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 »

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Latest

  • You’re waiting for a train…

  • Guardian of the Shrine

  • Autumn in Kyoto

    Here’s an album of autumn photos in Kyoto. More to come soon!

  • Getting into the “Autumn” of things

    With a wave of autumn leaves shots online now (in the northern hemisphere), I took this shot in Kyoto. Haven’t done much research on how to get good shots of leaves, but in hindsight it probably could have used some more depth of field, just enough to get the whole front leaf focused. I was… Read more »

  • Dragon at Nanzen-ji

  • Rusty Boat

  • Kitahama HDR

    I’ve visited three great cafe’s and a rose garden near Kitahama in central Osaka recently. Here’s a HDR photo of the view.  

  • Finally I understand what Snapchat’s color icons mean

    Snapchat got a bit easier to understand after I read this article at Techinsider. I knew there was some meaning behind all the triangles and squares in my friend’s list, but now I finally “get” when someone has seen a snap and whether it has audio or not. Snapchat has a description of it’s sent,… Read more »

  • Halloween Costumes – Photowalk in Osaka 2015

    Halloween Costumes – Street Photography Photowalk in Osaka, Japan 2015 Halloween is increasingly popular in Japan, and in 2015 I decided to join the Kansai Photographers Meetup Group for a Halloween Photowalk. These photos were taken with a SONY RX100 M3. The White Guy from Mad Max Fury Road We started while there was still… Read more »

  • Northshore Cafe and Dining, ノースショア where the Eggsluts and Sprout Sandwiches don’t disappoint

    Northshore Cafe and Dining, ノースショア where the Eggsluts and Sprout Sandwiches don’t disappoint Northshore is a cafe in Kitahama not far from Brooklyn Roasting Company and also situated overlooking the river. I’ve complained about McDonald’s breakfast ending at 10:30am, but Northshore takes this up another notch. Their economical “Gu-do Morning Set” is only available until… Read more »