Tokyo is an incredible place to photograph — electric, peaceful, modern, ancient. But in recent years, something has shifted. As tourism has surged, so has resident frustration with photographers, influencers, and visitors who sometimes treat Japan more like a stage set than a living city. Some of this frustration is understandable. Pathways get blocked. Moss and flower beds gets trampled on. Private homes become props. And in a city where space is already tight, even small moments of thoughtlessness add up quickly.

In this scannable guide I aim to bring together everything you need to know — written from my perspective as a photographer who has lived in Tokyo for more than twenty years, and as someone who sees each session as a chance to share their adopted city; a place I have come to love (almost) as much as I love London!