Voices

Signing up for the photo session was when I was most nervous. “Is someone like me, who is nobody special, really okay here?” In the end, I'm truly glad I joined.

From our Zoom meeting onward he was so natural, gentle and genuine — easy to talk to — and today I found myself being natural too. The photo session moved me deeply.

It was my first photo session ever, and I quietly praised myself just for making it to the studio. But I'm truly glad I pushed myself to come all the way from Tokyo — I'm applauding myself. At first I could feel my own awkwardness, but as everyone spoke to me, by the end I felt like I had returned to who I was in my twenties — “Oh, there's that me” — before I was a mother or a wife. I remembered a fresh feeling: I used to love this kind of thing. While doing my makeup, they told me that if I look at myself and think “I'm beautiful,” my eyes shine differently — whoever believes it wins. That gave me a push too. I'm so glad Jo photographed me. I can't wait to see the photos.

It was my first shoot, so at first I felt nervous and some kind of embarrassment I couldn't name. But every word Jo said was full of love, so once I trusted him and let go, I stopped caring about whatever was on the outside, and it was simply fun! Thank you so much.

It was so much fun. A friend had told me the photo sessions were wonderful, but it went far beyond what I imagined. I never photograph well, my face always goes stiff, and I've always had a complex about how I look — but thanks to the “Jo magic,” I was photographed naturally and joyfully. There was a beautiful me I had never seen, and I was amazed. So many of his words moved my heart. I received great power to live as myself — it's more than a photo session; it's time that changes a person in one stroke. Sakura's makeup sense was genius too! Thank you so much!

I was nervous, but they tried to ease it and kept talking to me, so I could face the shoot.
Thank you so much.
I'm looking forward to the finished photos.
It became a wonderful keepsake.

Because I had an online counseling session beforehand, I could talk with Jo about why I signed up and just chat. I got to know him as a person before the photo session, and that gave me a sense of security. Looking back, I think the session had already begun at the counseling stage.
On the day I was completely relaxed. Excited 💓 about makeup for the first time in ages, excited 💓 about an unexpected two-shot with my son, excited 💓 about Jo's camera.

Being there with my daughter made it a happy time. Getting beautifully made up and photographed let me express who I am now — it was fun.

Usually when a camera is pointed at me my smile goes stiff and unnatural, but Jo skillfully lifted my mood until I got into it — I even started to look dignified (lol). I'm grateful he kindly accepted me after the deadline because I really wanted to be photographed at the milestone of turning 50. He also photographed me with my child and said such kind words — I received words and time I want to treasure all my life. I'm really looking forward to the results. Thank you!

It was the best time.
It was the first time I've been photographed without getting nervous. They listened to all my requests, which made me so happy.
Even remembering it now makes me feel happy.
The photos will become our family's treasure.

Jo's natural, gentle manner came through, so I could approach the shoot calmly.

At first my shoulders tensed up without my realizing it, but with careful explanations at every step and a fun atmosphere, I gradually
became natural.
The makeup wasn't heavily layered with eyeshadow,
yet the subtle shading gave such a soft finish — it was like magic.
They made me look just like the photos I've always wished for in women's magazines; I'm thrilled and moved.
I think I'm getting hooked...
Thank you so much.

A shoot in the mountains that felt astonishingly natural. It was so much fun. Jo spoke to me in such a friendly way, the staff were so kind, and they helped me relax in all sorts of ways when I was nervous.
I'm grateful from the bottom of my heart for such a beautiful once-in-a-lifetime photo. Thank you.

My daughter and I took part together and were so well looked after — thank you, thank you so much!!
The moment we arrived, I was moved by the comfortable atmosphere of the venue.
Jo, Hasshi, Mai, SAKURA and HIKARI.
It was striking how each of these professionals worked with joy, freedom and playfulness.
That warm atmosphere melted my nerves, and I could entrust myself to them :)
I've always loved the deep world in Jo's photos and the values and way of being that fill his blog, and had decided that when I had photos taken, I wanted Jo to do it. That this came true — and that my daughter could experience something so precious first-hand — makes me truly happy.
He took the world we'd planned in our pre-consultation even further and captured it vividly.
I'm really looking forward to the delivery.
And I want to ask him again!!
This time the theme was “stillness,” so next time maybe “motion” lol

This was my third time, and it always feels fresh — I meet a new me every time ♪ Today too, Jo added his own flavor so it turned out completely different from what I'd imagined, and it was so much fun. Looking forward to the finished photos ♪

Jo's encouragement lifted my motivation, and the shoot felt great.
The hair, makeup and support staff during the shoot (directing wind and light onto me) were natural and easygoing, so I could relax.
Being able to capture yourself as you are at that moment is truly a joy. It was so much fun!

Jo and the whole staff praised me so much that the shoot was nothing but fun! I could feel everyone trying to create something good together. Looking into Jo's clear, gentle eyes is especially healing. It was a shoot that raised my self-esteem 🫶 The studio was full of greenery and stylish 💚
If I get photographed again and have more photos,
I'm even thinking of making my own photo book (*^^*)

I get nervous very easily and tend to be self-conscious, so they taught me several ways to release tension, and I was photographed with a much calmer expression than usual. These are methods I can use not only there but in daily life, and I want to keep remembering this experience. The staff were kind and tried to ease my nerves too — I'm truly grateful. The makeup made me so beautiful I looked like someone else; my kids were amazed when I got home. Jo and everyone, thank you!

Thank you so much for such a precious opportunity.

I was very nervous at the photo session,
but thanks to Jo and the makeup artist, I could feel my nerves slowly melting away.

Even checking the photos on the iPad felt somehow embarrassing.
I didn't much like my own face, and thinking “so this is what I look like,”
my reaction was, if anything, negative.

Still, once it was over it had flown by, and I finished with a very happy feeling.

I think that's thanks to Jo and everyone who was there.

In our Zoom meeting beforehand, Jo said:
“In the days before the shoot, think about how to make them fun, and say it out loud too. How can you make each day more fun?” Those words really resonated.
Because that was something like my life's challenge.
I'd felt frustrated that I somehow couldn't do it.

I'm deeply grateful to have been given those words at such a perfect moment in my life.

When the photo files arrived, I looked at them practically every day, thinking about which to choose.
I looked at them again and again.
It's very strange, but
after I finished choosing,
I felt that I had accepted myself.
I hadn't liked my own face, but that feeling was gone —
I could simply accept it,
“so I make this kind of face,” and if anything I felt more confident.
I was amazed at how much I had changed,
and I was truly, truly happy.

For being blessed with this opportunity,
and for meeting Jo,
I am grateful from the bottom of my heart.

It was fun. He encouraged me with “Good!” and observed closely, saying things like “your breathing is getting shallow” — I was happy and comfortable. I also felt the professional, almost wordless teamwork between hair & makeup artist Sakura and the assistant. Thank you for everything. I'm completely satisfied.

He eased me right into the shoot and, rather than just cheering on my stiff self, he pointed out my good points — it softened my heart. Thank you.

I'm moved! Jo is wonderful.
He's truly an adorable person.
Don't hold your breath, don't tense around your brow.
He taught me things I hadn't noticed about myself. I learned so much.
I really felt his character is reflected in his photographs.
I'm so glad I met him and was photographed by him!
Makeup artist Sakura was friendly too, and the delicate makeup made me the most beautiful I've ever been.
Thank you.

Looking back, it was fun from start to finish —
I laughed so much I worried whether we'd actually done a shoot.
It was just so much fun.
With Jo and the three of them, it became a wonderful session made by a team that draws out the client's charm.

It was my first time and I was very nervous, but it was so fun I forgot all about it 😊

I was deeply moved not only by the skills of Jo, makeup artist Sakura and the other staff member,
but by their thoughtfulness, hospitality and care, which felt truly Japanese in spirit.

Jo and everyone involved in the shoot have a remarkable ability to draw out the charm of the person being photographed and support them in expressing it.

Jo has the power to take the lead himself in drawing out the bashful side of the person being photographed, and I feel that power is what carried me safely through the session.

The makeup artist was very skilled,
and I could feel how well Jo and the other staff got along, so the shoot was fun.

Thank you once again for this precious opportunity. Thanks to the loving, kind support of Jo and the whole staff, I could relax and was so happy. During the shoot I felt every hesitation (block) inside me disappear even more than last time. And in front of Jo, I slip out of the territory of “I can't” and “impossible” so easily — it's truly mysterious. I was moved throughout by Sakura's character and professional hair & makeup. Once again, they drew out a “new me,” and I can only thank this great team for their power.

I hesitated, thinking I'm not yet someone worthy of being photographed by Jo, but in the end I was glad I took the plunge and signed up.
Hair and makeup I never normally get, and the luxury of a shoot just for me — at first I felt shy and embarrassed, but Jo and the team created an atmosphere that let me be natural, so I gradually loosened up. By the end I felt that things I'd found hard to get past on my own might change in a snap — that this could be an amazing trigger.
The team's relaxed vibe, in the best sense, was so comfortable!

I was a little nervous before the session, but thanks to Jo and the staff I could enjoy it. When Jo said “We're going to make the best photo of your life!” I was deeply moved by his warmth and professionalism, and so happy that I cried. If I have the chance, I'd love to do it again!

I was able to relax and enjoy the shoot more than I imagined. I was moved by the professional skill and trust among the staff, and by their passion to create good work ✨

It was my first time having a portrait taken, and I was nervous, but partway through the shoot it became fun.
By the end I felt wonderful.
Watching others being photographed, I could see their presence getting better and better, and I felt how amazing portrait photography is.

It was so much fun!
The staff were so easy to talk to that I could relax even while nervous.
They showed me examples of all kinds of poses and explained things in a fun way, so the fun outweighed the nerves.
While being photographed I forgot my dislike of the camera and I think I laughed a lot!
It was a truly precious experience, and I'm so glad I found the courage to sign up.

After the Zoom pre-consultation, I couldn't wait. I was nervous on the day, but Jo and the staff were all so kind and so professional — it was a very happy time.
They made me beautiful and praised me so much; I was truly happy.
From now on I want to take better care of myself and become more beautiful.
I'd love to join next year, the year after, and every year from now on ✨
Thank you so much 💕

I'd had the chance to meet Jo and talk briefly before; his character was wonderful, and I'd been reading his Facebook posts, so beyond his work itself I strongly wanted Jo to photograph me.
“Wonderful” and “the best ❣️” are the only words I can think of. Thanks to his regular updates I could welcome the day with peace of mind; the individual consultation gave me such careful, heartwarming words that I felt reassured; and although I was nervous at first on the day, Jo drew me out and the shoot was super fun. Honestly, the night after the session I was too excited to sleep. It was that impressive and memorable.
Thank you so much for such an incredible experience.

It was so much fun!
To take the best photo, Jo cheerfully gave me all kinds of advice and pose suggestions, and the staff treated me so warmly that my joy in being photographed grew even more — it was an experience that became a wonderful treasure in my life.

I was so grateful and moved that he thought hard, with everything he had, about how to bring out the very best of an ordinary person like me.

In a video of him photographing someone,
I was drawn to Jo's presence and how he works, and I wanted him to photograph me too.

And then
his character
and his pure, honest eyes
that seem to see through everything.

I wanted to know
what would happen
if Jo photographed me
through the viewfinder
with those eyes!

It was sooo much fun! 🌸

I want him to photograph me again. I've been daydreaming about how I'd like to be shot next time lol 😀

It went by so fast that when it ended I thought, “Has this much time really passed?”
He gave me advice like “if this bothers you, try this,” taught me poses that suit me — “you're relaxed in this pose” — and he and SAKURA praised me a lot, which made me happy.
I'm not good at expressing my feelings, so being praised used to leave me not knowing what to do, but from now on I want to express feelings like happiness.
Thank you so much.

I'd already communicated with Jo in the individual consultation, so I could welcome the shoot day well prepared.

In the first half of the day my expression was tense, but Jo's calm presence and words let me take part with peace of mind.

The hair and makeup artist finished my look with great taste.

He said I could bring my daughters, and it was great that they helped out too.

At the end, when he showed me the photos of myself and with my daughters, I was surprised to find myself tearing up with joy.

I think it's because I could feel that Jo truly receives and expresses not just a person's appearance but their inner beauty.

Expressions and bodies reveal how a person has lived, so for me — now in my fifties after many experiences — meeting Jo and having that captured in a photograph was deeply worthwhile.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

During the shoot I couldn't hear my soul's voice and wondered how it went, but he captured my unguarded smile so beautifully — I was won over!

Jo's shoot was a session of sharing the same space in a sense of safety and attuning deeply to it.
Hair & makeup artist Yukiko said, “Jo's shoots are therapy.” That's exactly what it was.
Breathing deeply and simply being there in your natural form. I felt my own innate beauty and femininity drawn out from deep within. On the way home tears came, and I remembered something familiar — “ah, this feeling.” I feel it is a one-of-a-kind photo session.
The space Jo, his assistant and makeup artist Yukiko create is truly the best, and I'd love anyone who wants to remember a beautiful way of being to experience it.

From our first meeting he thought things through with real care and offered wonderful ideas.
On the actual shoot, Jo's gentle smile melted my nerves and it was so much fun.
I got to feel like a model, and it was as if he drew out a me I can't show in everyday life.
It was a dreamlike time that flew by.
The staff were kind too — it was truly wonderful.
I definitely want to sign up again!

Jo was so wonderful it felt like a dream.
The makeup artist was bright with a lovely smile, and when I asked about hair irons she shared her own experience, which was very helpful.
The assistant worked so hard too, which made me happy.
Thank you all so much.

After the Nagoya photo session ended
and my booking time drew near,
the day brought excitement and nerves together.

The joy of having my hair and makeup done,
the staff's gentle care —
and just as the shoot was about to begin,
the moment I looked in the mirror, tears came.
All my life
I've held back so many things.
But now I had to hold back the tears,
or the makeup would run after they'd made me so beautiful.
The makeup artists
soaked up my tears with cotton swabs,
and that moved me all over again.
That's how the shoot began.

Being photographed this seriously
was a first for me.

Here too,
it wasn't just taking photos —
a sense of unity
including the whole staff,
a sense of being cherished,
a sense of being accepted just as I am.
How wonderful it was.

On a personal note,
about three weeks before the session
my mother passed away — a big change —
and so many things were in motion.
Strangely, since her passing,
though I miss her,
I've come to feel her close to me.

Taking a photo together with my mother
is no longer possible,
but at the session
I was photographed wearing her clothes.

When I saw the finished photos,
I burst into tears.

Looking at the photos of myself,
I could tell myself from the heart,
“You've worked so hard all this time.”

This session, Jo, and my connection with everyone
feel like they have finally brought me
to the starting line of a big change in me.
Thank you so much.
I want to be photographed again.
When that time comes,
maybe I won't be afraid of the lens anymore.

With poses and words that eased my nerves, I could join in and enjoy it.

I arrived early while the previous person's shoot was underway, but they kindly let me sit in, and getting a feel for the atmosphere eased my nerves a little. Thanks also to the makeup artist, by the time my shoot began I was thinking only about enjoying it. Once it started, guided by Jo's words, I think I was able to set myself free.
Above all, I had a wonderful time.
Thank you so much.

It was a fun time 💖
Thank you so much 😊
I'm looking forward to the results,
but I think I'll struggle to choose from so many photos 😅

It was fun!
They praised me so much it felt like it was over in a flash!

Before the shoot, Jo and Sakura were so natural with me that my anxiety faded.
During the shoot I felt Jo's kindness, and my heart gradually opened up. Between shots, Sakura took care of every little detail — it was a great experience.

Without overdoing it, they made me beautiful — like magic.
From makeup through the shoot, they kept thinking about how to draw out a more me-like, freer me. It was a precious time ✨

Thanks to SAKURA's character, kindness and thoughtfulness, even I — fully convinced I'm bad at makeup — could relax through the makeup lesson and the photo session afterwards.

SAKURA also taught me that makeup doesn't have to be a struggle, and I came to feel that even someone like me can enjoy makeup and hairstyles for the rest of my life.

I felt Jo is someone gifted at drawing out the charm and talent that lie within a person.

All in all, it was a session full of thoughtfulness and care, fun and full of smiles from start to finish — an exceptional photo session.

It was Jo's gaze in a promotional video uploaded to YouTube.
Somehow nostalgic and warm — just watching it, I felt a sense of safety that loosened my heart and body.
Strangely and naturally, I felt, “I'll probably meet him before long.”

Later I read his book, and as I touched its beautiful, gentle air, tears flowed again and again.
I was moved by the philosophy behind words that heal as deeply as therapy, and by how he translates it into gentle words anyone can understand.

At first my body was stiff with nerves, but without knowing how to pose or what expression to make, I simply went along with his suggestions, and gradually my body and feelings relaxed until I could savor the moment.
The sense of focusing and diving into “myself,” of being absorbed, was fun and felt wonderful.
They played music I like and asked if I was cold — every small gesture of care let me feel at ease throughout.

The “me” he drew out this time had many fresh sides I'd never seen, yet still felt like me.
It was strange how I could feel, almost as if looking at someone else, “how lovely.”

The atmosphere on set was so comfortable that if there had been a viewing area, I'd have wanted to watch everyone else's shoots too. lol

With Jo's lead, I think I met a new me. I also learned from the people I met at the session — a precious experience.

From the Zoom call beforehand I was nearly in tears — though we were speaking for the first time, he received me so gently. His capacity to embrace and his sharpness hit me straight in the heart.

On the day too, there was careful attention and easy-to-follow posing and action directions. The new expressions of mine on the monitor felt fresh; though I was nervous, I couldn't stop feeling excited — a fun time in which I could accept myself.