Top Ten Street Photographs of Tokyo, May 2025
Top Ten Tokyo Street Photographs
I try to shoot every day. Tokyo is my home, and it boasts some of the world's best street photography locations. I spent much of May 2025 re-discovering Ueno, Kanda, and Akihabara. The market area in Ueno is as good as it gets. Akihabara has a unique cross-section of people against a background of electronics and anime, while Kanda is just old-world, everyday Tokyo.
Below are my top ten street photographs from May 2025, accompanied by notes and the corresponding image, along with its ranking.
10 Yanaka Ginza:
A simple shot of someone walking. A great way to start a day of shooting.
A girl walking in Yanaka Ginza.
9 Ueno Alley:
A favourite spot of mine to visit while in Ueno Market on a sunny day.
A Man Walking in a Ueno Alley
8 Grumpy Old Man Okachimachi
I loved this mans yellow jacket and the fact that he was sipping sake from a drink box in the morning. I failed to get that shot, but did get this skunk-eye reaction. I smiled and nodded.
Old Man in Okachimachi
7 Ueno Pool of Light
Ueno Market boasts numerous stunning pools of light. Go in the early morning to photograph the locals.
Determined man in Ueno
6 Daytime Bokeh
This busy restaurant seen just before opening is only steps away from the previous image as well as the following image.
A man walks past a Ueno Market resturant
5 Old Lady of Ueno
This old lady is a staple of Ueno, and it is my honour to photograph her.
Old Lady of Ueno
4 Framed Reflection
This image is shot through the open doors of the restaurant pictured above, #6—the pedestrian with a sun umbrella and the reflection of a second person.
Woman walking, A mans reflection
3 Pool of Light
This pool of light in Ueno Market is fantastic. It is ideal in the early AM, for angle of light and locals walking through it.
Man in Pool of Light
2 Elderly Couple Shares a Napkin
This couple was sharing a napkin during lunch on a holiday Monday in May. They were enjoying food from one of the many vendors at the Tokyo Internatinal Forum.
Napkin Share
1 Old Man Lost in Thought on the Yamanote Line
This was the last shot of a long, hot day. I was tired, sunburnt, and still a few hours from breaking my fast. I had already retired for the day until I saw this old man.
Lost in a moment
Conclusion:
What do you think? How was my month of May? How was your month of May? How would you rank my best images of the month? Would you change any of them?
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.
