Winter in Jyuso

WinterJyuso-9, originally uploaded by sleepytako.

I just got around to posting my first day out shooting with my new lensbaby G3. I have to say it was fun, but a
bit freezing walking around with out my gloves on. Focusing the lensbaby will take some getting use to.

Jyuso is an area of Osaka across the river from the downtown district of Umeda. It's one of the Hankyu line's biggest stations and there's many crowed shotengai (shopping arcades) near the station. Jyuso is also known for it's live house (Fandango) and it's large red light and love hotel district.

I chose to go here for the shot of the Hankyu train crossing the river with the double tower Osaka Sky Building in the background.

River sides are free game for homeless to set up whole shanty towns. This structure appears to be a patchwork shinto gate, or someone's piece of art possibly set up by one of the invisible homeless.

The homeless are so assured that they won't be kicked out that they build fairly large structures they also sell things from their lean-tos. This person has signs advertising fishing bait for sale. The issue of the homeless in Japan is one which I would like to invest more time into studying. I find the construction of their structures to be innovative and visually appealing while also symbolizing various social problems in Japan.

All of these photos can be found in my Winter in Jyuso set on Flickr