Japan Travel Photographer | Cultural Stories and Landscapes
I'm a travel photographer based in Japan, documenting the landscapes, cultures, and traditions of East Asia. From the neon streets of Tokyo to the rocky shores of Busan, my work focuses on people, customs, and communities. With a background in photojournalism and a curiosity for everyday life, I aim to tell honest, visually compelling stories of the places I explore.
I've photographed Buddhist monks on pilgrimage in Koyasan, Ama divers scouring the sea floor for abalone off the coasts of Mie, and street markets in Hong Kong. Magazine assignments have taken me to Japanese fire festivals and on long-distance treks on the Nakasendo, the Michinoku Trail, and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. I've documented Michelin-starred chefs in Tokyo, cattle farmers in Kumamoto, and food producers across Japan's regional culinary landscape.
Living in Japan for over a decade has given me the access, cultural understanding, and local knowledge that visiting photographers lack. I know which festivals offer genuine cultural experiences rather than tourist spectacles, how to approach communities with respect, and when the light hits Mount Fuji just right. I've built relationships with temple caretakers, fishermen, festival organizers, and innkeepers across the country—the kind of trust that opens doors and leads to photographs that go beyond the obvious.
My travel photography serves editorial publications, tourism boards, hospitality brands, and cultural institutions. Whether it's a multi-day photo essay covering a regional matsuri, food and beverage photography for a luxury ryokan, or documenting a destination's culinary traditions, I approach each assignment with the same commitment to authentic storytelling and technical craft.
My work has appeared in National Geographic Traveller, Harper's Bazaar, The Wall Street Journal, Qantas Magazine, Virtuoso, and Rough Guides. I'm a frequent contributor to National Geographic and regularly collaborate with clients across Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
If you're looking for authentic travel photography in Japan or East Asia, let's talk.
A woman wearing a traditional Japanese hat and veil stands on the balcony of a red pagoda facing a towering waterfall in the background.
Aerial shot of a temple courtyard with a shrine maiden framed by green tree branches.
Japan travel photography of a snow-covered temple in a serene winter landscape.
Traditional rickshaw puller transporting passenger through historic street in Kyoto.
Street view of Akihabara, Tokyo with crowds and woman in maid outfit.
Japanese kabuki actors preparing for a performance in a backstage dressing room, photographed on assignment by Japan travel photographer Ben Weller.
Ama diver woman in traditional diving attire grills shellfish over a stone hearth in Iseshima, Japan.
Japanese Buddhist monk burning wooden prayer sticks during a morning ceremony at a temple in Koyasan, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
A narrow Hong Kong alleyway with a person holding an umbrella walking in the distance.
Man in Edo-era costume standing on a historical street in Nagasaki, example of travel photography in Japan.
Side-profile portrait of Buddhist monk in dark robes practicing Japanese calligraphy.
Bartender preparing cocktails with precision at upscale Hong Kong hotel bar.
Snow-covered mountain range under a cloudy sky in Tohoku.
Group of skiers descending a snowy slope at Japanese ski resort Zao Onsen.
Aerial view of a snow-covered town with winding streets and houses, Japan travel photography by Ben Weller.
Group of men dressed in traditional Japanese loin cloths, wading in water, participating in a festival
Editorial-style travel photography shows a group of men dressed in traditional Japanese loin cloths gather around a man who had been injured during a festival.
Group of men participating in fire ritual at traditional Japanese festival
Waves washing over a rocky shoreline with small and large dark stones.
Aerial photography of an ocean scene with a small island at dawn, captured in Tottori Prefecture, Japan.
A serene sunset over islets in Matsushima Bay, photographed by Japan travel photographer Ben Weller.
A Hong Kong apartment building with numerous windows, air conditioning units, and signs with Chinese characters in red.
A small black table with a drink, a bowl, and a cup, set against textured glass window panels in a cafe.
A woman working behind the counter of a restaurant or cafe, wearing a black shirt and gray apron, smiling and talking. There is a red Michelin 2024 sign on the wall behind her, and shelves with various items on her right.
A Korean restaurant owner standing inside her Busan ramen shop next to a red Michelin sign.
A shirtless man wearing a face mask and apron standing in a Hong Kong butcher shop surrounded by hanging and sliced raw meat.
A traditional wooden boat with red sails sailing on Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour at dusk, with a city skyline in the background.
Ferries on water during sunset with mountains in the background.
Nighttime cityscape of Victoria Harbour Hong Kong, with the lit-up red sails of the Aqua Luna cruise boat on the water.
A young man dressed in a suit and bow tie setting a table at in a dining room at the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong.
A bartender in a red blazer is preparing drinks behind a luxurious gold-lit bar with shelves of liquor bottles in the background.
A man wearing a face mask preparing skewers of grilled seafood at a Kyoto street food stall, with various skewers on display and colorful signage above.
Colorful sign of an octopus with the text 'takoyaki' in front of a restaurant in Osaka.
Four women in traditional attire planting rice in a lush green field.
Group of women in traditional Japanese yukatas dancing under red paper lanterns at a festival during dusk.
Close-up of a person wearing traditional Japanese wooden sandals, known as geta, with white tabi socks and red straps, participating in a cultural event with other dancers in the background.
Visit my blog to read about the stories behind these images and what it’s like working as a travel photographer in Japan.