The Best Places for a Photoshoot in Tokyo

The best places for a photoshoot in Tokyo are Shibuya Crossing and Shinjuku for neon, Asakusa for Senso-ji and old Tokyo, and a backstreet area such as Sangenjaya for a quieter, local look.

Check Asakusa, Shinjuku or Shibuya dates

Most shoots let you choose one area, or plan a short route across two. The Private Photo Shoot in Asakusa, Shinjuku or Shibuya is the simplest way to pick: one Japanese photographer, the area of your choice, and every unedited photo on top of the edited set.

Shibuya Crossing and Center Gai

The scramble crossing is the shot most people ask for, best after dark when the screens light it, or very early when it is nearly empty. Photographers shoot from the corners as you cross. The Shibuya photoshoot page compares the sessions there.

Shinjuku’s neon and alleys

The lit streets east of the station and the narrow bar alleys near the tracks are the other night classic: lanterns, small signs and close walls that frame a portrait. The neon night or daylight photo tour and the Cinematic Street Photoshoot both work here.

Asakusa and Senso-ji

Old Tokyo: the Kaminarimon gate with its great red lantern, Nakamise-dori and the five-storey pagoda. It is the place for a kimono, and it fills up by mid-morning, so book an early start. Visitors are asked not to photograph inside the main hall. The kimono photoshoot page has the shoots that include the rental.

Sangenjaya

A local neighbourhood two stops from Shibuya, with izakaya backstreets and the little Setagaya Line tram. The Cinematic Street Photoshoot offers it as its quieter option on the 45-minute session.

Tokyo Tower and Zojoji

The red-and-white tower behind the gates of Zojoji temple is one of the best combinations of old and new in the city. The Tokyo Tower photoshoot at Zojoji is from US$64 a person, with 30 to 100 photos.

Yoyogi Park and the Imperial Palace

For daylight and trees: Yoyogi Park next to Meiji Jingu, and the moats and gardens around the Imperial Palace, where the sunrise photoshoot starts at US$67. Meiji Jingu itself does not allow professional photo sessions without permission, so shoots stay in the park; the rules guide covers that and Shinjuku Gyoen.

Matching the shoot to the place

• Neon at night: Shibuya or Shinjuku, on the street shoot or the neon tour.
• Old Tokyo or a kimono: Asakusa, early.
• A local, film-like look: Sangenjaya.
• Landmarks by day: Tokyo Tower at Zojoji, or the Imperial Palace at sunrise.
• Several areas in one go: the custom vacation photographer, who plans the route around you.