Dotonbori's canal, after dark
The Glico sign and the canal's stacked neon signage are built for evening light — arrive after the signs come on but before the peak weekend crowd for a clean shot, or from one of the canal bridges for the classic reflected-water angle.
Osaka Castle, by season
The tower framed by cherry blossoms in spring or maple leaves in autumn from the Nishinomaru Garden is one of the most reliably photogenic combinations in the city — the season does most of the work.
Umeda Sky Building, at sunset
The Floating Garden Observatory's open-air design gives an unobstructed 360-degree shot as the sky changes colour, with the city's lights coming on beneath you.
Shinsekai's lantern alleys
Jan-Jan Yokocho and the streets around Tsutenkaku Tower have a retro, densely lit atmosphere that photographs completely differently from anywhere else in the city — narrow, warm, a little worn at the edges in a good way.
Sumiyoshi Taisha's Sorihashi bridge
The steeply arched red bridge against greenery is one of the most distinctive single structures in Osaka, and it photographs well in almost any light — quiet mornings avoid both the crowds and the harsh midday sun.