Shinsekai (新世界, "New World") is a neighborhood in Osaka, that in early part of the 20th century represented a vision of the future. It was designed based on New York and Paris. Unfortunately after World War II this area got left behind, and became very run down. It had a reputation in the 1990s of being Japan's most dangerous neighborhood. More recently the main street has experienced a bit of a revival in business, but step off the main street and it's still pretty seedy. However to be honest I think there are worse areas in other parts of Osaka, just that this area gets more tourists, so its reputation gets spread about and exaggerated.

Before making two visits to Shinsekai to take these photos, I'd never been there. Hearing of its reputation and the fact it's kind of stuck in the first half of the 20th century, I decided to shoot it on B&W film. I used Kodak T-Max 400 and 100 with my Nikon F80 in manual mode and the appropriate coloured filter (Red, Orange, Yellow or Green). Occasionally I used a circular polarizor filter as well as a coloured filter.

The easiest way to get to Shinsekai is to catch the subway (Sakai-suji line) to Ebisucho and head to exit number 3. There's also a JR station near by called Shinimamiya (Osaka loop line) from there head North East to get to Shinseikai. I don't advise heading South of the Osaka loop line, because that really is a bad area.