A Photographer's Notes: Exploring Dotonbori with the Nikon ZR

Recently, work had me traveling to Osaka, and I was lucky to have a full evening free to get out and explore the city with my new Nikon ZR. When exploring, I like to focus on one or two areas only, just to keep things simple. So this time I decided to check out the famous Dotonbori area for the first time in MANY years.

I tend to avoid over-crowded places when I am out with my camera. But for some reason, I really wanted to check out Dotonbori this trip, and I am glad I did!

Dotonbori’s neon lights (©Jason Halayko)

Throwback Neon Colors and Design

Walking up from the local station, I was first greeted with these amazing neon signs showing the entrance to the Dotonbori area. These neon signs seem to be a throwback to when the area was first developed, as they give off a strong Showa era vibe in their colors and design.

(©Jason Halayko)

I found myself filming one sign from all sorts of angles, spending probably way too much time on the first thing I saw that night, haha. However, I do honestly prefer the look of the old neon signs so much more than the modern LED replacements. They just feel more warm and human in a way.

Also, follow the author’s exploration of Dotonbori through the video

A Random Weekend Night

Dotonbori (©Jason Halayko)

From there, I headed down the main street and was surprised to see just how many people were there on this random Saturday night. It was crazy, to be honest.

The main “tourist attraction” of Dontonbori would have to be the famous running man Glico sign. This is a huge LED sign that EVERYONE wants to get a photo in front of, except me, apparently. I was more fascinated by people watching and capturing images of the mass of people there. Needless to say, I moved on down the street quite quickly to see the rest of the area.

Takoyaki – in any language. (©Jason Halayko)

One unique aspect of this area of Osaka, and in Japan as a whole, is that a lot of the storefronts here have massive objects on the outside of their shops that depict what they are selling. Giant octopuses, gyoza, takoyaki, and crabs.

Who is he? (©Jason Halayko)

There was even one with what I can only assume was a giant face of the famous chef or owner of the shop. It’s pretty cool to see and helps a lot when looking for something to eat. And they’re fun to add to photos as well.

All photographs by Jason Halayko.

A cat prays in front of a drinking establishment. (©Jason Halayko)

Japan 2 Earth Masthead Banner
Alleyways and Backstreets

But me being me, I wanted to get off the main street and explore the more narrow alleyways and backstreets you can often find in these areas. Getting lost is par for the course. But it’s when you stop trying to “get somewhere” and just enjoy the process of wandering and exploring with your camera that you find the hidden gems other photographers may have missed.

All photographs by Jason Halayko.

I don’t particularly enjoy taking the “iconic” photos you see on Instagram these days. So this way of literally getting lost and seeing what I see helps me discover unique spots and moments that are not easily replicated by other photographers.

The last scene of the night I photographed is a good example of this. While walking down a random side street, thinking more about what I wanted for dinner than what I wanted to photograph, I saw two gentlemen enjoying a conversation while sharing a beer outside a random shop. A simple moment, but one I found profoundly interesting and felt I needed to capture.

The combination of the light, the grittiness of the shop exterior, and the simplicity of two people sharing a drink on a cold Osaka night really spoke to something inside me. In the end, it was easily my favorite shot from the night.

All photographs by Jason Halayko.

Author and Photographer: Jason Halayko
Jason Halayko is a professional photographer specializing in action sports and portrait photography. Follow him on X and Instagram.