When I returned from my 2016 trip to Japan I made a decision to only publish images in black and white.  That was the case for the images I edited and published on social media and also in a large photo book I made. That was a decision that I have no regrets about but I cannot for the life of me remember why I made such a choice. On that trip I had travelled first to Osaka, then Kyoto and finally Hiroshima. Then about 18 months ago I took a look through my catalogue of images from that same trip and published a blog about the B-Sides.  But really I only edited a handful of images. Check that one out here. You may have seen some of my B-Sides and C-Sides blogs.  This is where I take a look at images months and years later and find some hidden gems that I had not previously published or for the most part edited.

I always find it an interesting exploration.  Coming across images that now I think look pretty good and have merit and wondering to myself, what was it back then that made me overlook this image or think it was not worth at least an edit.  Regardless, I have once again taken a look at those images more closely and have found some images that I think are still worth sharing. Especially after having taken the time to edit them and bring them back to life. Much like with one of my more recent blogs where I found a whole series of images from a Shinto Shrine in Kyoto that I had never edited nor shared with anyone. I was really happy with those images especially once I applied my own Lightroom colour preset Tokyo Chrome to the images. Tokyo Chrome is a colour application that I created based on the Fujifilm Classic Chrome Film Simulation.  It is a preset I use to colour most of my street shots.

Back to Kyoto. Kyoto is such an amazing part of Japan. Considered to be the cultural heart of Japan with its vast volume of shrines, temples and World Heritage listed facilities. As a photographer, you are spoiled for choice in a country like Japan but especially so in a city like Kyoto. Even just being within a few hundred meters of the monolithic Kyoto Station, there is so much to see and experience. Higashihonganji Temple, Koshoji Temple, Kyoto Rail Museum, Kyoto Tower with its amazing views or just getting lost in the underground shopping district below the streets of Kyoto. And there are temples and shrines everywhere.  Literally everywhere.

Directly around the Kyoto Station building is a very tourist heavy, but tourist-friendly area. Lots of restaurants and bars with a more European flavour and feel. And if you do venture into a restaurant serving more traditional Japanese meals, they will no doubt have an English menu. Whilst this was very welcoming and a quick and simpler way to get a meal I wish that I had strayed further from the main area and explored more options. Next time.  But at night time I was tired of walking and travelling around Kyoto. So I just wanted to stay close to my hotel in the evenings. I will talk at more detail in a separate blog about a day I spent in an incredible part of Kyoto – Higashiyama Ward. All of the images from this blog were shot on the Fujifilm X-T1 with the XF23mmF1.4, the XF16mmF1.4 and the XF50-140mmF2.8. Hope that you enjoy this collection of images. Happy travels.