A First Trip to Japan, A Lifetime of Memories: Tracy & Justin's Pre-Wedding Session
There's something I really love about couples who give me a little room to guide them. Tracy and Justin knew the feeling they wanted, a sunset session first, then something with more city energy for a second look, but they were open to where exactly that would happen.
It started with a simple, hopeful message. Tracy wrote to me that she and her fiancé, Justin, were coming to Japan in July, and they wanted to make time for an engagement photoshoot during their trip. It would be their first time in the country, and she signed off with the kind of warmth that told me right away this was going to be a fun one to plan:
"Would love all of your recommendations :)."
Planning the Perfect Two-Location Shoot
For the first location, I suggested Shiba Prince Park, right in the shadow of Tokyo Tower, along with the quiet temples that surround it. There's something about having that iconic red and white silhouette rising over the trees that instantly says "Tokyo" without saying a word.
It's one of my favorite spots to bring couples for exactly that reason - traditional, a little nostalgic, and unmistakably Tokyo all at once. It felt like the right way to feel Japan as their first time.
For the second half of the shoot, I walked them through a few options. I recommended Yurakucho in particular if they wanted something a bit more intimate, away from the heaviest crowds. It also had the bonus of being close to the Tokyo International Forum, a building whose architecture alone is worth a few frames.
Tracy and Justin chose Yurakucho and asked if we could fit in a few shots at the Tokyo International Forum if time allowed.
Tokyo Tower at Sunset, Yurakucho’s City Lights by Night
Tracy and Justin arrived by taxi straight to Shiba Prince Park. We started there, working with the park and the temples nearby, with Tokyo Tower standing tall just beyond the trees. We made sure to find the angles where it really took center stage. It's a special kind of light, that late afternoon hour in Japan; the warm sun and the Tokyo Tower made the perfect anchor for every shot.
At last our last locations and as the sun dipped lower, Tracy and Justin changed into their night outfits for the night portion of the shoot. We had planned the locations and the change before Yurakucho so they'd have time to ease into the next mood without feeling rushed, and from there, we made our way to the Tokyo International Forum.
The Forum's glass-and-steel atrium curves overhead like the hull of a ship, and at night the structure lights up in a way that feels almost cinematic. We got a handful of frames there with Tracy and Justin walking along the sweeping lines of the building, pausing under the soaring glass ceiling, the architecture giving us a completely different kind of energy from the softness of the park.
Then it was on to Yurakucho, where the streets lit up around us for the final stretch of the night. It was a nice contrast: traditional Tokyo at golden hour, then this sleek, modern backdrop, and finally the electric glow of the city streets once the lights came fully on.
A Story That Kept Going
What I didn't know at the time was just how far these photos would travel. Tracy and Justin ended up using images from this very session for their wedding invitations. And not long after, they got married. It's one of my favorite parts of this work knowing that a single evening in Tokyo, planned over messaging and a shared sense of excitement, became something they carried forward into one of the biggest days of their lives.
Congratulations again, Tracy and Justin. Thank you for trusting me with your first trip to Japan, and for letting Tokyo be part of your story!
If you're planning a visit to Japan and dreaming of an engagement session that feels personal, unrushed, and entirely your own, I'd love to help you plan it. Let's create something you'll carry with you long after the trip is over.
