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Bylines and portraits
One thing we are explicit about. The three writers are editorial personas rather than photographed people, and the portraits on this site were generated; the credits below say which pictures those are. The research, the sourcing and the arithmetic are real, and every figure links to where it came from. The editorial standards page has the rest.
Photo credits
Every photograph on this site comes from Wikimedia Commons under a licence that permits commercial use and adaptation – public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA. Each row gives the image key the page uses, the Commons file, the author exactly as Commons states it, the licence, and a note wherever the picture is not of the exact thing the page is about.
9 pictures are not photographs
Three are the byline portraits of our writers, who are editorial personas rather than photographed people. Six are studio illustrations of dishes, made because the freely licensed photographs available for them were poor enough to misrepresent the food. No generated image on this site depicts a real place, building, street or business – every photograph of somewhere in Japan below is a real photograph taken by the person credited.
| Key | Used for |
|---|---|
author-kenji-morita | Byline portrait, Kenji Morita |
author-aya-nakamura | Byline portrait, Aya Nakamura |
author-marcus-webb | Byline portrait, Marcus Webb |
dish-yudofu | Dish illustration, yudofu (Kyoto) |
dish-kaiseki | Dish illustration, kaiseki (Kyoto) |
dish-monjayaki | Dish illustration, monjayaki (Tokyo) |
dish-edomae-sushi | Dish illustration, edomae sushi (Tokyo) |
dish-takoyaki | Dish illustration, takoyaki (Osaka) |
dish-okonomiyaki | Dish illustration, okonomiyaki (Osaka) |
The photographs, in full
| Key | Commons file | Author | Licence | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
hero | Chureito Pagoda and Mount Fuji 20241022.jpg | Supanut Arunoprayote | CC BY 4.0 | – |
japan-10-day-itinerary | Mount Fuji and Shinkansen N700.jpg | Alpsdake | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
japan-2-week-itinerary | Shinkansen N700 at Kyoto Station (30332228108).jpg | Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy | CC BY 2.0 | – |
koyo-kyoto | Eikando, Kyoto - Eikando7376.jpg | lumoplank | CC0 | – |
koyo-tokyo | Red autumn leaves @ Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens (11168255075).jpg | Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France | CC BY 2.0 | – |
koyo-timing-explained | Irohazaka (52506196693).jpg | Raita Futo from Tokyo, Japan | CC BY 2.0 | A mountain road climbing through colour, standing for elevation banding generally; no free photo documents the banding itself |
eikando | Eikan-do Zenrin-ji, November 2016 -03.jpg | Martin Falbisoner | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
esim | Commute (14576686497).jpg | Romain Guy from San Francisco, USA | CC0 | A Shinagawa Station platform, standing for the setting; no freely licensed photo of an eSIM in use exists |
luggage-forwarding | Yamato Transport E7289 Streetscooter Work.jpg | Comyu | CC BY-SA 4.0 | A Yamato takkyubin delivery van, the service itself; no suitcases in frame |
jr-pass-worth-it | JRC Shinagawa-STA Shinkansen-Concourse.jpg | MaedaAkihiko | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tofukuji | Tofukuji-bridge-autumn-2017-Luka-Peternel.jpg | Luka Peternel | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
arashiyama | Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.jpg | Basile Morin | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
rikugien | Bunkyo Rikugien Panoramic View In Late Autumn 1.JPG | Keihin Nike | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
meiji-gaien | Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Festival (53442015559).jpg | Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan | CC BY 2.0 | – |
hakone | Lake Ashi & Mt Fuji & Hakone Shrine.jpg | Charlie fong | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
nara | Nara deer lounging at Todaiji.jpg | Photos of Japan | CC0 | – |
osaka | Osaka Dotonbori yoru.jpg | Sakai Yayoi | CC0 | – |
takayama | Takayama Old Town (Sanmachi Suji) (35819349621).jpg | Ankur P from Pune, India | CC BY 2.0 | – |
nikko | Kegon Falls in autumn.jpg | Kurofune | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Kegon Falls with Lake Chuzenji and autumn colour |
kyoto-hero | Kyoto Skyline - Pentinlo.jpg | Reginald Pentinlo | CC BY 2.0 | – |
kyoto-kinkaku-ji | Water reflection of Kinkaku-ji Temple with blue sky and white clouds, Kyoto, Japan.jpg | Basile Morin | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
kyoto-fushimi-inari | Fushimi-Inari-Shrine-Senbon-Torii-2016-Luka-Peternel.jpg | Luka Peternel | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
kyoto-kiyomizu-dera | Main Hall, Kiyomizu-dera 20211123-1.jpg | Suicasmo | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
kyoto-nijo-castle | Southeast Watchtower of the Nijō Castle in Kyoto, 20240820 1617 5145.jpg | Jakub Hałun | CC BY 4.0 | – |
kyoto-sanjusangendo | Sanjusangendo-building-dec2013.jpg | Nesnad | CC BY 3.0 | – |
kyoto-ginkaku-ji | Silver pavilion @ Ginkaku-ji @ Kyoto (13310753054).jpg | Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France | CC BY 2.0 | – |
kyoto-kyoto-national-museum | Kyoto National Museum 2009.jpg | Wiiii | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
kyoto-manga-museum | Kyoto International Manga Museum exterior.jpg | Kento Ikeda | CC BY 2.0 | – |
kyoto-kyocera-museum | Kyoto-City-KYOCERA-Museum-of-Art.jpg | Tokyo-Good | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
kyoto-gion | Shirakara Canal, Gion, Kyoto.jpg | MichaelMaggs | CC BY-SA 2.5 | – |
kyoto-arashiyama | Arashiyama Togetsukyo-bridge.jpg | Tomomarusan | CC BY 2.5 | – |
kyoto-higashiyama | Yasaka-dori early morning with street lanterns and the Tower of Yasaka (Hokan-ji Temple), Kyoto, Japan.jpg | Basile Morin | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
kyoto-downtown-nishiki | Nishiki Market, Kyoto (53970899359).jpg | Sergiy Galyonkin from Raleigh, USA | CC BY-SA 2.0 | – |
kyoto-kikunoi | Kaiseki - Kyoto.jpg | Donatingpictures | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC kaiseki in Kyoto, not Kikunoi |
kyoto-izuu | Sabazushi.jpg | 7'o'7 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | GENERIC saba-zushi, not Izuu's |
kyoto-kikkoya | Obanzai yasai.JPG | Takoradee | CC BY-SA 3.0 | GENERIC obanzai, not Kikkoya |
kyoto-izusen | Shojin ryori ryuanji.jpg | Ph0kin | Public domain | GENERIC shojin ryori at Ryoan-ji, not Izusen |
kyoto-matsuba | Nishin soba (7757143310).jpg | Emran Kassim from Jhb, my, Japan | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC nishin soba, not Matsuba's |
kyoto-okutan-kiyomizu | Photo-with-Xiaomi17Ultra 0138.jpg | RuinDig/Yuki Uchida | CC BY 4.0 | GENERIC yudofu, not Okutan |
kyoto-bees-knees | Velvet Bar, Berlin.jpg | Wiki Loves Cocktails | CC BY-SA 3.0 | GENERIC cocktail bar in Berlin |
kyoto-lescamoteur | Wiki Loves Cocktails 2017, Berlin, 20170716 (DSC06538).jpg | Matti Blume | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC bar counter in Berlin |
kyoto-sake-bar-yoramu | Japanese sake bottles and glasses.jpg | Culture Japon | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC sake bottles, not Yoramu |
kyoto-hoshinoya-kyoto | Arashiyama hills and Hozu river from Togetsu bridge (3261758437).jpg | KimonBerlin | CC BY-SA 2.0 | The river setting, not the ryokan |
kyoto-hiiragiya | Futons in a Ryokan - 2.jpg | Christian Kadluba from Vienna, Austria | CC BY-SA 2.0 | GENERIC ryokan room in Nara, not Hiiragiya |
kyoto-ace-hotel-kyoto | ShinPuhKan Main Entrance 2025.jpg | Fotoinjp | CC BY 4.0 | The Shinpuhkan building that houses the hotel |
kyoto-piece-hostel | Hostel 6-bed dorm room, Kuching, Malaysia.jpg | Sgroey | CC BY 4.0 | GENERIC hostel dorm in Malaysia |
kyoto-obanzai | Obanzai-kyotofood-2018-12-30.jpg | Nesnad | CC BY 4.0 | – |
kyoto-nishin-soba | New year's herring soba (25852099038).jpg | Raita Futo from Tokyo, Japan | CC BY 2.0 | – |
kyoto-hozugawa-boat-ride | Hozugawa-Kudari 201126a.jpg | 江戸村のとくぞう | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
kyoto-imperial-palace | Kyoto-gosho Shishinden zenkei-4.jpg | Saigen Jiro | CC0 | – |
kyoto-fushimi-sake-district | Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum02s4592.jpg | 663highland | CC BY 2.5 | – |
kyoto-philosophers-path | The Philosophers Walk is about 2km long and runs along a canal.jpg | shankar s. | CC BY 2.0 | – |
kyoto-kiyomizu-to-gion | Gion - Nineizaka (Ninenzaka), Kyoto, Japan (48923269328).jpg | Domenico Convertini from Zurich, Schweiz | CC BY-SA 2.0 | – |
kyoto-gion-matsuri | Kyoto Gion Matsuri J09 075.jpg | Corpse Reviver | CC BY 3.0 | – |
kyoto-jidai-matsuri | Jidai Matsuri 2009 419.jpg | Corpse Reviver | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
tokyo-hero | Skyscrapers of Shinjuku 2009 January (revised).jpg | Morio | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
tokyo-senso-ji | Senso-ji Kaminarimon 6.jpg | Zairon | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tokyo-meiji-jingu | Meiji-jingu Torii 1.jpg | Zairon | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tokyo-tokyo-skytree | Tokyo Skytree tower from i-link town (27713082902).jpg | fumihirokato | CC BY-SA 2.0 | – |
tokyo-teamlab-borderless | FAÇADE 2015 on September 7th, 2015 (Projection Mapping) (21228972142).jpg | GoToVan from Vancouver, Canada | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC projection art in Vancouver; Commons has no free teamLab imagery |
tokyo-imperial-palace-east-gardens | Edo Castle East Garden pond 2 by Don Ramey Logan.jpg | Don Ramey Logan | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tokyo-shibuya-sky | JP-The-Roof-Shibuya-Sky-Observatory-Deck.jpg | Kanchi1979 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tokyo-edo-tokyo-museum | Edo-Tokyo Museum.jpg | Wiiii | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
tokyo-tokyo-national-museum | Tokyo National Museum - Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan - DSC08641.jpg | Daderot | CC0 | – |
tokyo-nezu-museum | Nezu museum entrance tokyo 2014.jpg | Kentin | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
tokyo-asakusa | Nakamise-Dōri, Asakusa on a rainy evening (9409049063).jpg | Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands | CC BY 2.0 | – |
tokyo-shibuya | Tokyo Shibuya Scramble Crossing 2018-10-09.jpg | Benh LIEU SONG ( Flickr ) | CC BY-SA 2.0 | – |
tokyo-shinjuku | Night Shift at the Restaurant (Unsplash).jpg | Lan Pham lanipham | CC0 | Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku |
tokyo-yanaka | Yanaka Ginza (52492088947).jpg | Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan | CC BY 2.0 | – |
tokyo-nakiryu | Ramen 2.jpg | Luis Carlos Diaz | CC BY 4.0 | GENERIC ramen, not Nakiryu |
tokyo-tamawarai | Soba Noodles at Tamawarai, Shibuya, Tokyo.jpg | Zheng Zhou | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tokyo-tonkatsu-hinata | Tonkatsu at Miyoshiya.jpg | Fred Cherrygarden | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC tonkatsu at a different restaurant |
tokyo-den | Kaiseki 001.jpg | Yuya Tamai | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC plated course, not Den |
tokyo-monja-mugi | Monjayaki on the teppan.jpg | Douglas P Perkins | CC BY 3.0 | GENERIC monjayaki, not Monja Mugi |
tokyo-rokurinsha | Tsukemen at a Tokyo restaurant.jpg | City Foodsters | CC BY 2.0 | – |
tokyo-bar-benfiddich | Wiki Loves Cocktails 2017, Berlin, 20170716 (DSC06538).jpg | Matti Blume | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC bar in Berlin |
tokyo-virtu | Bartenders serving cocktail (Unsplash).jpg | Crew crew | CC0 | GENERIC bartenders in Montreal |
tokyo-golden-gai | Shinjuku Golden Gai (53147651689).jpg | Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan | CC BY 2.0 | – |
tokyo-hoshinoya-tokyo | Interior of a ryokan room (2999708441).jpg | ㇹヮィㇳ | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC ryokan room, not Hoshinoya |
tokyo-the-okura-tokyo | Hotel Okura Tokyo lobby at 4 a.m.jpg | Calton | CC BY-SA 4.0 | The original lobby, demolished 2015 and later recreated |
tokyo-hotel-ryumeikan | Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building P5228787.jpg | Kestrel | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Tokyo Station, not the hotel |
tokyo-the-millennials-shibuya | Capsule hotel.jpg | Trueshow111 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC capsule hotel, not The Millennials |
tokyo-tsukemen | Tsukemen bowls.jpg | Douglas Perkins | CC0 | – |
tokyo-unagi-kabayaki | Eel kabayaki,Una-don,Katori-city,Japan.JPG | katorisi | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
tokyo-toyosu-tuna-auction | Toshimashijyo maguroseri01.jpg | 武藏 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tokyo-grand-sumo | Makushita bout 09 Sep.JPG | FourTildes | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
tokyo-teamlab-planets | FAÇADE 2015 on September 6th, 2015 (Projection Mapping) (21023893739).jpg | GoToVan from Vancouver, Canada | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC projection art in Vancouver; no free teamLab imagery exists |
tokyo-yanaka-old-town | Yanaka 20130326 155721.jpg | Ka23 13 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
tokyo-imperial-palace-to-asakusa | Nihonbashi 12.jpg | Aimaimyi | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
tokyo-sanja-matsuri | Asakusa Sanja Matsuri May06.jpg | Eckhard Pecher | CC BY 2.5 | – |
tokyo-sumida-fireworks | Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival 2010 (4846192171).jpg | Fabian Reus from Tokyo, Japan | CC BY-SA 2.0 | – |
osaka-hero | Ufoto-wiki-01 Osaka-Skyline May2014.jpg | Ug | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-osaka-castle | Osaka Castle 01bs3200.jpg | 663highland | CC BY 2.5 | – |
osaka-umeda-sky-building | Umeda Sky Building, Osaka, November 2016 -01.jpg | Martin Falbisoner | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-shitenno-ji | Shitennoji Osaka Tennoji-ku) hdsr S5 06.jpg | Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert | CC BY 4.0 | – |
osaka-tsutenkaku | View of Tsutenkaku Tower at night.jpg | そらみみ | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-kaiyukan | The spectacular Whale shark (6453177275).jpg | Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands | CC BY 2.0 | – |
osaka-dotonbori | Dōtonbori at night, Osaka (19551420339).jpg | Kristoffer Trolle from Copenhagen, Denmark | CC BY 2.0 | – |
osaka-osaka-museum-of-history | Osaka Museum of History and NHK Osaka Broadcasting hall 20250901.jpg | 掬茶 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-national-museum-of-art | NMAO 2026.jpg | Sakai Yayoi | CC0 | – |
osaka-cupnoodles-museum | CUPNOODLES MUSEUM Osaka Ikeda.jpg | Tokumeigakarinoaoshima | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-namba-dotonbori | Namba Ebisubashi Suji at night 20150920.JPG | そらみみ (Soramimi) | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-umeda-kita | Osaka Umeda station 2024 2.jpg | Smiley.toerist | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-shinsekai | Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku Tower.jpg | Sakai Yayoi | CC0 | – |
osaka-nakazakicho | Tsumago-juku - Tsumago687.jpg | lumoplank | CC0 | GENERIC preserved machiya street at Tsumago-juku, Nagano |
osaka-mizuno | Okonomiyaki 001.jpg | ume-y | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC okonomiyaki, not Mizuno |
osaka-kushikatsu-daruma | Kushikatsu - Shinsekai (28289215848).jpg | Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC kushikatsu in Shinsekai, not confirmed as Daruma |
osaka-tonkatsu-minato | Pork-cutlet.jpg | 些細な日常 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC tonkatsu, not Minato |
osaka-gojoya | 神鷹(Kamitaka) (9158940000).jpg | halfrain | CC BY-SA 2.0 | GENERIC kushikatsu counter, unrelated bar |
osaka-harukoma | Nigiri Sushi (26505096851).jpg | Tim Reckmann from Hamm, Deutschland | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC nigiri, not Harukoma |
osaka-wanaka | Takoyaki Wanaka at LaLaport Kadoma Kuromon Ichiba Market.jpg | Mr.ちゅらさん | CC BY-SA 4.0 | A Wanaka branch, not the Namba shop |
osaka-bar-nayuta | Wiki Loves Cocktails 2017, Berlin, 20170716 (DSC06558).jpg | Matti Blume | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC bar in Berlin |
osaka-craftroom | Bartender at Sylvarum cocktail bar, Alicante.jpg | Kartoman | CC0 | GENERIC cocktail bar in Alicante |
osaka-augusta-tarlogie | Barbestand.JPG | 4028mdk09 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | GENERIC spirits shelf |
osaka-ritz-carlton-osaka | Entrance lobby of Amantaka luxury Resort & Hotel in Luang Prabang Laos.jpg | Basile Morin | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC luxury lobby in Laos |
osaka-four-seasons-osaka | Bed at Hotel Esplanade in Stockholm in the evening.jpg | JIP | CC BY-SA 4.0 | GENERIC hotel room in Stockholm |
osaka-patina-osaka | Osaka Castle Outer Moat and Osaka Business Park, November 2016.jpg | Martin Falbisoner | CC BY-SA 4.0 | The castle and moat, not the hotel |
osaka-w-osaka | Nippon Life Insurance Company Head Office Main Building and East Building 20220429 070204407.jpg | Nisiguti | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Midosuji architecture, not the hotel |
osaka-kushikatsu | Kushikatsu (3603151166).jpg | chrisada | CC BY 2.0 | – |
osaka-kitsune-udon | Udon (Kitsune udon) 2.jpg | MemColorLab | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-tombori-river-cruise | Dotonbori river cruise.JPG | Tokumeigakarinoaoshima | CC0 | – |
osaka-universal-studios-japan | View of Universal Studios Japan from west side.jpg | そらみみ | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-shitennoji-flea-market | Flea market at Tō-ji temple grounds, Kyoto (6155553021).jpg | Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands | CC BY 2.0 | GENERIC temple flea market at To-ji in Kyoto, not Shitenno-ji |
osaka-namba-to-shinsekai | Janjan-Yokocho Shopping Street 20190203.jpg | そらみみ | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-umeda-to-osaka-castle | Nakanoshima Skyscrapers in 201504 001.jpg | Mc681 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | – |
osaka-tenjin-matsuri | 2024 Tenjin Matsuri Festival Funatogyo 1.jpg | Mr.ちゅらさん | CC0 | – |
osaka-kishiwada-danjiri | Kishiwada-Danjiri-Matsuri Osaka Japan.jpg | Kounosu | CC BY-SA 3.0 | – |
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If you are the author of one of these photographs and the credit is wrong, tell us and we will correct it the same day.