Yusuke Nagata is a Tokyo-based photographer who focuses his lens on the lesser-known scenes of the city, primarily shooting Tokyo's night streets.

In 2018, he established the Tokyo street photography community, Tokyo-SPC, collaborating with members on joint exhibitions and zine production. In 2023, he founded FAR EAST DARKROOM as a darkroom community, working to expand the distribution of prints rather than images, and rekindling the joy of photography.

His photos of runaway kids in Shinjuku have been featured on the front page of The Japan Times.

Yokogao had a chat with Yusuke, diving into his work that covers the vivid nights of Tokyo.

night photography tokyo — by Yusuke Nagata

What are you looking for when wandering the streets of Tokyo with your camera at the ready?

What I'm looking for is the irrational behavior of people. I believe that irrationality is the essence of being human. If humans were to make only rational choices, wouldn't that make them no different from programmed robots?

However, modern society demands rationality, and people, whether consciously or unconsciously, eliminate irrationality and choose rational actions. I am concerned about where such a society is heading, and capturing the essence of what it means to be human through photography is my mission.

Your work features close-ups of individuals, often with flash. How do you approach capturing such intimate shots, especially with strangers?

There are times when I photograph strangers on the street using a flash without speaking to them. However, more often I talk to my subjects and we drink together on the street, to show that we are on the "same side". Then, I take candid photos of them.

This is important because the meaning of the photograph changes depending on whether there is a connection with the subject when looking back at them.

I am not just interested in creating beautiful images; I want to create photographs. This means focusing not just on making visually appealing images, but on how much meaning can be added to these images as photographs. While anyone can create a beautiful image using tools like Midjourney, as a photographer, I strive to imbue my images with meaning by valuing the connections with my subjects, even if those connections are just momentary.

Do you have a favorite location in Tokyo to wander & shoot?

While I do like urban areas such as Shinjuku and Shibuya, my favorite spots are in the eastern part of Tokyo, like Edogawa and Katsushika areas. These areas have fewer foreign tourists and offer a glimpse into people's lives as if you've traveled back in time by 20 years.

Want to tell us something about your gear, and how you prepare them for night photography?

I primarily shoot with film cameras. While I use different cameras and lenses for special environments like capturing starry skies, for street photography in both day and night, I mostly use a Minolta CL with a Voigtlander 21mm lens.

Previously, I used a Leica M6, but I prefer something that can fit in my pocket, and the M6 was a bit too large for me. However, the Minolta CL fits easily into my pocket, making it convenient to bring into clubs and bars without disturbing the scene or disrupting the atmosphere, which is why I love using it.

Check out more of Yusuke’s work on Instagram.