PROJECT / LIVING TRADITIONS

LIVING TRADITIONS is an ongoing personal project born from a fascination with Japanese history and the enduring presence of the past within the modern era. The project seeks out and photographs the artisans, practitioners, and keepers of Japan’s long-held customs and crafts. Through these images, the intent is to offer viewers a clear window into another time—capturing traditions that remain remarkably unchanged.

A Japanese man dressed in a dark blue hakama, kneeling on a wooden temple floor, drawing a sword from its sheath.
A person dressed in traditional kendo armor, kneeling on the wooden floor, holding a bamboo sword in an indoor dojo with a wooden door in the background.
A woman dressed in a traditional Japanese kimono standing in a wooden room with ornate wooden doors, holding a red fabric over her head.
A martial artist practicing a kata or move in a forest during sunset, dressed in a white gi with a black belt.
A man dressed in traditional Japanese martial arts attire sitting on his knees with a katana sword, inside a dojo with wooden floors and fencing.
An elderly man in a white karate gi sitting in seiza pose on a tatami mat in a traditional dojo with Japanese calligraphy on the wall behind him.
A man in traditional Japanese clothing standing in front of a wall stacked with rolled mats and textiles.
An elderly Japanese woman in a green kimono sitting in a room with a wooden table and a tall plant with red berries.
A person dressed in traditional Japanese attire standing amidst a forest, wearing a large conical straw hat obscuring part of their face, with hands clasped in front.
A blacksmith in a white shirt forging metal with sparks flying in a dark workshop.
Man dressed in traditional Japanese kendo uniform holding a sheathed sword in a wooden dojo.
An older man practicing martial arts kneeling on a mat in a dojo, wearing a white gi and black belt, backlit with natural light coming through windows.
A Buddhist monk in black robes and ornate gold apron sitting in a traditional Japanese room with tatami mats, shoji screens, and calligraphy hanging on the wall.
A woman dressed in traditional white robes standing on wooden steps inside a historic Asian temple or shrine with dark wood architecture. A red and white fabric curtain hangs in the background.
A woman in traditional Japanese kimono sitting on the floor holding a tea cup.
A woman in a traditional kimono practicing calligraphy on a blue mat in a Japanese-style room with shoji sliding doors and a view of a garden outside.
A man in traditional Japanese attire, including a tall black hat and patterned kimono, sitting on the floor holding a small instrument; a softly lit room with wooden floors, walls, and a ceiling, and a window with bamboo blinds behind him.
A woman dressed in traditional Japanese attire performing a ceremonial gesture on a wooden stage in a dimly lit, rustic setting.
A man dressed in traditional Japanese attire standing with arms crossed inside a storage room with wooden shelves and ladders.
An older woman dressed in traditional Japanese kimono sitting on tatami mat floor in a room with shoji screens, surrounded by tea ceremony utensils and a small charcoal fire.