The Day After the Storm: Photographing Tokyo in Snow
Tokyo hadn’t seen snow like this since 2018. More than 10 centimeters fell on 7 January 2022, causing havoc. Luckily, I had a day off. For me, snow and ice are to be feared. Though I have to admit that the winter wonderland looks beautiful. It certainly looks great for photos.
A fear born from a fall
I probably should have gone outside and taken photos or videos. But, many years ago, I slipped on ice in Tokyo and injured myself. Well, I doubt a bruised tailbone counts as a genuine injury. It was hard walking for a couple of weeks, though. Still, it put a fear into me that I still carry even today.
Yesterday more than fifty people fell on the ice and ended up in the hospital. I didn’t want to join them. My kotatsu seemed the better option.
The dawn mission to the rooftop
Not taking photos in the snow played on my mind. I knew I missed a perfect opportunity to have gotten something special. So I resolved to get up at dawn and at least go to my roof. The day after a snowfall is usually good.
Well, my rooftop was scary. Of course, it is open to the sky. Snow and ice were everywhere. My worst nightmare! But it wasn’t going to stop me from getting pictures. I really wanted them. It was golden hour, that time when the sun was still low to the horizon and cast a warm, soft light!
Slowly, slowly, I inched my way over the ice to the fence. My shoes slipped a little, but I didn’t fall. I’m glad no one saw me. My slowness must have looked ridiculous.
A storybook view of a snowy city
It was worth it because Tokyo looked like the proverbial winter wonderland. Every house in sight had a fresh, white roof. With the perfect dawn casting its light over the city, the scene looked right out of a storybook.
There had been enough traffic on Inokashira-Dori (Inokashira Road) to clear the snow. Everything else, though, was white. Still, there was no way I would go out into that icy hell! With another day off, I returned to the safety of my apartment.
So I made my way back to the door and the elevator beyond. My apartment was relatively warm. I stayed there another day. The snow might have turned Tokyo into a winter wonderland, but I preferred my kotatsu.
My photography gear for the snow
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lens: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5 these days. The project will take more than one lifetime to complete.
