The land of the rising sun stands for an exciting mix of ultra-modern megacities and deep roots in cultural tradition and craftsmanship. Technology and social media are constantly bringing new trends from Japan to Germany.
As Düsseldorf is home to the largest Japanese community outside Japan, we have a special connection to Japanese culture.
With this competition, we would therefore like to invite you to go on an artistic search for traces of Japanese culture, architecture and cuisine in your neighbourhood and share your best photo results with us. In many German cities, there are already numerous food spots and shops selling everything from mangas to traditional handicrafts. Japanese gardens bring a Far Eastern idyll to life and the cosplay scene is growing everywhere.
In Düsseldorf, for example, the "Little Tokyo" neighbourhood around Immermannstraße offers plenty of motifs. Two extraordinary Japan events are also taking place in May, offering plenty of opportunities for exciting photos: Japan-Tag (Japan Day) in the city centre with a big fireworks display and Dokomi, Germany's largest Japan convention. These are just a few of our top picks for photos with Japanese flair.
So surprise and impress us with your favourite place, favourite sushi or favourite character. Send us up to three of your best photos, impress our jury and, with a bit of luck, win some great prizes!
We look forward to seeing your Japanese discoveries!
Prizes:
1st place: Sony Alpha 6700 + 16-50mm II
2nd place: Sony RX100 VIIa
3rd place: €99 voucher for a workshop at the Foto Koch Akademie
4th place: Japan-Tag (Japan Day) merchandise package (consisting of carrier bag, "Sakura" lanyard, "Lucky Cat" mini-plush, "Lucky Cat" baseball cap, limited edition T-shirt and Japan-Tag (Japan Day) jumper)
5th place: Sony WH-CH520 headphones One Piece Limited Edition
Closing date for entries: 30 June 2026
Participation at www.fotokoch.de/fototwettbewerb
