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Before their trip to Japan, they had been studying a little Japanese. It came up early in our shoot, and I have to admit it made me really happy. Taking the time to learn some of the language before visiting says a lot about how much respect someone has for a place and its culture.

We met in one of the busiest parts of Kyoto — around Yasaka Pagoda, Ninenzaka, and Sannenzaka — but early enough that the streets were still quiet. That gave us a short, precious window to photograph them with the old wooden buildings and stone-paved slopes before the crowds arrived.

They had dressed beautifully for the day, and they were completely at ease in front of the camera. No stiffness, no nerves — just natural expressions and relaxed poses from the very first frame. That kind of comfort makes a huge difference, and the photos showed it.

I wanted their photos to feel like a real memory of Japan, so I took them to the places that feel the most unmistakably Kyoto. They loved every spot I suggested, and each time I showed them the photos on the back of the camera, they said how much they liked them. That reaction never gets old.

What I enjoyed most, though, was the conversation. Somewhere along the way it turned into a small language exchange — I asked them about English expressions I was curious about, and they asked me about Japanese words and phrases. We traded back and forth between shots, laughing at the tricky ones. It made the hour feel full and fun, and it went by far too quickly.

Both of them were kind, calm, and bright, and it was a real pleasure to spend the morning with them. Thank you for choosing me as your photographer — I truly enjoyed every minute. Please come back to Japan again, and keep practising your Japanese. I look forward to seeing you next time.

If you are planning a couple photoshoot in Kyoto, here’s a look at my Kyoto packages.

Arashiyama has one big advantage for families with small children: room to run. Wide riverside paths, open grass, trees to explore — it gives kids the freedom to be themselves, and that is exactly when the best family photos happen.

This family of five met me by the river. Mum and Dad arrived carrying the kind of bags every parent of three little ones knows well, but they were fully prepared and ready to start within minutes. I always admire that.

The three children warmed up to me remarkably quickly. Within the first few minutes they had forgotten the camera was even there, which is the best thing that can happen on a family shoot. Instead of stiff, posed smiles, I got real ones — kids being kids, running along the paths, crouching down to touch the grass and leaves, discovering little things in the trees. Those are the moments parents tell me they treasure most later on.

In between the adventures, we gathered everyone together for family portraits too. With five people, and three of them very small, that can take a little patience. But this family made it easy. They were so close and so comfortable with each other that the togetherness showed up naturally in every frame.

Mum and Dad also trusted me completely with poses and direction. That kind of trust makes a real difference. It means they can relax and simply be with their children, while I take care of finding the light, the angles, and the moments. By the end, we had a wonderful mix of family photos, playful shots of the kids, and quiet moments between parents and children.

Thank you so much for choosing me to photograph your family. It was a joy to meet all five of you. Please come back to Japan together someday — I would love to see how much the kids have grown.

If you are planning a family photoshoot in Kyoto with little ones, you can see my Kyoto packages and details here.

The ring was already on her finger when they walked up to meet me. They had gotten engaged shortly before our shoot, and I knew it — so the very first thing I said to them was congratulations. Their faces lit up straight away, and from that moment the whole session had a celebratory feeling to it.

We met at Maruyama Park and started with the greenery there, keeping things relaxed while they settled in. From there, our plan was to walk to Gion Shirakawa, and the walk itself turned into half the fun. Along the way we stopped at a Japanese vending machine, at old wooden storefronts, and at little corners of Gion that most people walk straight past. Some of my favourite frames from the day came from those unplanned stops.

They told me it was their first time wearing kimono, which honestly surprised me, because it suited them so naturally. Against the old streets of Gion, they looked completely at home. Every time I lifted the camera, the colours, the setting, and the two of them seemed to fall into place.

They were also wonderful to work with. Whatever I suggested — a pose, a spot, a slightly different angle — they said yes with real enthusiasm. When I showed them photos on the back of the camera, they kept complimenting the shots, which made me very happy. And because they had shared a few places they wanted to visit beforehand, we were able to fit many of those in too.

By the time we reached Gion Shirakawa, it felt less like a photoshoot and more like a stroll with friends, just with a camera along for the ride. They were friendly, kind, bright, and quick to smile, and I enjoyed every minute.

Congratulations again on your engagement — I am so happy I got to be part of this chapter. Please come back to Japan someday. I would love to see you both again.

If you have just gotten engaged and want to mark it with photos in Kyoto, my Kyoto packages are all on this page.

Every good proposal location starts with one question: what would she love? For this one, he and I spent a while on that question together. He told me what he was hoping for, and what he knew about her taste — and slowly, the answer became clear. It had to be a Japanese garden in Kyoto.

The garden we chose is a genuinely beautiful place, but it is not somewhere you can simply walk in and start a photoshoot. Photography there requires permission in advance, so I took care of that side of things before the day. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes work most couples never see, and that is exactly how it should be.

He and I had mapped out where in the garden the proposal would happen, and on the day he kept me updated with messages the whole way through. On top of that, their friends and family were there too — several of them had reached out to me beforehand so we were all on the same page. With that many people quietly working together, everything ran beautifully.

She was completely surprised. He looked so happy and relieved that it had all come together. And the moment it was done, their friends and family came over to celebrate. I photographed the whole family together, group shots, photos with friends — everyone wanted to be part of it, and showing them the photos afterwards brought out more smiles all round.

Then I took the two of them to the spots in the garden I had scouted earlier. It was late afternoon by then, and the setting sun was turning everything gold. Some of my favourite frames of the day came from that stretch — soft light, quiet paths, and two people who had just said yes.

We talked the whole time, too. Anime, manga, and especially games — it turned out we all love games, so we ended up talking about Nintendo for far longer than I expected. It was one of those sessions where the conversation flows as easily as the shoot itself.

Both of them were warm and kind, and their friends and family were just as bright and welcoming. I had a wonderful time with all of them. Thank you for trusting me with such an important day — congratulations, and please come back to Japan soon.

If you are imagining a proposal in a Kyoto garden built around what your partner loves, my Kyoto packages are right this way.

The gates of Daigoji Temple opened, and we were the first ones through. He had arrived a little early, and so had I — which meant that for a short, precious window, the temple grounds belonged to just the three of us.

That was the whole plan. Daigoji is one of Kyoto’s great temples, and on most days it fills up as the morning goes on. By being there right at opening, we gave ourselves a completely empty setting for the proposal.

As we had arranged, I walked up to them as a tourist and asked if they would mind taking my photo. She was so kind about it. She took her time, framed the shot carefully, and handed the camera back with a smile — not a hint of hurry or hesitation. When I offered to take one of the two of them in return, she agreed with a huge smile, completely unaware of what was about to happen.

Then he got down on one knee and held out the ring.

She jumped. Actually jumped — straight up, hands flying, pure joy all over her face. I have photographed a lot of proposals, and reactions like that never get old. The two of them held onto each other and celebrated right there in the empty temple grounds, and I just kept shooting. It was one of the happiest few minutes I have seen behind the camera this year.

After that, we explored more of Daigoji together. Every pose I suggested, they went for with real enthusiasm, and every spot we stopped at gave us something new. By the end we had a wonderfully varied set of photos — quiet moments, playful ones, and a lot of laughter in between. When I showed them the results, their reaction made my whole morning.

The two of them have the kind of smiles that light up a frame, and they treated me like a friend from the very first minute. Being their photographer for this was a real gift.

Congratulations, both of you. Please come back to Japan someday — I would love to see you again.

If you are dreaming up a surprise proposal at one of Kyoto’s temples, take a peek at my Kyoto packages.

Maruyama Park, then Yasaka Pagoda, then the stone steps of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, and finally the wooden houses along Gion Shirakawa. That was the route this couple and I walked together — and it all started with a proposal.

He and I had chosen a quiet corner of Maruyama Park for the moment itself. He arrived right on time, and there was not a single other person around when he asked. She had no idea it was coming. Her surprise was immediate and complete, and the happiness that followed was the kind you can see from across a garden. I kept shooting through all of it.

When it was over, I walked over to congratulate them and showed them a few of the frames on the back of the camera. Watching them look at those first photos together — still a little stunned, still smiling — is one of my favourite parts of any proposal.

From there, we started walking. It was their first time in this part of Kyoto, so everything was new to them: the pagoda rising above the rooftops, the old shopfronts along Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, the slow climb of the stone slopes. They kept stopping to take it all in, and at one point they told me how happy they were to have photos somewhere that felt so unmistakably Japanese. That meant a lot to hear.

We did not stop there. We kept going all the way to Gion Shirakawa, where the old wooden machiya houses line the canal. It was quieter than I had expected, which gave us room to slow down and take our time. They were completely up for every idea, and the photos from that stretch are full of relaxed, genuine laughter.

What stayed with me most, though, was how they moved through these places. They were polite, careful, and clearly respectful of the neighbourhoods we were walking through — the kind of visitors Kyoto quietly hopes for. It made the whole morning feel easy and good.

Thank you both for choosing me to be part of this day, and for walking all those streets with me. Congratulations — I hope life brings you back to Japan again soon.

If you are dreaming up a proposal in Gion with a walk through old Kyoto afterwards, my Kyoto packages are one click away.

There are sessions where the couple’s joy just quietly spills out beyond them. This one at Daigoji Temple was exactly that — the two of them were so warm and open that even local Japanese visitors passing by ended up joining the celebration.

He and I had planned this shoot carefully, choosing a time when we thought the temple grounds would be at their quietest. He arrived exactly on time, and on top of that, he had kept me updated in real time throughout the morning — where he was, what time they were leaving, everything. That kind of communication makes such a huge difference on the day itself. When they arrived, everything unfolded exactly the way we had planned.

The proposal itself was one of those beautiful, uncomplicated moments. She was clearly overjoyed, and he looked so relieved and happy that his plan had worked. I captured that whole exchange with a real sense of gratitude — this is the kind of moment you never take for granted as a photographer.

From there, we moved through some of the more beautiful spots inside Daigoji. Because the temple is famous, there were quite a few Japanese visitors around — not tourists in the international sense, but Japanese locals visiting the temple grounds. What was so lovely was that a handful of them noticed what had just happened and came over to congratulate them. They chatted, they smiled, they wished the couple well. Some of these little moments of warmth from complete strangers are things you cannot plan for, but they made the whole session feel extra special.

The couple themselves are honestly two of the kindest, most gentle people I have had the pleasure of photographing. Every pose I suggested, they went for with such positive energy. Every location we tried, they loved. That kind of openness makes my job feel less like work and more like spending a morning with people who happen to be brilliant in front of a camera.

Thank you both so much for choosing me for this important morning, and for the warmth you brought to it — a warmth that clearly reached everyone around you too. Congratulations. I really hope life brings you back to Japan sometime.

If you are dreaming up a proposal at one of Kyoto’s beautiful temples like Daigoji, you can pop over to my Kyoto packages.

An Early Morning Arashiyama Proposal — And a Walk Through the Old Streets After

By the time we met in Arashiyama, the morning air was already warming up. We had planned an early start on purpose — mid-July in Kyoto doesn’t leave much room for slow starts, and I wanted them to have the space almost entirely to themselves for the proposal.

He and I had worked out the plan together beforehand: he would naturally bring her to the spot we had chosen, right on time. And that’s exactly how it happened. When they arrived, everything unfolded so smoothly that even I was quietly impressed. Nothing about his approach gave anything away, and she had no idea what was about to happen.

When he asked, her surprise was complete. I could tell in an instant that she had not seen this coming at all. I kept shooting through the whole moment — the exchange, her reaction, the joy that followed. Some of my favourite frames from this year are from those first few seconds.

After we had captured the proposal itself and given them some time to just be together, I suggested we walk into the heart of Arashiyama for a change of scenery. They loved the idea. The atmosphere of central Arashiyama is completely different from where we had started — busier, full of traditional buildings, small shops, and that distinctive Arashiyama feeling in the air. We spent the rest of the hour there, capturing an entirely different mood in the same session.

They were both so wonderful throughout the whole thing. The heat was real, and I had asked them to walk quite a bit, but neither of them complained once. Every pose I suggested, they went for. Every spot we stopped at, they were up for. Their energy stayed light the whole way through, and it made every photo better.

By the end of the session, they had loved every image I showed them on the back of the camera. That’s always such a nice moment.

Thank you both so much for choosing me to photograph such an important morning, and thank you especially for walking through the summer heat without a single word of complaint. Congratulations — I really hope life brings you back to Japan sometime, and I would love to photograph you again.

If you are planning a summer proposal in Kyoto or want to catch Arashiyama before the crowds, you can browse my Kyoto packages.

A Kyoto Surprise Proposal Where the Groom Played His Part Perfectly

He walked up to me before I could walk up to them. That’s usually not how these things go — normally I’m the one approaching the couple as a tourist, camera in hand, playing my part. This time, he beat me to it. And honestly, it turned into one of the smoothest surprise proposals I’ve ever photographed.

For a surprise proposal to work, so much depends on the groom-to-be being able to act naturally. If he seems nervous, or if there’s any hint that something is off, the surprise falls apart. This one was in a different league entirely. His acting was so natural that even I, watching him from close up, would have believed everything was completely normal. That made my job so much easier — I could relax into my own part, and the two of us pulled off the whole thing together like we had been rehearsing for weeks.

When the moment came, she had absolutely no idea. Not a hint of suspicion. It hadn’t even occurred to her that he might have hired a photographer. When he actually proposed, her surprise was complete, and it turned quickly into the softest, happiest kind of tears. I photographed the whole thing with her joy filling the frame.

After the proposal itself, we spent the rest of the hour just enjoying each other’s company. Both of them were so friendly and warm that it barely felt like a photoshoot — more like the three of us were out playing together for the morning. I love photographing sessions that feel like that. The energy is different, and the photos always come out looking natural and easy.

More than anything, though, what I loved about this couple was their smiles. Both of them have these bright, warm, completely genuine smiles that just carry every photo they’re in. I ended up with so many frames of the two of them beaming at each other, and honestly, looking back through them afterwards made me happy all over again.

Thank you both so much for choosing me to be behind the camera for this important morning, and thank you especially for being such a wonderful co-conspirator, and such lovely people to spend an hour with. Congratulations — I really hope life brings you back to Japan sometime. I would love to see you both again.

If you are dreaming up a surprise proposal in Kyoto, and you’re the kind of person willing to play your part beautifully, here’s where to find my Kyoto packages.

There is one large bridge tucked inside one of the quieter, more spacious parks in Kyoto — the kind of spot that looks made for a moment like this. That is where we had planned the proposal to happen.

He and I had spent some real time picking the location together beforehand. We wanted somewhere with a bit of space, somewhere with beautiful scenery, and — more than anything — somewhere private enough that this moment could belong just to them. The bridge fit all of that. My only worry going into the morning was whether a few local walkers might pass through at the wrong moment, but as it turned out, we had the spot entirely to ourselves.

He arrived right on schedule, and everything unfolded exactly the way we had planned. She had absolutely no idea what was coming — no hint of suspicion at all — and when he actually asked, her surprise was completely genuine. She was so happy, and watching him watch her reaction was just as beautiful. Standing there with my camera up, I felt so lucky to be included in a moment that clearly meant so much to both of them.

After the proposal itself, we kept walking and shooting throughout the rest of the park. This place is such a quiet gem — full of gentle changes in scenery. We stopped near one of the ponds, then walked over to a spot with these huge, tall trees where the light came filtering through the leaves so beautifully. Later, we found a small river running through the park and took some photos there too. It was the kind of session where every ten minutes we found ourselves in a completely different landscape without ever leaving the same park.

They loved every single photo I showed them on the back of the camera, which honestly made my morning. Their energy was so warm the entire hour — I finished the session smiling.

Thank you so much for choosing me to be there for such an important moment, and for trusting the plan we had built together. Congratulations to both of you — I am really happy for you, and I hope life brings you back to Japan sometime.

If you are dreaming up a private, spacious surprise proposal spot in Kyoto, my Kyoto packages are right here.

Mid-June in Kyoto usually feels warm and heavy. This year, somehow it didn’t — the air stayed cool and calm, and it made the perfect kind of day for a Gion Kyoto couple session.

I met this couple in the middle of June, and from the moment they walked up to me, they were so warm and friendly that it honestly felt like we had already known each other for a long time. That kind of energy makes such a difference on a shoot. Any tension you might normally have as a photographer just melts away, and you can focus completely on capturing the two of them at their most natural.

Because of that easy start, I didn’t have to think twice before suggesting poses or trying new ideas. They took every suggestion beautifully, and they clearly enjoyed the process just as much as I did. It’s always so obvious when a couple is genuinely having fun in front of the camera — the photos tell you before anyone says anything.

I took them through a range of spots — some full of green and nature, others surrounded by the classic old wooden architecture that makes Gion Kyoto so special. Every place we stopped, they were up for. Every angle I set up, they trusted. The whole session had that lovely, easy rhythm where nothing feels forced and everything just flows.

The hour flew by. We talked and laughed the whole way through, and by the time we wrapped up, it really did feel like I had just spent an hour with friends rather than doing a shoot. When I showed them the photos on the back of the camera, they loved every single one — which is honestly the best feeling in this job.

Thank you both so much for being so open, so warm, and so easy to work with. Getting to photograph couples like you is one of my favourite parts of what I do, and I feel really lucky it was me you chose. I hope you come back to Japan sometime — I would love to see you both again.

If you are dreaming up a couple photoshoot in Kyoto that feels natural and easy from start to finish, come see my Kyoto packages here.

I have photographed proposals. I have photographed maternity sessions. But I have never done both in the same morning until this one.

We met at 8 in the morning along a river in Arashiyama that most people never find — a small, tucked-away spot where the water runs quietly and the trees hold most of the sound. Because we had started early, there was no one else around at all. Just the water, the birds calling in the trees above us, and the two of them stepping into what turned out to be the most magical morning.

They arrived right on time. As we had planned together beforehand, the surprise proposal unfolded exactly the way we had hoped. When he asked, she was completely overwhelmed. She started crying almost immediately, in the softest, happiest way. I photographed the whole moment feeling deeply lucky to be there for it.

And then, just as we started transitioning into the rest of the couple session, they shared something with me I had not known — she was expecting. So we naturally added maternity photos into the session too, right there by the river. Some of my favourite frames of the entire morning are the quiet ones with her hand on her belly, the two of them standing together in the soft morning light. Getting to photograph their proposal and the beginning of their family life in one continuous session is an experience I will carry with me for a long time.

We shot in a few different spots along the river and beyond, and every single one worked. They loved every photo I showed them on the back of the camera, and the whole morning had this quiet, beautiful, complete feeling to it — a family photoshoot before the family even fully arrived, in a way.

Thank you both so much for choosing me to be behind the camera for such a big morning. It really did mean a lot. Congratulations to the two of you, and to your growing family — I wish all three of you every ounce of happiness in the days ahead. I really hope to see you all again the next time you visit Japan.

If you are dreaming up a sunrise proposal in Arashiyama, a maternity session in Kyoto, or something that combines a few beautiful moments into one, the details are at my Kyoto packages page.

They were standing on a small bridge over one of Gion’s quieter rivers when he asked. It was still very early morning — the streets around us empty, no one else in sight, and the light doing that gentle thing it does just after sunrise.

We had planned an early meeting to avoid the usual Gion crowds, and it worked exactly as we had hoped. When they walked up to the bridge, I was already there pretending to be a tourist taking photos of the river and the traditional houses. They arrived right on time, and as they stepped onto the bridge together, he turned to her and asked.

I photographed the whole thing from a small distance, so their moment stayed entirely their own. She started crying almost immediately, in the softest way — pure, real joy. Then they hugged, and there was so much smile in that hug that I felt myself smiling behind the camera too. Watching them stand there in the still, quiet morning was one of those experiences that makes this job feel so lucky.

After the proposal, we walked through Gion Shirakawa and some of the other beautiful older streets nearby, and the two of them stayed just as warm and easy the entire time. Even when we walked into the busier parts of Gion later, their energy did not change at all. They were the kind of couple that makes any location feel light.

At one point I took them past a spot with a whole wall of gachagacha machines — those little Japanese capsule-toy vending machines — just because I thought it might make a fun photo. They loved it. I do not usually take proposal couples to places like that, but I am so glad I did that day. The photos turned out fun, playful, and completely them.

The hour flew by. We talked and laughed the entire way through, and by the end I felt like I had spent time with people I would love to see again someday.

Thank you both for choosing me to be there for such an important morning, and for being so open to going a few unexpected places along the way. Congratulations — I am so happy for you, and I really hope you come back to Japan sometime.

If you are dreaming up a quiet, early-morning proposal in Kyoto, you’ll find everything on my Kyoto packages page.

How do you photograph a private, unhurried surprise proposal at Fushimi Inari — a shrine that welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every single day? The short answer is: very early morning, and a lot of quiet planning together beforehand.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of Kyoto’s most-visited shrines, and honestly, in the days before this shoot I had been a little worried about the crowds. So he and I spent some real time working out the plan in detail. I mapped out exactly where we would meet, exactly where I would step in as a tourist, exactly where he should ask. He had taken it all in, and on the morning of the shoot, he arrived at the meeting spot right on time — and from that moment on, everything unfolded just the way we had hoped.

Because we had started so early, the shrine was almost empty. There was no one in the background at all in the frames where it mattered. As planned, I walked up as a tourist and asked her if she could take a photo of me. She did not suspect a thing, and she said yes so warmly that I already knew this was going to be a good session. Then he turned to her, got down on one knee, and asked.

She was completely surprised. She started crying almost immediately, in the softest, most heartfelt way, and watching that moment through the camera was one of those experiences I do not take for granted. I felt so happy standing there. I remember thinking, right in the middle of shooting, how grateful I was to be trusted with this.

After the proposal moment itself, we walked around and shot in some of the quieter parts of Fushimi Inari that most visitors never really slow down to see. The famous torii gates get most of the attention (rightfully so — they are stunning), but the shrine grounds are full of these smaller, beautiful pockets that deserve their own photos too. We talked and laughed our way through the rest of the session, and they loved every photo I showed them on the back of the camera.

Thank you both so much for choosing me to be the one behind the camera for such an important morning. It really meant a lot. Congratulations — I hope life brings you back to Japan again soon.

If you are dreaming up a private surprise proposal in Kyoto — even at somewhere as busy as Fushimi Inari — everything is on my Kyoto packages page.