Unable to marry legally in Japan, LGBTQ+ couples are celebrating their bond in traditional kimonos, suits and gowns for elaborate photoshoots

LGBTQ+ couples in Japan, unable to marry legally, are celebrating their relationships by donning traditional kimonos and formal suits and gowns for elaborate “photo weddings”. Their romantic poses are artfully shot by professional photographers in studios and natural beauty spots.

These wedding photoshoots become stand-ins for a legal ceremony and for the couple hold all the significance of marriage, a moment to display a love that often must be kept secret. The carefully choreographed images are mostly kept hidden in this conservative society where many LGBTQ+ people say they face prejudice and stigma, even from their own families.

A lesbian couple pose for a photoshoot at Onestyle studio in Tokyo