Couple standing together on a Kyoto street with Kyoto Tower visible in the background.

Story of Risa and David

Japan’s hidden gem hiding in plain sight. Where would you go if you have the chance to do a photo shoot in Japan? There are many famous spots where you can take aesthetic, trendy or even traditional photos. Michael recommends a spot where a lot of people pass by everyday, but not everyone knows just how photogenic the spot could be.

And this time, we trust Michael to capture our story.

Early October


The weather is not that cold today but the wind is breezy, this is the first we visit Japan after Covid-19. We had been planning to have a photographer for this trip to take better quality photos of us. We saw Michael’s portfolio while searching and decided to contact him. Michael recommends that we take photos in a spot that is not the ‘hotspot’ for photo shoot, which is by The Kyoto Tower. We trust Michael’s intuition as he is has been the expert in this field since 2017.


We met up at a crowded spot near The Kyoto Tower and Michael guides us towards an open field with stairs that led up to Kyoto Station where we can see the architecture around Kyoto Tower and what can I say…. I never thought that the view would be this amazing.

Couple standing back-to-back on wide urban stairs with yellow umbrellas and modern glass buildings in background.
Asian couple standing back-to-back on city steps with yellow parasols and contemporary architecture behind them.
Smiling Asian couple walking down steps in front of a modern glass and steel architectural structure.
Couple holding hands descending urban stairs with a bold red geometric sculpture and glass building backdrop.

 Don’t we look like we’re in a romantic drama?

Young couple holding hands and smiling beneath a black directional signpost outside a modern building.
Couple standing side by side at a railing overlooking a panoramic cityscape on an overcast day.
Two people leaning on a railing enjoying a rooftop view of a sprawling urban cityscape together.
Couple standing at a glass railing admiring a bright city skyline view from an elevated platform.
Couple posing beside a towering red abstract sculpture inside a dramatic steel lattice-roofed atrium.

 Not only the exterior, the view inside is also modern and aesthetic. The building was designed by Hiroshi Hara, in which he added futuristic touch to the traditional Kyoto. One of the main things that will catch your eye is the high ceiling made up of glass and steel where natural light beams across the whole building giving off a very natural warm tone to our photos.


 The station is often called ‘the modern gateway to Kyoto’, but it’s not just a station. You can find some shopping centers, restaurant, an open air garden called ‘Sky Garden’, Eki Museum and even some art installation all over the gigantic station.

Black and White photos


 We had an idea to do a B&W photo shoot to capture this seemingly timeless moment and it was one of the best ideas. The result was super satisfying, the B&W effect adds in depth to every photo enhancing every story we have here.  This is one of my favorite where the photos captured our intimacy and happiness with such clarity and depth.

 

This time, with the modern background and B&W effect, we look like a spy couple that came of the movie, don’t we?

Black and white photo of a smiling couple embracing tenderly with a blurred city background.
Black and white photo of a couple looking out over a cityscape from a rooftop terrace railing.
Black and white photo of a couple holding hands on a rooftop terrace with city buildings behind them.
Black and white photo of a couple's shadows cast on pavement, woman wearing knee-high boots.
Black and white photo of a couple facing each other on a rooftop terrace with city views behind them.
Black and white photo of a couple embracing on a rooftop terrace with Kyoto Tower rising behind them.
Black and white photo of a couple silhouetted against Kyoto Tower on a rooftop observation deck.

To be Continued…


Our story ends with not only a great photo shoot experience, but also with memories and knowledge of the Kyoto that not everyone knows. Special thanks to Michael for bringing us here and show us around while taking beautiful photos. I hope to come back to Japan again and explore more of Japan’s hidden gems. Until next time!