Things come and go, but experiences stay with you, and nobody can take them away from you. That’s why I decided to embark on an unforgettable trip to Japan this past fall with my three boys. I made sure to bring my Canon EOS 3 and a bunch of 35 mm Portra 400 rolls with me to capture our journey of Japan Tavel Photography on Film.

The reason I choose to photograph my personal work on film is because it makes me a better digital photographer. It forces me to slow down and be more mindful every time I press the shutter, helping me take my time with composition. This creative process doesn’t end at just how I capture the images; it extends to the fact that I send these pictures to be developed at my favorite lab, Richard Photo Lab. This allows me to detach from my images for a while, giving me the opportunity to go back to them with fresh eyes once I receive them. In a world that constantly seeks instant gratification, fast results, and “fast turn around times,” it’s calming to slow down.

During our trip to Japan, we visited Tokyo, which I call New York City on steroids, the small town of Kamakura, and my favorite, Kyoto. Tokyo is grand, clean, and ahead of the rest of the world’s time—with its vending machines, fashion-forward young crowd, yet still rooted in tradition. Kyoto is ZEN, with a rich medieval history of samurais and ninjas, a city I would love to return to for more.

Tokyo, Kamakura & Kyoto on Film

Things to do in Japan with Kids

Here are some of my favorite things to do as family in Japan, thanks to the advise from Vince, a 12-year family photography client & Tiktok!