Tips from a Tokyo street photographer: an insider’s guide to people-watching, and where to eat and drink

Lukasz Palka has spent over a decade in Tokyo working as a photography tour guide, and shares his secrets on the city’s most picturesque spots

From stunning glass facades to chilled out bars to tranquil neighbourhoods, he has the curious visitor covered

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A yakitori chef works at his grill in a back street of Shinbashi district in Tokyo. Photo: Lukasz Palka

Published: 8:15am, 18 Dec 2018Updated: 8:15pm, 18 Dec 2018

Lukasz Palka has spent over a decade in Tokyo, equipped with a camera, ready to immortalise the city’s fleeting moments with the swift flick of the shutter.

The Polish born, US-raised photographer began his career in Japan as a teacher, but within a year or two of arriving realised the confines of city living saw him stuck in similar routines; work, eat, bed, repeat.

A conscious and fateful purchase changed his life. “I did not get out enough,” says Palka. “So I thought if I got a camera I’d go out and shoot.” It was a simple premise, but an effective one, and Palka’s shutterbug tendencies propelled him to co-found a business in 2014.

Fuelled by a desire to share a different side of the city with visitors, he now co-runs EYExplore, a photographic workshop tour company based in Tokyo, with offshoots in Kansai.

As a man who spends most of his waking hours on the city’s streets, always on the lookout for the perfect shot, Palka knows the city better than most making him the ideal guide on where to shoot, explore, eat, and drink in Tokyo.

Reflections off the glass from the buildings in Ginza, Tokyo. Photo: Lukasz Palka

Street photography and a bird’s-eye view