An 88-year-old man in his lovely old Japanese coffee shop

The moment I walked through the door it was obvious this little coffee shop was special. The colours, simplicity, and most of all the warmth of the owner, made it the perfect place to relax and appreciate the small, unexpected encounters that can make an already good day even more enjoyable.

Now 88 years old, the master has run the business for just shy of half a century, and as he watched the closing ceremony of the Osaka Expo, and I enjoyed a coffee, life briefly at least seemed so much simpler.

Before leaving we chatted for a bit, and finding a shared love of photography, I took a few portraits — his neat little bow tie endearingly straightened for each and every shot. Then I continued on my walk, but with an added spring in my step that definitely wasn’t just because of the caffeine.