2026 Street Photography Roadmap: Tokyo Adventures Await
Welcome to 2026
It is a new year, and with it comes the opportunity to set plans for a new you, a new business, a better version of whatever needs improving in our lives. I want to use this time to share the best of my 2025 and a roadmap I have for 2026.
2026 is the first year in the second quarter of this century. I have every intention of turning up the volume on 2026 to 11. Daily blog posts that will include themes like location, lens choice(focal length/vintage glass), techniques, who I study, and philosophy on shooting the Tokyo streets. I have a quarterly secrets-of-the-location PDF lined up, along with all-new workshops and a few surprises along the way.
2026 Top Tokyo Street Photography Locations
Each location will receive at least a week of daily shooting, with multiple recurring trips throughout the year. Some locations require a lot more work to cover. In the past, I have spent upwards of a month on the same streets. It is these locations that will create posts on techniques and philosophy. Without further ado and in no particular order:
Asakusa (backstreets and Sensoji Temple)
Ikebukuro
Omiya
Koenji
Yanaka
Sugamo
Shimbashi
Shiinamachi (Ikebukuro Part 2)
Kagurazaka
Kanda & Jimbocho
Sangenjaya
Akabane
I have spent some time in most of these locations, though a few will be first-time visits. I am eager to explore the newness, but also to explore what the favourite locations have buried deep down. The kind of images that come from repeated visits.
2026 Vintage Lens
2026 will be decided by the quality of the vintage lens I can find in Tokyo. I switched my 50 mm lens to one from the era of metal and glass. It renders in an otherworldly quality, one that is not trying too hard. It is not overly vintage, nor is it overly clinical. It is just right. I will be on the lookout for this type of glass as I work my way through the city. In particular order, here are some lenses on the wish list.
Nikkor 200mm f/4 (AI or AI-S)
Nikkor 300mm f/4.5 ED-IF AI-S
20mm
Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 AI-S
Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 AI-S also the f/2 version
Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 AI-S
Nikkor 105mm f/2.5
Nikkor 135mm f/3.5 AI
At first glance, some of these focal lengths are not typically used in street photography. Even considered to be a no-go for any self-respecting street photographer. I agree, but I have an idea. One that requires compression, the kind that comes with a telephoto lens. (more to come on that).
I am also looking to go much wider than my typical 28mm focal length. I would love to shoot at 21 or 20 mm; some locations offer so much context, and I really want to explore that in my framing. The entire experience of shopping for and using the vintage glass in Tokyo will be shared within these pages and on social media.
2026 Street Photography Techniques
I plan to share all of my street photography techniques throughout this year. The how of it is just as important as the image itself. The most used techniques, shutter drag, f16, shooting people and the like have been written about here. I will revisit each one of those multiple times, as I like to shoot that way. Each new or different technique I shoot with this year will also make its way into the blog.
Shooting Through Obstructions
Juxtaposition
Using Silhouettes and Shadows
Motion Blur & Panning
Shooting from the Hip
The "Fishing" Technique
The "Hunting" Technique
The value comes not just in how to use these techniques, but in what can be made from them. What comes from several days of shooting through obstructions? How did shooting from the hip a little each become a book? It is the documentation of these experiences that I know will bring value to the community.
Who do I study?
Part of my own education is reading, watching, and listening to as much art as I can. My tastes are eclectic, to say the least. In 2026, I plan to narrow that focus to just street photographers, past and present. Rather than reviewing a photo book, I will write a short essay on the history and impact of a certain photographer and how they have inspired my work.
Garry Winogrand
Saul Leiter
Fan Ho
Harry Gruyaert
Alex Webb
These are in no particular order and, in fact, are a small part of a much bigger list. One that grows from year to year as the contemporary street photographers are making themselves into future greats, that will no doubt be studied.
My favourite Tokyo street photography of 2025
As always, I would love to hear your story in the comments below. If you feel so inclined, share a coffee with me. I am a flat white kind of guy. Happy shooting, everyone.
To book a tour, visit my photo workshop/photo tour website, or email directly jeff@tokyoforgeries.com
