Minato Mirai shows Yokohama in that brief transition between day and night. Rising above the water is the 296-meter-high Landmark Tower, accompanied by the famous Ferris wheel and the almost cathedral-like Anniversaire Minato Mirai Yokohama.

For this shot, I consciously wanted to capture the blue hour: still some detail in the sky, facades already glowing, and warm golden reflections in the water.

Time and again, my travels to Yokohama have brought me back to this place – to this view over Minato Mirai, which for me still possesses something magical to this day.

In the past, the Bankoku Bridge offered a fascinating view across the water toward the Landmark Tower, the Ferris wheel, and the bright Anniversaire building. Many of my shots from back then were taken here late at night, some in black and white. 

This time, I wanted color – precisely in that transition where the sky still wears blue and the harbor lights are already unfolding their full effect.


The familiar position on the Bankoku Bridge was no longer possible this time. A cable car now crosses that line of sight. Instead of on the swaying bridge, however, I was able to work directly at the quay wall – calm, stable, and right by the water.

And then everything came together: a clear November sky, few clouds, deep blue, and the brilliantly illuminated backdrop of Minato Mirai. The warm, golden tones of the Anniversaire building and their reflections in the water, in particular, created a fascinating contrast to the cool sky.

Out of many shots, I chose this specific image because the balance is just right: there is still life around the harbor, still light in the sky, and already that magic that emerges with the onset of darkness.

For me, the Landmark Tower is inextricably linked to this place. Over the years, further shots of the harbor and city have been taken from its observation deck—even during the day. 

On exceptionally clear days, the view extends far towards Tokyo; these images serve as accompanying photos to the story of the site. A picture of the brief moment when architecture, water, and light merge into a single luminous composition.

And perhaps that is exactly why this place touches me so deeply every time: because in this one moment, a modern port city becomes something almost timeless – still, luminous, and full of memory.

It is for these very moments that I set out – in search of the instant when light turns a place into a memory.


Expedition in Light.