Mapping Tokyo’s analog coronary heart: An American photographer’s ode to movie

Photographer John Sypal poses throughout his exhibition, Other People’s Pictures 2, at Totem Pole Photo Gallery in Tokyo, July 8, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

On any given day, amid the neon glow and ceaseless rhythm of Japan’s capital metropolis, John Sypal may be discovered strolling its streets, a digital camera slung round his neck, in search of a second that feels timeless.

For the Nebraska-born photographer, Tokyo has lengthy been greater than a house — it’s a dwelling gallery, the place historic shrines stand steps away from avant-garde structure, and the place the world of analog images has not solely endured however thrived.

Tokyo can also be a metropolis of daunting abundance. Camera retailers line the streets from Shinjuku to Ginza, from gleaming showrooms to small storefronts filled with classic Leicas and medium-format treasures. For newcomers, the alternatives may be dizzying.

Which is why Sypal created the net Tokyo Photo Culture Map, a meticulously curated information to a plethora of digital camera shops, movie labs, galleries and photobook retailers.

Used movie digital camera gear fills the cabinets at Lucky Camera Shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo, July 26, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

A Leica DIII, manufactured within the Thirties, is displayed at Shinjuku Kitamura Camera, a seven-story, museum-like retailer within the coronary heart of Tokyo, July 10, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Linked within the bio of his Instagram account, Tokyo Camera Style — the place he typically shares portraits of photographers and their gear — the map has turn out to be a lifeline for vacationers hoping to navigate the town’s analog panorama.

“I was receiving many, many messages from people telling me that they were visiting Japan and asking where to go for photo equipment,” Sypal informed Stars and Stripes throughout his current exhibition on the Totem Pole Photo Gallery in Shinjuku.

“The initial impetus for making it was to save time with replies. But as I compiled the list, drawing on 20 years of experiences and memories, it became a reflection and thanks toward the city and its sprawling, photogenic community.”

Photographer John Sypal, heart proper, of Tokyo Camera Style, chats with a patron at Totem Pole Photo Gallery in Tokyo, July 8, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Sypal started Tokyo Camera Style in 2008, at a time when many declared movie images out of date. His early posts — avenue portraits of photographers cradling their well-loved movie cameras — challenged that notion. Over the years, he has watched a revival take root, pushed by a youthful era captivated by the imperfect fantastic thing about analog photographs.

Tokyo’s persevering with devotion to movie is obvious in its brick-and-mortar shops and processing labs.

“I haven’t been to a lot of other cities, but I think that the proximity of the shops and their inventory are probably unmatched,” Sypal stated. “The condition of the items and the helpfulness of the staff are also noteworthy.”

Lucky Camera Shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo, focuses on analog gear. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Used Camera Box in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is a digital camera collector’s paradise. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Despite its rising following — practically 200,000 on Instagram — Sypal maintains the quiet, approachable method of somebody who has spent a long time observing moderately than performing.

He has turn out to be a fixture of Tokyo avenue life, hardly ever seen with out certainly one of his Leicas in hand. Over 21 years, he has constructed an intensive black-and-white portfolio of the town.

“My main advice is to enjoy photographing Japan as you like, through your own eyes — that is, don’t worry about taking some National Geographic shot or trying to match the style and exact locations seen on social media,” he stated. “There is a lot to see. Finding your own vision of the country is the path your camera can help you discover.”