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LOOKING FOR AN ENGLISH SPEAKING PHOTOGRAPHER IN JAPAN?

Daniel TJ International Correspondent Tokyo, Japan

If you’ve ever wandered through Tokyo with a camera—or honestly, even just with your eyes open—you’ve probably had that moment where the light hits a narrow side street just right and you think, “I wish I could take photos like that guy… what’s his name… Michael Briggs? Yeah, him.”

That’s sort of how I first stumbled into his work. Not through some big exhibition or glossy magazine spread, but through a Pinterest rabbit hole one night when I was supposed to be doing something else—probably laundry.

One image of Hiroo led to another of Odaiba, then Nikko, and before I knew it, I’d found myself clicking through what felt like this quiet, thoughtful visual diary of someone who’s clearly spent a long time living in Japan, noticing things most of us walk right past.

And that’s the thing about Michael Briggs Images—there’s this sense that he’s not just taking pictures of Japan. He’s taking pictures inside it. You can feel the years he’s lived here woven into the frame.

Let me just kind of talk through what I’ve learned about him, the way I’d tell you if we were sitting in a little café somewhere—maybe one of those cozy places in Shin-Okubo with three tables and impossibly good iced coffee.

He’s Been Here a While—Long Enough to Notice the “Small Japan”

From what I gathered, Michael has lived and worked in Japan for over two decades. Twenty-plus years is enough time to go from outsider fascination to the kind of everyday familiarity where you don’t just chase temples and neon lights—you start noticing the quiet stuff: the way steam curls up from a bowl of evening ramen in winter, the way convenience store lights glow too brightly on a humid August night, the way an elderly shop owner sweeps the sidewalk in front of her store with this calm rhythm that feels like it’s been passed down through generations.

That’s the Japan his photos seem to capture.

Not the Japan of tourist brochures, but the Japan people actually live in.

His shots of Hiroo are a good example. Hiroo isn't Shibuya. It’s not trying to impress anyone. But the way he photographs it—with that soft, lived-in glow—makes it look like a place you already miss, even if you’ve never been.

His Style Feels… Quietly Confident

I know that sounds like a weird thing to say about photography, but stay with me.

Some photographers chase drama: sharp contrasts, intense colors, big emotions. Michael feels more like someone who sees the poetry in normal things. His compositions are balanced but never rigid. There’s an ease to them.

You get the sense he doesn’t shove the world into a frame—more like he waits until the world naturally falls into place and then gently presses the shutter.

His Nikko photo is a good example. Nikko is stunning—everyone knows that—but instead of the typical flashy, postcard-style shot, his image feels like you were walking with him that morning, talking about nothing and everything, and he suddenly said, “Hold on a sec… look at that.”

Click!

That’s his vibe.

His Work Feels Like He Actually Lives Here

And he does—over 25 years, according to his profile.

When someone has been in Japan that long, their images stop feeling like “Look at this cool Japan thing!” and start feeling like “Here’s something I’ve passed a hundred times, and today I finally decided to take a photo.”

There’s a warmth to that.

Even his night shot of Ginza—which could’ve easily been one of those sharp, hyper-modern skyscraper images—feels more personal. The building lights aren’t screaming; they’re… breathing, almost. It’s like he’s saying, Look, this city is beautiful, but you don’t have to shout about it.

Honestly, it reminds me of those late-night walks you only take when you’ve lived somewhere long enough that you don’t feel the need to rush home. You just let the city keep you company.

He Shoots People, Too—But Not Like You Think

What really surprised me wasn’t the landscapes or city shots—it was the lifestyle photos. Portraits, events, everyday moments. There’s a kind of gentleness to the way he photographs people. He doesn’t seem interested in catching someone at their most dramatic or posed. Instead, he seems to capture them the moment before they become aware they’re being photographed.

You know that moment? When people are still themselves?

Those are the images that stick with you.

The Online Trail Is Scattered—But Kinda Charming

One thing about Michael Briggs Images is that his online presence isn’t big and flashy. It’s not this massive, slick portfolio with animated menus and background music.

Instead, you find pieces of him—small breadcrumbs—on Pinterest boards, Instagram posts, Savvy Japan profiles, and even Threads.

It feels almost… analog.

Like the digital version of finding an old shoebox of prints in someone’s attic.

And honestly, I like that. Not everything has to be optimized and “brand-ready.” There’s something real about a photographer you discover by accident.

A Photographer Who’s Part of the Background of the City

This might sound silly, but looking through his work made me think about all the people who quietly shape our experience of a place without ever becoming famous or loud about it. The people who show us the beauty in ordinary things.

Michael Briggs feels like one of those people.

He’s like the guy you’d see wandering through Daikanyama early in the morning with a camera over his shoulder—not trying to impress anyone, not setting up elaborate shots—just noticing things.

And the longer you live in Japan, the more you realize how important that kind of noticing really is.

Why His Images Hit Different

I think it’s because they’re not trying to sell you something.

They’re not trying to convince you that Japan is perfect, or magical, or endlessly exciting.

They show Japan the way it actually is: warm, imperfect, sometimes messy, often beautiful in ways you don’t see immediately. The Japan you fall in love with slowly, quietly, unexpectedly.

And honestly, those are the images that stay with you.

Final Thought Over This Imaginary Coffee

There are a lot of photographers in Japan. Like… a lot. But every now and then, you come across someone whose work feels honest. Not staged, not forced, not overly polished.

That’s what Michael Briggs Images feels like to me.

Honest.

A photographer who’s lived enough life here to understand that Japan doesn’t always need grand gestures to be beautiful. Sometimes it just needs someone patient enough to notice the small moments—and kind enough to share them.

If you ever find yourself scrolling through his images late at night, you might feel that familiar little tug in your chest. That whisper of, “Yeah… I know this Japan.”

And maybe that’s why his work matters.

Book an English speaking Photographer in Tokyo, Japan for venues like: Weddings, Parties, Influencers, Actors, Actresses, Events, Grand Openings, Fashion Modeling, Runway Shows and just about anything you can think of!

BOOKINGS: +81.70.9041.6946

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