Osaka Bob FAMILY
Night photography in Osaka
Where to go and how to shoot amazing pictures
There’s just something about the city that comes alive after dark. The reflection of neon lights on the water… The glow of lanterns decorating izakaya (Japanese bar/restaurants)… Seasonal light displays sparkling in the winter nightscape… All make night photos so fun to look at.
A lot of amateur photographers have told me that they don’t know how to shoot at night. I actually had lots of failed attempts when I first started, but I think I’ve learned a few things. So I’ve compiled a short list of tips that helped me and some of my favorite places to shoot night photos in Osaka. Have a read and see if you can improve your photography skills. And don’t forget to share your photos with me. I’d love to see your pictures too!
［Contents］
■6 Spots Featured on Osaka Bob’s Instagram
Here are just a few of the photos from Instagram @osaka_bob that got a lot of likes and comments. These were great places to shoot at night and had a totally different feeling from daytime photos.
① The Neon Lights of Dotonbori
Day or night, Dotonbori is one of Osaka’s most popular attractions. And when the neon lights shine are on, their bright reflections bounce off the surface of the canal. It something you’ve gotta see with your own eyes! You’ll want to capture this scene to remember how beautiful it was during your trip.
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Cruising down the waterway is my favorite way to enjoy the Dotonbori! There are lots of boats to choose from and it’s fun to take pictures from the boats. And they make good photo subjects when they pass by.
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If you’ve ever been to Osaka you’ll probably recognize the Glico Sign. Most people photograph it from Ebisubashi Bridge and you can get some great photos there. Above you can see it pictured with the bridge in the foreground. It looks like a professional photograph, doesn’t it?
If you’d like to see the Glico Man in all his glory, come see the sign at night. The sign display changes periodically from 30 minutes past sunset until midnight. You’ll be able to see the Glico Man with lots of different backgrounds and moving illustrations.
📷Tip: Allow your camera to pick up more light by setting the shutter to stay open for a longer exposure. You’ll want to stabilize your camera using a tripod or other device in order to prevent blur.
Dotonbori is full of fun photo spots! Take unique photos while exploring this lively part of town.
Osaka’s well-known and well-loved Minami district—at night!
② Umeda Sky Building
The building is literally like day and night, when you visit it at different times of day. The lights go on in and outside Umeda Sky Building after dark, giving it a totally different appearance from its daytime look. Of course, photos shot from the observation deck are lovely, but I recommend photographing the building itself.
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Umeda Sky Building reflects the colors of its surroundings, and it amplifies the rays of the setting sun. At sunset you can see it turn a gorgeous golden color, reflecting pinks and oranges, grays and blues, all the colors of the sky. I’d recommend heading to the pedestrian bridge connecting Osaka Station City and Grand Front Osaka. It’s the perfect vantage point for taking amazing sunset photos.
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At night, try standing directly under the observation deck in the courtyard between the two towers. When you look up you can see the building from a totally different perspective! Lights form a ring around the bottom of the observation deck and reflect off of the sides of the building adding interesting geometric angles and shapes to your photos.
📷And if you’d like to get a clear shot of the building, this is one of the most convenient places to go—Umekita Plaza in the Grand Front Osaka complex. There is a clear view of the towers, and if you visit during winter, you could skate on the ice rink! A number of other fun events are held here throughout the year too.
③ Shinsekai
This unique Osaka neighborhood is full of history and a charming retro atmosphere. Many of the streets are closed to car traffic so it’s fun to walk around exploring the hole-in-the-wall game arcades, interesting clothing stores, and old-time coffee shops. This area also has lots of flashy 3D billboards and neon lights. And don’t forget! Shinsekai is also home to one of Osaka’s most iconic symbols, Tsutenkaku Tower.
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The billboards are so colorful it’s fun to shoot Tsutenkaku Tower in the background and get a lot of different angles of Shinseikai. The tower is lit in the evenings and will brighten your photos with a totally different color depending on the month you visit. (It has also been lit in red, green, and yellow to indicate the Covid-19 situation in Osaka and blue to express gratitude for healthcare workers worldwide).
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To get a more retro look for your photos, I recommend shooting Tsutenkaku Tower up close. There are streets on all sides of the tower, so you can get a lot of different angles while focussing on the tower as your main image.
📷When there is a lot of neon up high and you’re trying to capture it all in one frame, try holding your camera down below your head to get a lower angle. Think about the composition of your photo. Creating space in the photo without neon can actually make the neon stand out.
④ Nakanoshima
Osaka is full of rivers, so there are a lot of opportunities to capture light reflections on the water. One of my favorites is the centrally located island, Nakanoshima. It is surrounded by rivers on all sides and there are a number of interesting bridges, which can add lines and curves to your photos.
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The buildings are lit beautifully at night and you can get a lot of vantage points from the nearby bridges. This one was taken from Naniwa Bridge. Look at how nicely the light seems to glow on the surface of the river.
📷I recommend using a tripod and a remote shutter release for long exposure photography, which will enable you to capture beautiful light reflections on the water. The longer your exposure, the flatter the surface of the water will appear.
📷If you shoot with a narrow aperture, you will be able to take cleaner sharper images.
⑤ Cosmo Tower (Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building Observatory)
The Cosmo Tower observation deck is located 252m above ground and offers sweeping views of Osaka Bay and all of its attractions.
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⑥ Festival of the Lights (Seasonal)
This annual event lights up the main boulevard in Osaka, parts of Nakanoshima, and a few other selected locations throughout the city. It is absolutely stunning, so if you are lucky enough to be in town during the winter months, please don’t miss it! You can take amazing night photos and each year the display is slightly different. Your photos will be a special memory to remind you of your trip.
The 4 kilometers of lights on Midosuji Boulevard qualified the street for a Guinness World Record. Please see the official website for official dates. But generally speaking, the Midosuji lights are usually up during November and December.
・Osaka Castle Illuminage
Dates: Nov. 22, 2022–Feb. 26, 2023
Approximately 3 million lights decorate the park surrounding Osaka Castle. The displays are a mix of Western and Japanese influences from about 150 years ago and look so glamorous in front of the main castle tower.
📷The Osaka Castle Illuminage has a romantic atmosphere and, especially if you are on a date, you may not want to set up a tripod for long exposures. If that’s the case, just adjust your camera to a faster shutter speed. This will prevent blur in your images. And you can increase the ISO to get a brighter image. But, if you set your ISO too high it will produce a noisy image. I’d recommend somewhere between ISO800-3200.
■Advanced Night Photography Tecnhiques
Multiple Exposures
This technique allows you to superimpose images on top of each other. It creates artsy images like the one you see below and when you use this technique with night photography you can really play around with the light. Most cameras have a multiple exposure setting, so simply turn it on and start shooting.
Pic-In-Pic
This technique displays two different perspectives in the same image. To create a photo in this style, you’ll need something to display the image on. If you have an extra camera screen, smartphone display, or even a glass marble, put these in the foreground of your shot. Play around with the focus and you can make some very appealing images.
Long Exposure
You can capture more light in your photos by using a long exposure, which will make light sources appear brighter and portray motion in a still photo. Since you’ll be leaving the shutter open for a longer period, bring along a tripod to stabilize your camera. This will ensure your photos are clear.
You can even write messages or draw in your photos using light. Think about what you would like your final image to look like and then step into the photo to create something unique.
So, that’s it for now. I hope you’ve learned something new after reading this. And I hope you take lots of amazing night photos!!!
Don’t forget to share your pictures with me because I would love to see what you come up with. I’d be honored to post them as well, so feel free to share some of your Osaka photos with me here 👉@Maido_Osaka_Bob
And if you’re shooting in the cold (like me), please bundle up and stay warm out there!
Osaka Bob FAMILY
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Places mentioned in this post
Dotonbori （道頓堀）
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