Following my previous article, I took a stroll through Kawagoe’s streets with the Lumix G9proII and Leica DG SUMMILUX 25mm F1.4, Leica DG SUMMILUX 15mm F1.7 lenses, finishing the shots with a nostalgic color tone using the “Film Nostargie” LUT.
The historic former the 85th Bank headquarters (now the former Resona Bank Kawagoe Branch) building is now a tourist facility attracting visitors. The former president’s office is also open to the public.
Whether it was always like this or the result of a major renovation, the first floor is a large atrium hall, now housing a stylishly finished local souvenir shop and a light meal cafe. I pointed the camera up at the ceiling to avoid capture people in the frame, so it’s not in the shot, but it’s quite lively.
True to its history as a major financial institution supporting the local community, a magnificent relocated vault door is embedded in the brick wall behind the left pillar on the front facade.
The elevators and staircases added later to reach the upper floors aren’t exactly historical structures, but I found a strange beauty in the gleaming metal spiral staircase.
In tight spots like this, a 15mm lens really shines.
Now, the fun part of strolling through Kawagoe town is discovering photogenic scenes and objects hidden in ordinary back alleys, even outside the famous spots that put Kawagoe on the map, like retro buildings like this old bank or the impressive old warehouse streets.
You might suddenly be struck by the sight of a dedicated antique shop tucked away in a residential corner.
Oh yeah, this alley was narrow too, so I switched to a 15mm lens to shoot it, I think.
I felt warmth from the wooden fence in the back alley and ended up taking a photo for no particular reason.
This is 25mm. You can’t achieve this bokeh with a wide-angle lens.
I’m drawn to the gentle hues of sale items displayed on a wagon outside an antique glassware shop.
The contrast between the dimness of the old-fashioned shoe shop’s storefront and the bright tourist district dazzled my eyes.
Then again, even in the quiet temple town, stylish ethnic goods shops are starting to pop up, and I find myself getting excited by how fast the city changes these days.
Decades have passed since I started visiting occasionally through a small connection, and I’m truly amazed by how much Kawagoe has transformed. It’s not just surprising; I also feel incredibly grateful that there’s hardly another town so perfectly suited for an eternal beginner like me to enjoy photo walks.
I also realized that prime lenses are more practical for this kind of snap photography where I have some local knowledge, rather than just randomly carrying them around (except for the 45mm/90mm equivalent). I want to hone my skills a bit more to shoot sharply with primes, not just rely on zoom lenses, so I’ll take this as motivation for the future.
That’s all from the scene.
