Night-shift taxi driver for 12 years, now Kyoto’s quietest photo guide
📍 Born and based in Kyoto, Japan
Kenji knows Kyoto at night the way only a taxi driver can — which lantern stays lit until 2am, which alley catches rain-light, where Gion actually empties out. He drove the night shift for twelve years and photographed the city on his breaks.
When his darkroom prints started selling at a Teramachi gallery, he traded the taxi for hosting two photographers at a time, on foot, after dark.
He shoots film and phone alike, and cares much more about where you stand than what you carry.
“Everyone photographs Kyoto at noon and wonders where the mystery went. It clocks in at dusk.”
Two of the photos I took with Kenji are now printed on my wall. He positions you, waits for the umbrella or the bicycle, and says “now”.
Fantastic knowledge of light and etiquette around geiko. Wear good shoes — we covered a lot of ground.
I’m a beginner with a phone camera and never felt out of place. Kenji met us exactly where we were.
