The short answer
A Tokyo poster is strongest when it contrasts the city's two moods: neon streets, trains and crossings on one side, and shrines, gardens and small food stalls on the other. A vintage-style poster built around one hero scene, or a collage of both moods, both work well.
Photos to include
- A night street or crossing scene
- Trains, stations or vending machines
- A shrine, temple gate or garden
- Ramen, sushi or convenience-store snacks
- A view from a high observation point
- One quiet everyday detail (a bicycle, lanterns, a sign)
Two moods, one poster
Tokyo is famous for contrast. Pick roughly half energetic photos and half calm ones so the illustrated poster feels balanced rather than all neon.
Day trips and longer Japan routes
If your Tokyo stay was part of a longer trip (for example with Kyoto or a mountain town), the Route Map style draws every stop on a real map from your photos' location data, numbered in order.
A note on people
Choose photos where strangers are small or not identifiable; we illustrate subjects rather than printing the photo, but it is still good practice.
Suggested style: Vintage Travel Poster
One illustrated hero scene with small medallions captures Tokyo's big-city mood without clutter.
Try it free with your photosNo photos handy? Make a Travel Collage from your 20 favourite things
FAQ
How many photos should I use for a Tokyo poster?
10–20 works best: enough variety for a rich collage, few enough that each subject stays large and legible.
Who makes and ships the poster?
When ordering opens, a vetted independent print partner in your region of the US or Canada will print, frame and ship it, so the poster travels a short domestic distance.
About Faraway Frames
Faraway Frames turns 10–20 trip photos into three illustrated poster designs (an illustrated collage, a typographic route map and a vintage travel poster). Your photos never appear on the print. Previews are free; ordering is not open yet (pre-launch waitlist), and posters are planned to be printed and framed by a local partner in the US or Canada.