Black background with white text that reads "Tokyo Izakayas"
Black background with white text that reads "Tokyo Izakayas"

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH
TOKYO’S SHOWA BACKSTREETS

Take a deep dive into Nakano with it's old-world Showa era charm and mix of Japanese pubs (izakayas), alleys and hostess bar culture.

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NAKANO

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2 or 3 Hours

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1-6 people PRIVATE

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Night

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FROM ¥20,000

Private workshop from ¥24,000

THE EXPERIENCE

Nakano sits just a few minutes from Shinjuku, but at night it can feel like a very different Tokyo.

Most visitors know the area, if at all, for Nakano Broadway and its maze of manga, collectibles and subculture. But step outside the shopping arcades and there's another side to the neighbourhood — narrow streets packed with tiny izakayas, ramen shops, old bars and restaurants that have been serving the local crowd for decades.

It's this side of Nakano that interests us most as photographers.

The streets here are compact and full of life. Restaurants often seat only a handful of people, counters and kitchens are visible through windows and open doorways, and the distance between what's happening inside and life on the street can be only a few metres. It gives us opportunities to photograph people and everyday moments in a way that feels much more intimate than Tokyo's larger entertainment districts.

There's also a visual character here that's becoming harder to find elsewhere in the city. Old signs sit beside newer ones, faded shopfronts and painted lamps remain between modern buildings, and entire streets still carry the atmosphere of an older Tokyo. Nakano isn't frozen in the past — and that's part of what makes it interesting. Old and new exist right beside each other.

We'll spend the workshop exploring these streets looking for the small moments that make the neighbourhood what it is: conversations over dinner, someone working behind a counter, people moving between bars, a face appearing through a restaurant window, or an ordinary scene that becomes interesting because of the light, framing or timing.

It's also a great place to slow down and work on photographing people naturally. We'll look at how to approach scenes without disrupting them, how to use windows and doorways to build layers, how to deal with difficult mixed light and how to recognize a photograph before the moment disappears.

Tokyo Izakayas is less about photographing the Tokyo everyone already knows and more about spending a night inside one of its neighbourhoods.

STEP BACK INTO TOKYO’S SHOWA NIGHTS

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A narrow street at night with wet pavement reflecting colorful neon lights and signs. Small storefronts and hanging lanterns line the street, with a person holding an umbrella walking in the distance.
A blurry, textured glass window with red and orange lighting behind it. Part of a white sign with red Japanese characters and a red star is visible on the right side of the image.
A person with shoulder-length hair standing against a vibrant red background, wearing a dark suit and illuminated by green and red neon-style lighting.
A smiling Rico (man with glasses) and tattoos on his arms, wearing a black T-shirt with a sushi graphic and text, standing against a textured wall.
A smiling Rico (man with glasses) and tattoos on his arms, wearing a black T-shirt with a sushi graphic and text, standing against a textured wall.
A man with short blond hair and a black T-shirt stands outdoors on a busy street, holding a camera with a red strap over his shoulder. He has a backpack and appears to be a photographer. 
DOWNTOWN
Rico
FABIAN
Two people are walking past a Japanese restaurant illuminated by red lanterns and a large illuminated sign featuring traditional Japanese art and calligraphy. The image is slightly blurry with a finger partially covering the camera lens in the foreground.
A person with dark hair holding a drink in a dimly lit bar, illuminated by red hanging lights.
Nighttime street scene showing the entrance of a Japanese restaurant with illuminated signs in yellow and red. A person is sitting on a small red bench outside, with motion blur indicating movement. There are various signs in Japanese and English advertising local businesses, including a hair salon and possibly other shops. The scene is lively with blurred motion of pedestrians passing by.
A person wearing a white shirt is working behind a counter in a Japanese restaurant or food stand. There are menus with images of food on the wall to the left, and a white curtain with Japanese characters is hanging in front of the workspace. The scene appears to be indoors with warm lighting.
Blurred image of a restaurant or food stall with a chef working behind the counter and a person standing in front, with text in Japanese signs.
A Japanese restaurant with a red lantern, menu written in Japanese, and two men sitting at the counter, one reading a newspaper and the other speaking, inside a cozy, warmly lit space.
A foggy street scene in an urban area at dusk or night, with people walking and bicycles parked on the sidewalk, storefront signs, and illuminated advertising signs in the background.
A group of people are sitting and talking at a restaurant, with blue Japanese banners hanging in the foreground and red lighting illuminating part of the scene.
Night scene on a busy street decorated with string lights, with illuminated signs in Japanese and several people walking and standing, including a man in a suit using a cell phone.
Inside a dimly lit Japanese restaurant with a man sitting alone at the counter eating, surrounded by bowls, cups, and condiments. Wooden decor and menu boards are visible in the background.
An interior view of a Japanese restaurant seen through a decorative window pane with Japanese characters in the foreground. The restaurant has a wooden wall with menu signs on the left, framed papers and a small bottle decoration on the wall in the background. A man in a white shirt is working behind the counter.

BEGINNER → ADVANCED

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Tailored to your experience level

2 hours or 3 hours available

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PRIVATE WORKSHOP (UP TO 6 PEOPLE)

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WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS

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MORE THAN ONE WAY TO EXPERIENCE TOKYO

COME TO LEARN. COME TO EXPLORE. OR BOTH.

From hands-on street photography coaching to simply discovering the city with someone who knows where to go, we tailor the experience to you.

WHAT WE’ll work on

Person standing in front of a foggy, orange-lit window with their hand raised. The scene is viewed through a mesh screen. There are various stickers on a pole and graffiti on the wall nearby.

STORYTELLING + DETAILS

Using signs, food, drinks, hands and small moments to tell a bigger story about the neighborhood.

A person sitting at a wooden counter inside a cozy, dimly lit Japanese-style restaurant or bar, smiling and engaged in conversation. The scene includes Japanese decor, a hanging lantern, bottles on the shelf, and a chalkboard menu with Japanese writing in the background, all viewed through a window or door with a sign indicating no smoking.

FRAMING + LAYERS

Using shop curtains, doorways, windows and narrow alleys to create depth and frame your subjects.

Nighttime scene outside a bar with a large red sign reading "BEER STAND". People are standing and chatting, with some blurred in motion in the foreground. Inside the bar, a person is standing at the counter, and the interior walls are decorated with colorful artwork and posters.

PEOPLE + MOMENTS

Anticipating natural gestures and interactions that capture Tokyo’s after-work drinking culture.

Night street scene with lanterns hanging above, people holding umbrellas walking on wet pavement, illuminated signs and storefronts, some bicycles parked on the side.

SHOWA ATMOSPHERE

Using retro architecture, typography, lanterns and aging textures to capture the character of old Tokyo.

An elderly man is sitting inside a Japanese restaurant. The background features a wall decorated with various posters, menus, and signs in Japanese. The lighting is dim and warm, with hanging ceiling lights. The man appears to be waiting or resting, with a glass of beer in front of him.

WARM LIGHT + LOW LIGHT

Working with lanterns, shopfronts and dim izakaya lighting to create atmospheric nighttime images.

A black and white cat standing on a carpeted floor in a dimly lit restaurant or bar, with a red wall, menu boards, and a fire or smoke visible in the background.

INTIMATE COMPOSITIONS

Finding strong photographs in tight spaces and learning to simplify busy, visually dense scenes.

TOKYO IZAKAYAS

READY TO step into old tokyo?

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PRIVATE WORKSHOP PRICING

2 hours
1 PERSON ¥24,000
2 PEOPLE ¥40,000
3 pEOPLE ¥54,000 
4–6 PEOPLE ¥68,000
Book 2 Hours 
3 hours
1 PERSON ¥30,000
2 PEOPLE ¥48,000
3 pEOPLE ¥63,000
 4–6 PEOPLE ¥78,000
Book 3 Hours