Harajuku Volks

I was outside Harajuku volks waiting to go insoie just before they opened. A volks employee yelled at me for taking pictures of their out side store. Is this such a big deal they have to tell me not to. This just made me mad enough to not go in. This situation angered me enough to not go to any more volks stores in japan. This being said, why is it a big deal other than other companies possibly copying your products is this a big deal. If one goes to a doll party many SD's and DD's are on display and you can take pictures. This is a rant but it can really be a downer, and put people off.

It's very common in Japan for stores to not allow pictures. When I went to Harajuku, most stores had signs saying "No Photographs," and I remember that at the Kyoto Volks store, you were only allowed to take pictures in certain photo areas. I'm sorry you were disappointed, but it's just a cultural difference, and I don't think it's worth skipping the stores over, since you'll end up being the one who misses out the most.

I very much doubt they ‘yelled at you’ and actually just asked you not to take photos. It isn’t a Volks thing, I got in trouble in osaka for taking a photo of a shop sign of some random small anime store from the street - wasn’t even any bystanders in the photo, but the shopkeeper literally came out and made me prove to them I deleted it off my camera.

Part of the reason for this is that Japanese people are extremely private about their hobbies. It’s common for photos of doll events to have emoji or censors all over any faces in the background. (My friend nearly had a heart attack when I told her that it’s common for cosplayers in the US and Australia to travel to the venue already in cosplay, even going on public transport or into McDonald’s in cosplay, instead of ‘transforming’ at the event or wearing a coat over the costume) There are people who do not want to take the chance that someone will upload a photo that shows them - or a customer whose privacy they value - to the Internet. It’s become somewhat a problem with visitors to Japan because they rarely ask to take photos but want the Funny Internet Points or whatever - it always depends on the stores but some have given in, others have gotten more aggressive. There’s a famous clothing store in Harajuku that has resorted to posting English signing with ‘F***ing foreigners stop taking photos’ (which is a tame example) - unfortunately this backfired as the signs are now photographed by giggling tourists constantly. However as someone who can not stand candid photos of me, I kinda wish this consideration was more common in the west.

 

There are areas in other volks stores where photos are allowed that are very clearly indicated with ‘-picture of camera- ok’ signs and if you’re at Dolls Party it’s still considered extremely rude to not ask permission to the owners first. (Even if you can’t speak Japanese, pointing to your camera and asking ‘ok?’ is sufficient enough to get across) I don’t understand why this was something to make you mad enough to not go into other stores.

I used to work for an arcade in the states and we also had a no photos rule. Ours was about the privacy of children specifically, our manager was concerned about people taking photos of other people's kids (creepy, right!?) He worked there for years, apparently it was a big enough issue that enforcing the rule was very important to him. We also had issues one year with a guy harassing a girl by following her around and filming her, she kept telling him to stop and he wouldn't so my manager stepped in to put a stop to that, too.

 

It took until years later before I got over the urge to tell people to put their cameras away when randomly walking around in public, lol.

 

Honestly though, even in the US you should not assume photos are allowed in businesses, its completely up to the owner of the business and a lot of times there's perfectly valid reasons for them to not allow it. It makes sense that other cultures might have even stricter rules about it, like asking you not to photograph their signs or displays from outside. I can totally get why some people might not want to broadcast their hobbies.

I have nothing substantial to add to this thread but I just wanted to say that I'm glad this topic came up since I'm plan to visit japan someday and I love to bring my camera with me around and take pictures and videos. I do not know Japanese at all so the signs would have been useless for me but now that I know this, I will keep it in mind when I visit there.

Honestly though, even in the US you should not assume photos are allowed in businesses, its completely up to the owner of the business and a lot of times there's perfectly valid reasons for them to not allow it.

That is not true at all. In the US, it's perfectly fine to assume you're free to take photos in businesses, unless there is a sign specifically saying no photos allowed.

Honestly though, even in the US you should not assume photos are allowed in businesses, its completely up to the owner of the business and a lot of times there's perfectly valid reasons for them to not allow it.

That is not true at all. In the US, it's perfectly fine to assume you're free to take photos in businesses, unless there is a sign specifically saying no photos allowed.

 

Actually this is incorrect. You are only allowed to take photos in public places, but most don't realize that business, and places like malls, are not public places. They may be open to the public, but they are not public places, they are still privately owned and therefore treated the same as someone's house when it comes to taking photos. The best course of action is to always ask for permission, but in places like malls it's generally okay to take photos until you are asked not to. And if asked not to, please be respectful. Too many people have given us photographers a bad name by acting out like little brats.

I have nothing substantial to add to this thread but I just wanted to say that I'm glad this topic came up since I'm plan to visit japan someday and I love to bring my camera with me around and take pictures and videos. I do not know Japanese at all so the signs would have been useless for me but now that I know this, I will keep it in mind when I visit there.

The signs are typically in English or just a picture with a camera and ‘OK’. (Or a camera with a cross through it)

I know that recently in Akiba Doll Point you’re allowed to take a lot more in-store photos than other stores such as of the Dcoord displays, whereas you can’t in Yokohama. Other stores typically let you take photos of the current lottery/preorder doll display but otherwise don’t allow it outside the designated diorama photo space. There are also signs for ‘no touching’ but that should be obvious of course.

I have nothing substantial to add to this thread but I just wanted to say that I'm glad this topic came up since I'm plan to visit japan someday and I love to bring my camera with me around and take pictures and videos. I do not know Japanese at all so the signs would have been useless for me but now that I know this, I will keep it in mind when I visit there.

I stole this from the D'Coord thread--you can see what the Volks signs look like here; they have English and the pictograms are clear enough anyway. Of course I don't know if everyone's signs are as clear:

 

Actually this is incorrect. You are only allowed to take photos in public places, but most don't realize that business, and places like malls, are not public places. They may be open to the public, but they are not public places, they are still privately owned and therefore treated the same as someone's house when it comes to taking photos. The best course of action is to always ask for permission, but in places like malls it's generally okay to take photos until you are asked not to. And if asked not to, please be respectful. Too many people have given us photographers a bad name by acting out like little brats.

 

No, what I said is correct. Owners of private places can certainly prohibit you from taking photos. But in the US, it's perfectly fine to assume you're free to take photos in businesses, unless told otherwise.

 

How much do you want to bet I can go through every store in a local mall, take photos of a few items in each place on my phone (without being discrete about it), and no one will ask me to stop?

 

You're taking something that may be the norm in Japan, and projecting it onto the US. In the US taking photos is no big deal. Obviously, if you continuously bother someone, that can be harassment. Obviously you can't take photos in places where people have a "reasonable expectation of privacy." There are some other specific exceptions. But if you're just taking photos like a regular person, no one cares.

Actually this is incorrect. You are only allowed to take photos in public places, but most don't realize that business, and places like malls, are not public places. They may be open to the public, but they are not public places, they are still privately owned and therefore treated the same as someone's house when it comes to taking photos. The best course of action is to always ask for permission, but in places like malls it's generally okay to take photos until you are asked not to. And if asked not to, please be respectful. Too many people have given us photographers a bad name by acting out like little brats.

 

No, what I said is correct. Owners of private places can certainly prohibit you from taking photos. But in the US, it's perfectly fine to assume you're free to take photos in businesses, unless told otherwise.

 

How much do you want to bet I can go through every store in a local mall, take photos of a few items in each place on my phone (without being discrete about it), and no one will ask me to stop?

 

You're taking something that may be the norm in Japan, and projecting it onto the US. In the US taking photos is no big deal. Obviously, if you continuously bother someone, that can be harassment. Obviously you can't take photos in places where people have a "reasonable expectation of privacy." There are some other specific exceptions. But if you're just taking photos like a regular person, no one cares.

 

Just because you can doesn't make it right. With this line of reasoning speeding is not against the law until a police officer pulls you over? We all know that is not true, it is breaking the law even if you aren't caught. Taking photos in a business is the same, it's still not legal even if it's accepted. I am a US citizen who also is a photographer, it has nothing to due with projecting Japanese norm on the US, it's stating actual law. You are welcome to study the law and see for yourself. But this is now getting off topic, so I will end my speaking of the matter of US law regarding photography.

I agree with what others have already written. In my experience, this is not a VOLKS specific thing, but a more common kind in Japan. This is related to the respect of the private sphere. Especially for the 'hobby' sector.

Some time ago, a guide yelled at me at the COMIKET at Tokyo Big Sight after I was taking a picture. I had never before experienced that Japanese can be so rude and loud. I had to delete it directly under control. It's ok to take photos of the cosplayers outside there, but I just stepped into the hall for one meter !!! and not ok anymore.

 

Therefore, for me the rule is now:

1. Look for photo prohibition signs and consider whether to take pictures is ok.

2. Ask if I can take pictures. Everyone can really learn this one sentence in japanese.

3. Only now press the photo trigger button and cheeeeese

Just because you can doesn't make it right. With this line of reasoning speeding is not against the law until a police officer pulls you over? We all know that is not true, it is breaking the law even if you aren't caught. Taking photos in a business is the same, it's still not legal even if it's accepted. I am a US citizen who also is a photographer, it has nothing to due with projecting Japanese norm on the US, it's stating actual law. You are welcome to study the law and see for yourself. But this is now getting off topic, so I will end my speaking of the matter of US law regarding photography.

 

I have studied the law. There is nothing that says taking photos in businesses, in a general sense, is illegal by default. I'm not the one who needs to prove a negative. Since you seem convinced, what is the US Code or state statute that says taking photos is illegal?

 

Taking pictures is hardly the same as speeding. The metaphor makes no sense.

 

The point is, in Japan there appears to be a general sense of ambivalence towards photo taking. My original post points out that that is not the case everywhere, including the US. Here, barring signs or someone telling you you can't take photos, you can generally assume you're free to take photos, and no one will care.

Alright, this has run it's course and is now being locked.

 

 

Billy