Onomichi City

Onomichi is a small city in southern Japan that lies on the coast of the Seto inland sea in Hiroshima Prefecture. It’s famous for its many temples and steep narrow streets. I took these photos while exploring the city in early November 2011 with my Nikon D7000. I had my 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 zoom with me but mostly used my Samyang 14mm f2.8 and Nikon 35mm f1.8.

Onomichi Backstreets, 35mm, f5, 1/₁₆₀

The winding backstreets are  tightly packed with buildings, mostly homes with a few shops, bars and restaurants. Many streets like this were so narrow even a small Japanese car couldn’t hope to fit.

Saikokuji Temple, 14mm, f8, 1/₅₀₀

I was a little early for the autumn leaves but you can still see a few turning here at this hill top temple.

The Last Temple, 14mm, f8, 1/₃₂₀

The last of 25 temples on Onomichi’s temple walk. I think I missed one or two on the way, but it was satisfying to finish here, thankfully at the bottom of the hill.

Onomichi boats, 35mm, f4.5, 1/₆₄₀

Behind the temples amidst the tightly packed houses in the back streets high on the hillsides are a number of derelict old homes which are being allowed to slowly collapse. With doors missing or fallen in and even whole walls having simply buckled and fallen away it’s not hard to catch a glimpse inside without having to put yourself in any danger (you really don’t want to be exploring collapsing old wooden structures thousands of miles from home no matter how good your travel insurance is).

Nature mirrors art, 35mm, f5, 1/₁₆₀

Time stood still, 35mm, f5, 1/₁₆₀

House of faded stickers, 35mm, f4, 1/₁₀₀

The stickers in this old ruin caught my eye, things like this more than just the old detritus hint at who might have once lived here. A cat lover and basketball fan perhaps? What would they make of their home now, rotting and falling apart?