Since coming to Japan and acquiring my Olympus E-P1 I’ve been getting into photography in a more serious way than ever before. I’ve been dabbling since I was 16, but more recently learning in leaps and bounds with the help of one professional photographer, Jason Collin.

A recent trip took me West of Kyushu to a small Korean island known as Jeju, famous for its three plentiful things – wind, women and rocks. What I wasn’t expecting to find was a stunning optical illusion and ghoulish graveyard ruin full of rotting totem poles!

Last week I took you through the bowels of a water-ridden, decomposing onsen hotel haikyo in the heart of the Japanese countryside. The ample time we had made it possible to try out some long exposure light photography. So here’s the artistic side of the hotel, as well as some background to the ghost story.

Haikyo (ruins) are often very unsettling. The eerie silence punctured only by unknown bumps in the dark. Warped, decaying wood and floors riddled with damp. Such was the onsen resort hotel I stumbled upon recently. Something about this one said I shouldn’t enter alone, so I enlisted the help of a friend…

On 3rd December I shot up to the COSPA offices in Tokyo on the Hikari Shinkansen to attend the 6th CGM Night – Otaku Version, organised by Danny Choo. Among all the self-acclaimed otaku were many fellow Japan bloggers, and the small venue meant conversations positively bloomed with success.

Alrighty. Here’s the second part of the huge volcano museum explore here in Japan. This time I’m focussing on the upper levels and the crumbling observation deck. Also included is a video compilation of the footage I took while visiting. Enjoy!

A decaying observation tower and a haikyo museum blanketed in shadows rest at the foot of one active Japanese volcano. Patches of snow cover the surrounding countryside and the ominous gong of a pinprick temple in the distance drifts into my ears on an early winter wind. Here’s my recent visit to these ruins.

I’ve been pretty busy during the last few weeks, hoping back and forth between Tokyo and Nagoya, stopping off at Hakone and infiltrating numerous haikyo. And in the crevices between all that? Networking with some of Japan’s finest j-bloggers, adventurers and musicians. And hey, Autumn isn’t even over yet!

A bit of a chance encounter after work today saw me with my first photography job doing some shots for a small Japanese interior decoration store. It was literally a walk-in and shoot for charity sketch! So here are some photos of the gorgeous hand-made Japanese furniture.

Here are a few pictures I’ve taken walking around my city and whatnot. Loads of interesting stuff to photograph in Japan, and only my lack of ability to hold me back (no more compact camera restrictions!) I’d love your comments on what works, what doesn’t and why so I can keep bringing you better pictures!

Just a few pictures I’ve taken recently walking around Aeon in Japan. I’m enjoying using my new Olympus PEN E-P1 camera and flexing my creative muscles. I have tested two lenses in this post – the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 pancake and the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 pancake. Enjoy!

Here’s a video-photo slideshow of my trip to Yakushima (屋久島), the green island in southern Japan, famed for its ancient cedar trees (yakusugi) and captivating forests. I went there for a 3-day trip with a couple of Japanese friends late summer 2008.