My Favorite Areas in Tokyo for Street Photography
I spent a month in Tokyo in May, and as a street photographer, it was an overwhelming visual playground. As someone who predominantly shoots in New York City, Tokyo was similar in the sense that there are areas where it is chaotic — but in Tokyo, it’s an orderly type of chaos.
On the other hand, it’s also completely different. From the way the light hits, to how people interact with cameras, and of course, the architecture and character. If you’re visiting Tokyo for the first time as a street photographer, you might be wondering where to go. Now I’m no expert whatsoever, so everything I say is just from my experience seeing like 10% of the city, but here are some of my favorite areas to do street photography around Tokyo.
GINZA/YURAKUCHO
Without a doubt, this area was not only my most photographed, but also my favorite. I grouped Ginza and Yurakucho together because if you’re in one of them, there’s a good chance you’ll walk right into the other since they’re right next to one another. Yurakucho is a very small business district right next to Ginza, which is one of Tokyo’s largest shopping districts.
Ginza is a very polished area with designer stores and futuristic-looking architecture. I loved this area on sunny days especially, but it was also a great time shooting in the rain. Even though there’s always a ton of people roaming the streets, you can find some really minimal compositions. For those that love geometry and harsh lines/shadows, this is the place to be.
If you go to the top of Ginza Six, there’s a free rooftop where you can take photos of the skyline and people wandering the streets down below (I recommend a long lens for this — at least 90mm). The Tokyo International Forum is also full of compositions (the best light in May was around 1-2pm). You can walk under the train line by Yurakucho station to capture interesting pockets of light filling those back alleys.
SHIMBASHI
Shimbashi is directly south of Ginza, and according to Google, it’s the salarymen hub of Tokyo (which is pretty spot on). I don’t recall doing a ton of shooting in Shimbashi during the day, but it’s a great area for people looking to photograph night scenes. The main area is right along the train line that passes above. Here, you’ll find tons of izakayas filled with salarymen after their shifts. This area is definitely more gritty than Ginza, but if that’s what you’re looking for, then you’ll enjoy it. This is one of those areas where there may not necessarily be a specific “spot” to go to, so it’s best to just get lost in the streets and alleys and grab a drink if you’re up for it.
SHINJUKU/KABUKICHO
If you’re looking for controlled chaos, Shinjuku is the place to be. I frequented this area a lot because our accommodation was 3 stops away, so we would often come here to meet other people because it was central. Shinjuku is a very lively area at most times of the day. This is another one of those areas, like Shimbashi, that I mainly photographed at night, but like anywhere, is also interesting during the day. I personally find Tokyo to be a better city for night photography than New York, and Shinjuku is one of those can’t-miss areas.
You’ll find a lot of tourists here because the nightlife scene is booming, especially in Kabukicho. In Kabukicho, you’ll find Golden Gai, which is an area filled with tiny hole-in-the-wall bars flooded with people. Speaking of bars, Shinjuku is also where the very popular Omoide Yokocho is located, which is another section of narrow alleys filled with bars and izakayas. Shinjuku has a lot to offer, and it’s definitely worth visiting (probably a few times).
There were times where I wanted to avoid Shinjuku because it could be a bit overwhelming, but after looking back at the photos from there, I’m glad I went as much as I did.
Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro may be overshadowed a bit by places like Shinjuku and Shibuya, but it has a charm of its own. From my few times visiting this area, I’d venture to say there are definitely more locals here than tourists. In the area just outside the train station, it might feel a bit like Shinjuku in the sense that there are a lot of places to shop, but around the edges of Ikebukuro are where I find it to be a bit different.
From where I was staying, I could walk to the center of Ikebukuro in less than 15 minutes and it was a pleasant walk through some quiet residential areas. But once you get out of that area, you’ll enter a very lively place. The main part feels like a smaller version of Shinjuku, but the quiet side streets are also a place to escape the noise.
Conclusion
Tokyo is massive. I was there for a month, and I probably only saw 10% of the city (if that). Some honorable mentions would include Yanaka, Shibuya, and Tsukiji.
If you’re going to Tokyo for the first time, give yourself more time than you think you’ll need. There’s so much to see at different times of day and in different weather conditions.
I can’t wait to go back.
This pack is a collection of 6 different presets that I use to edit my photos, including 5 color looks and 1 monochromatic look. If you’re looking for presets that give you rich, bold colors and deep shadows, this is the pack for you.