Sanja Matsuri Daigyoretsu: A Photographer’s Guide The Daigyoretsu is the opener for the famous Sanja Festival. It’s an event that brings three million visitors to Tokyo’s Asakusa district for three days of endless, incredible energy. I’ve been to this spectacular opening parade many times and believe me when I say it is a photographer’s dream….
Tokyo Game Show 2017 Event Photography Tokyo Game Show 2017 was huge. Models, cosplay, display booths, and live events filled the day. The excitement was palpable. New console titles were everywhere. From start to finish, it was perfect for photography. I was more than impressed and went home with an SD card full of photos….
Spring Rose Festival 2020 at Kyu-Furukawa Gardens For most people, 2020 was a bad year. For photographers like me, cancelled events and empty streets filled Tokyo which was a disaster. That’s why the Spring Rose Festival at Kyu-Furukawa Gardens felt like such a gift. In a year of so much gray, these flowers were a…
55th Yumi Katsura Grand Collection in Tokyo Editor’s Note: This article was originally written in 2020 following the 55th Yumi Katsura Grand Collection. With her passing in April 2024 at the age of 94, I am republishing this piece as a tribute to her legacy and the indelible mark she left on Japanese fashion. In…
Mitama Festival 2016 at Yasukuni Shrine: Photo Archive Imagine standing beneath a golden canopy of light, the summer air thick with humidity and history. This is the essence of the Mitama Festival (Mitama Matsuri). While Yasukuni Shrine is historically dedicated to the spirits of those who died defending Japan, the festival itself transcends politics. It…
Photographing Traditional Weddings at Meiji Shrine A Meiji Shrine wedding is steeped in tradition. They are a fusion of spectacle, kimonos, history, and cultural grandeur. Ready your camera! This is your chance to capture Tokyo’s most enchanting wedding moments and create unforgettable travel photos. Let’s head to this amazing venue to see them. Best days…
Shibuya Halloween 2017: A Photographic Prequel Halloween in Shibuya used to be a multi-day phenomenon. While the world looks forward to the big day, the initiated know that the energy in Shibuya once began building well before the big day. Before the crackdown, I and thousands of others would head to the famous crossing to…
US-Japan Friendship Cup Championships 2024: Photos & Results Fifty buff competitors muscled it out on stage for trophies and prizes at the 2024 US-Japan Friendship Cup Championships, and I was there to see it all. Held at the Taiyo Recreation Community Center on Yokota Airbase, this event is a cornerstone of bodybuilding in Japan. Organizer…
AnimeJapan 2017 Photography: Cosplay and Models AnimeJapan 2017 was a visual playground of cosplay, intricate models, and larger-than-life characters. For a photographer like me, it wasn’t just an event. It was a collection of unforgettable moments, lessons learned, and yes, a few regrets. Join me as I revisit the experience. There were many great things…
Asakusa Samba Carnival 2024: Photography & Highlights It was a hot one in every sense of the word. The 2024 Asakusa Samba Carnival was a roaring success. But performers and the parade had to sizzle under an unseasonable mid-September sun. With temperatures soaring into the mid-thirties, the heat was as intense as the action. For…
28th Yokohama Custom Hot Rod Show Report (2019) Stepping into the Pacifico Yokohama for the 28th Yokohama Custom Hot Rod Show was like entering a different dimension. It was 2019, and the air was thick with the anticipation of thousands of petrolheads in seventh heaven. From the moment I walked in, I was surrounded by…
Japan Cricket Blast: A Tokyo Photo Story The sharp crack of a plastic bat hitting a ball, followed by a flurry of small legs and excited shouts, isn’t the typical sound of a park in Akishima, Tokyo. But this was the scene at the 2020 Japan Cricket Blast Mayor’s Cup. It was my first chance…
Asakusa Kaminarimon Bon Odori 2026: A Photo & Visitor Guide Asakusa Kaminarimon Bon Odori 2026 details The event is divided into three 30-minute sessions starting at 5:30 to prevent overcrowding and heatstroke. When you have danced once, please retire so others can join. Japan’s Bon Odori is a traditional dance festival (or matsuri in Japanese)…
FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup 2018 in Odaiba The highlight of my photo life for 2018 was the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup. I hadn’t photographed any type of motorsport until that point. My only experience with photographing cars was at the Tokyo Motor Show, which I attended the previous year. Things were about to change in…
Inside Tokyo Auto Salon 2018: Beyond Bling The cavernous exhibit halls of Makuhari Messe were electric, overflowing with an outrageous sea of automotive fantasy. Vivid colors and gleaming chrome fought for attention under the constant, frantic strobe of camera flashes going off left, right, and center. Tokyo Auto Salon 2018 was here, and it was…
Shibuya Halloween 2017: A Party That Grew Too Big Shibuya Halloween 2017 was an experience on an entirely different scale. While I didn’t go to the main event that year I went to the “prequel”. What’s that I hear you ask? Well the event goes for a whole week! I went on the 29th and…
Japanese Cricket at Suginami Festa Cricket in Japan? It’s a question that might surprise many, but the answer is a resounding yes! The Japanese do play it. And as an avid fan and photographer, I was thrilled to witness and capture the sport’s growing presence right at Tokyo’s Suginami Festa. The surprising history of cricket…
Tokyo’s 1000-Year-Old Samurai Parade: A Photographer’s Guide The roar of a modern city fades. In its place, you hear the quiet clank of lacquered armor and the soft thud of traditional sandals on asphalt. This is the Kachiya Matsuri at Kameido Katori Shrine, where for one afternoon, the pomp and pageantry of Japan’s Heian Period…
Tokyo Motor Show 2019: Where Art Met the Future The Tokyo Motor Show 2019 was an event in transition. With a new additional venue, fewer international brands, and a clear shift in focus, it was a glimpse into the future of automotive events. It will eventually lead to its rebranding as the Tokyo Mobility Show….
Tokyo Marathon 2023 with a Fujifilm X-T3 & 100-400mm The Tokyo Marathon is one of the six World Major Marathons. It is a prestigious sporting event that attracted 38000 participants. Photographers documented them running the gruelling 42-kilometer course. I joined them for the first time in 2023. My camera got a workout that day! Photography…