shop in Kyoto. Mao speaks in Chinese in the video, but she adds subtitles in English and Japanese in editing. I don’t understand Chinese, so while we were filming I didn’t really… Read more »

  • PomPomPurin Cafe Osaka ポムポムプリンカフェ 梅田店 阪急三番街

    PomPomPurin Cafe Osaka ポムポムプリンカフェ 梅田店 阪急三番街 If you’re looking for a fun cafe with a cuddly Japanese pudding character, look no further than the PomPomPurin Cafe in Umeda, Osaka. ポムポムプリンカフェ 梅田店 阪急三番街 PomPomPurin is a character created by Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty. I thought he was a big pudding who enjoyed eating himself, much like Anpanman. However,… Read more »

  • 1st Portrait shoot with MaoMaoTV!

    My latest interest and challenge in photography is portrait photography! While it’s still a challenge to take photos of inanimate objects and landscapes, I find taking photos of people much more interesting. As a part of several photo groups, one thing I find that’s in common is that photographers generally don’t like having their photos… Read more »