What does a surprise proposal at Daigoji Temple look like when both of the people getting engaged happen to be bodybuilders? Honestly — exactly the kind of joyful, sunny, slightly unexpected morning you would hope for.
We met at Daigoji on one of those very first early-summer days where the air is still cool but the sunlight feels warm on your face. Daigoji at this time of year has its own quieter beauty — the rush of cherry blossom crowds is over, and the temple grounds feel almost peacefully empty.
He had reached out to me weeks before, and the two of us had been quietly working out the plan together. The idea was for me to walk up as a tourist and ask her if she could take a photo of me. She did not suspect a thing — she very kindly took my photo, with a smile, completely unaware of what was about to happen. After that, I offered to take a photo of the two of them together, and that is when he turned to her and got down on one knee.
Her reaction was beautiful. Real surprise, big smile, the kind of joy you cannot fake or pose for. Watching that moment unfold through the camera is honestly one of the best parts of this job, and capturing both of them happy together right then was such a gift.
A little later, when I told her how he and I had been planning the whole thing in advance, she was so happily stunned all over again. There is something special about that second wave of surprise — when the proposal itself is over but the realization of “wait, you were in on this too?” hits.
After that, the shoot turned into the most fun couple session. Both of them are bodybuilders, with incredibly strong, beautifully built physiques, and we had so much fun bringing some classic bodybuilding poses into the temple grounds. Every idea I suggested they jumped into with so much energy and humor — and they brought ideas of their own too. The combination of the quiet old temple in the background and the two of them showing off everything they have built together was honestly such a beautiful, slightly unexpected sight.
To be chosen as the photographer for this big moment in your lives meant a lot. Thank you both for trusting me with the plan, for being so generous with your energy on the day, and for letting me have so much fun behind the camera. Congratulations — I am so happy for you, and I hope life brings you back to Japan again sometime soon.
If you have your own story to tell — a surprise proposal, a couple session, or something with a little personality (bodybuilding poses absolutely welcome), you can find my Kyoto proposal packages here.
