Uncovering the Top Street Photography Spot in Tokyo.

Best Locations in TokyoUenoCreative Process

May 25

The Top Street Photography Spot in Tokyo:

The top spot is different for everyone. It is different for me, it can change day to day. When I find a great place, I shoot it. That place is the best for me until I uncover a new one. Twenty years later, I have quite a few top spots in Tokyo. Currently sitting in the top spot is Ueno Market—not the entire market, just a little street, an underpass.

The atmosphere is fantastic, and I truly feel at home. My confidence is soaring. I begin my day here, as there’s always something captivating in every direction. Just when I think I’ve explored all my options, a new one emerges. After half an hour of shooting, I began to make my way out of the underpass. I'm completely absorbed in the moment. I am locked in.

An old lady smiles at a shop keeper in Ueno. — **Ueno Market Underpass**

Is Ueno Tokyo’s Best Street Photography Location?

I think so. It is full of character, there is great light, and you can photograph amazing people if you know where and when to go. Yes, there are gentrified locations in the market and full of tourists. In my opinion, these two things do not make for great street photography. It's something you can see anywhere. Approaching the market like a local, someone who isn’t there to browse but shop, will put you in the right spots.

I approach the market early in the morning before most shops open. I enter from the back, avoiding the crowds and chain restaurants and place myself in the thick of it. The character is already there. The light is just waiting to be captured; I only have to wait for the locals to walk into frame. There is so much to photograph in the market, it is a street photography paradise.

One of the criteria I use to place a location like Ueno Ameye-Yokyocho on my best-of list is to ask how many days in a row I can visit and still be amazed. I have visited every day this past week and created something amazing each day—a photograph I genuinely am happy to have taken. The second criterion I use is to consider my past clients. Could they capture something special here? Guided to the correct locations, even my beginner-level clients would thrive.

A man walks into a beam of light, Ueno Market. — **Ueno Market Underpass**

Ueno (Ameya-Yokocho) Market is Tokyo’s Best Street Photography Location

It is true. Ueno is a premier location for street photography workshops in Tokyo. Is it the best? I think it is. It has so much going for it that I am hard pressed to think of a better place. The problem with Tokyo is that there are several locations on par with Ueno. It's unfortunate to have such a wealth of street photography locations in one city, but I will manage.

Don't take my word for it; visit Ueno Market on your own and see. Arrive early, avoid the crowds, and start at the rear entrance. Work your way forward and then loop back and forth in a figure eight. See everything twice from two different perspectives. I guarantee you will find something extraordinary in the labyrinth of roads, alleys, and time that is Ueno Market.

Feel free to comment, ask a question, or share a story.