Street Photography: Chinatown, Honolulu

Chinatown in Honolulu, Hawaii, is not only a historical center of the city, it’s also arguably one of Hawaii’s best areas for street photography.

Around the Lunar New Year in 2023, I felt an urge to shoot some street photos. I decided to go to Chinatown with my camera and make a video showing where I was walking and what my perspectives were while taking these shots.

Here’s what I took that day:

If you want to see how I shot these, please take a look:

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Street Photography: Gotokuji & Kyodo, Tokyo

Gotokuji and Kyodo, Tokyo, are two neighboring areas in Setagaya Ward. The famous “maneki neko” temple is in Gotokuji, and Kyodo is home to a university, some schools and a larger station

It began snowing heavily for Tokyo one winter day in 2022, and I decided to go our with my camera and make a video while I took some street photography.

I also made a video of myself taking these photos that winter evening. Please watch if you’re interested:

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Street Photography: Koenji, Tokyo

The area of Koenji, Tokyo, is considered by locals as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the city. It’s best known for its alternative subcultures, and on a late fall afternoon in 2021, I decided to go there for some street photography.

I also made a video of myself taking these photos that day. Please watch if you’re interested:

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Fall in Japan Wallpapers

Fall is Japan's best season. To me at least. It’s when the weather finally begins to cool down from excruciating summers and the leaves turn beautiful colors.

I've been fortunate to see them for several years now, so I edited some of the photos I took into wallpapers for you. Feel free to use them!

Kiyomizu-dera - Kyoto

Kamo River - Kyoto

Omotesando, Tokyo

Tenryuji Temple, Kyoto

Gaienmae Icho Namiki - Tokyo

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine - Kyoto

Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji - Kyoto

Tokyo Skytree - Tokyo

Hitachi Seaside Park - Ibaraki

Marunouchi - Tokyo

University of Tokyo - Tokyo

Hamarikyu Gardens - Tokyo

Kiyomizu-dera - Kyoto

Rikugien - Tokyo

Roppongi Hills - Tokyo

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Springtime Walk in Shimotakaido, Tokyo

The Shimotakaido area of Setagaya, Tokyo, is a smaller, residential area with a few schools in the neighborhood. The main area is lively with a variety of shops and eateries, and its tunnel of cherry blossoms make for a nice walk during the springtime.

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A Snowy Spring Day in Tokyo

2020 has been an interesting year to say the least.

Amongst the odd occurrences was Tokyo getting its heaviest snow day of the season. The catch? It was in late March, after the cherry blossoms were already out.

Snow fall in the city is one of my favorite conditions to photograph, so I walked around the Kyodo area of Setagaya, Tokyo on this day.

At the end of March, with the cherry blossoms already in bloom, the heaviest snow day of the year hit Tokyo. Here's some scenes from a quick walk around. Fee...

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Honolulu Street Walks

I was recently in Honolulu, Hawaii, for a friend’s wedding. For a week and a half I got to play tourist in my hometown, meeting up with friends and trying new places that have popped up over the years.

Bringing a camera out is not so common for locals in Honolulu, but I decided to do it as much as I could.

While I was there, I frequented the Kakaako, Kaimuki and Downtown Honolulu areas the most.

Wilhelmina Rise in Kaimuki

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Friends' Wedding in Hawaii

Kathy and Ryan after marrying

I recently went home to Honolulu, Hawaii, to see my longtime friend Ryan marry my more recent friend Kathy.

The wedding was at the Nutridge Estate in Tantalus, was casual, warm and really fun. It suited them quite well.

I took my camera with me and shot around a bit. Here’s some of what I took.

View from the Nutridge Estate, looking west towards Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)

Awaiting the ceremony. Pictured: Aja

Awaiting the ceremony. Pictured: Joey

Kathy and Ryan get married outdoors

Cupcakes by A Cake Life

Kathy dances with her dad in the Father and Bride dance

Kathy and Ryan on the dance floor

Ryan with his mom on the dance floor

Bride’s maids having fun

Andy also taking pictures

Evening set up

Kathy and Ryan

Congratulations!!

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Suzhou Alleys and Canals

On a trip to China in spring of this year, I took a day trip to the city of Suzhou.

Suzhou is a street photographer’s daydream. Old streets, narrow alleys and a network of canals. My time spent here was really far too short, but these images capture a few of the sights that I was able to witness.

A woman prepares fruits to sell.

An elderly woman shows her Alipay code for wireless payments

A man sells fruit on his bicycle.

A young man and woman eat lunch in outside of their home.

Street vendors share a conversation on the side of the road.

A woman rides a bicycle down an alley.

People buying fruit from a street vendor.

Young girls talk and play outside.

A woman plays Mahjong in a room with others.

Regular life on a Suzhou street

A woman transports a load.

A man zooms through a crowded alley. [INSTAGRAM]

A woman feeds an early dinner to a young boy outside of an apartment.

An elderly woman eats dinner outside. [INSTAGRAM]

Sundown over a canal.

A man uses his phone outside under the evening sky.

A man smokes a cigarette.

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Streets of Shanghai

Earlier this year I traveled to China, and Shanghai was one of the destinations I visited. It was a city that I had been before but hadn’t truly explored. This time, I came with a camera.

A man and woman talk in an alley in the Huanghe area

A street corner int he Huanghe area

A man and woman walk with an elderly woman down an alley in Huanghe

A restaurant worker peers out as he takes a break in a back alley in the Huanghe area

People relax under hanging laundry in the Huanghe area

Laundry hangs over a backstreet in the Huanghe area

Signs from luxury brands illuminate the streets of Xintiandi

A main street in the Dashijie area

A task force in all black passes through The Bund

Shanghai Tower, a 632 meter tall skyscraper towers over buildings near the Yu Garden

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Hanazono Shrine Torinoichi Festival

The Torinoichi Festival happens two or three times each November. Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is one of the hosting shrines, and some 600k people take part in the festivities.

People go to buy kumade, which are ornamental rakes, because it’s said that it will help them “rake” in good luck.

I just happened to stumble in during my first year living in Tokyo, but this time I intentionally went to check it out. Unfortunately the crowds were way too much - a line about a traffic lane and a half wide worth of people that went down the street and around the block.

Despite this, there was a lot to see. Here are some scenes I managed to snap.

Lanterns at the entrance of the Hanazono Shrine

A chef prepares food for customers at his stall

People having fun over food and drinks

One of the kumade rakes

A man prepares a potato at his food stall

A woman loads toppings on her steamed potato

Steamed potato with butter, mayo, spicy miso and kim chee.

People browse a food stall aisle at Hanazono Shrine

A man makes okonomiyaki at his food stall

A man cooks takoyaki at his food stall

A woman blow torches cheese at her food stall

A man grills tako (octopus) at his food stall

A man grills a meat skewer at his food stall

The crowd walking past food stalls outside of Hanazono Shrine

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Walking Around Beijing

Beijing, a huge city featuring ancient and modern China, often side by side.

Traveling here requires a lot of energy - the walking never stops. Here are some shots of Beijing life that I came across while on the go.

A delivery moped passes The Place on an afternoon.

A man walks the Great Wall on a foggy, early morning. [INSTAGRAM]

Riding scooters in Beijing’s SOHO area.

A serious group playing Mahjong near Dafangjia Hutong.

Men playing Xiangqi (Chinese chess) near the Temple of Heaven.

Rosting Peking Duck at Li Qun.

A man rides through the Donghuamen residential district of Beijing. [INSTAGRAM]

Gas delivery to a home in Beijing’s Donghuamen residential district.

Some workers stop at a traffic light on the way home.

Some Chinese students take a break on their bicycles in Wangfujin.

Making a turn in Shichahai.

A cat hanging out in a cafe in at Houhai Lake.

Texing in an alley in Shichahai.

A worker goes on break at Luogu Lane.

A woman with an open-fire food cart near Luogu Lane under an orange night sky.

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A Snowy Winter Day in Tokyo

It rarely snows heavily in Tokyo. In my three years living in the city, there's been an average of one or two days per year where it really comes down.

This year, I made sure to grab my camera and take some shots on the way home and around my neighborhood.

A couple shares an umbrella under the snow near Ochanomizu.

A Keio line train departs Sasazuka station bound for Hashimoto.

A Kuroneko Yamato delivery man delivering packages on a bicycle in the thick snow in Setagaya.

A Keio train headed for Hashimoto pulls into Shimotakaido station

A man makes his way home through the snow on his bicycle in Shimotakaido, Setagaya.

A taxi navigates a narrow street in Setagaya.

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Why Street Photography in Japan Can Be Difficult

In countries like the US, if you’re in a public space, there is no expectation of privacy and therefore people are free to take photos of basically anything around them. This is not the case in Japan, however, as the country generally favors the Right to Privacy over Freedom of Expression.

For a street photographer, capturing people in their natural element of existence can create powerful imagery and invoke a range of emotions. It can paint a picture and tell a story, give others a glimpse of life somewhere unknown to them. The way it’s shot, edited, captioned and shared reflects how the photographer interpreted that moment, and a collection of these can show how they see the world as a whole. In some cases, it can serve an educational purpose. It’s an art, similar to songwriting and painting.

In “shy” Japan, it’s a bit different.

Their take on it is that even if a person is in a public space without expectation of privacy, a photo taken of them should first get their approval and consent before sharing, even if it’s with neutral or positive intent. Obviously this can be rather difficult, especially in cities like Tokyo where people fly by in a split second.

This perspective does make sense on a personal level though, and it is good manners - after all we don’t like unflattering photos taken and shared of us. But giving preference to one’s rights in a situation can naturally inhibit another’s freedom. In this case, the photographer’s ability to communicate freely through their work becomes filtered, and therefore can be seen as an infringement on their right to express.

So in a public space, should a photographer be legally bound to go through the same steps to consent as if in a private space?

As it is today, even if no negative or malicious intent exists and the work is not for sale or for profit, people may take legal action on the photographer in Japan.

It is said that hampering creative genius harms society, but these hurdles on a photographer’s art exists in countries like Japan.

What do you think? Feel free to comment below.

(For reference: The Photographer’s Right in the US)

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