Getting ID Photos Taken in Japan: Photo Booths, Sizes and What Each Document Needs
Updated: 2026-09-15
Quick answer
Hi, I'm Miya, and I help newcomers settle into life in Japan. ID photos are one of those small things that keep coming back: your My Number card, many applications to the Immigration Services Agency, a passport renewal, a resume (rirekisho) for a job hunt, sometimes a school or workplace ID. Each one asks for a photo, and they don't all ask for the same photo.
The short version: most residents use the self-service photo booths you'll spot near stations, supermarkets and shopping streets; photo studios are there when you want more care, such as for a job-hunting resume; and some online applications accept a photo you take yourself. Whichever route you pick, read the issuing authority's guidance for that specific document first, because size, background and how recent the photo must be all vary, and that guidance is the final word.
Street photo booths (shomei shashin-ki)
The ID photo booth is the everyday option. You step inside, draw the curtain, pick the kind of document on the screen, and adjust the seat so your face lines up with the guide on the display. Many booths show you a preview and let you retake a few times before printing, and the result usually comes out as a sheet with several copies that you cut apart yourself.
Many booths offer presets for common documents, which takes a lot of the guesswork away. If your document isn't on the list, check the dimensions in its guidance and choose a matching size rather than the closest-looking one. Some booths can also send the image data to your smartphone or give you a code for use in online applications, which is worth looking for on the screen before you start.
Photo studios, and taking one yourself
Photo studios take more time but give you more care: staff adjust the lighting, check your posture and collar, and frame the shot for you. They're a popular choice for resume photos during a job hunt, when the photo is part of the first impression. Tell them exactly which document the photo is for, because light touch-ups that are fine on a resume may not be acceptable on an identity document, and a studio can often provide the image as data as well as prints.
Taking a photo yourself can work for some online applications — applying for a My Number card online, for example, lets you upload a photo taken with a smartphone. If you go this way, stand in front of a plain wall in soft, even light, ask someone to hold the phone at eye level, and switch off any beauty mode or filter. For documents that need a printed photo of a set size, check the guidance on whether home prints are accepted before relying on them.
Why each document asks for something different
Each issuing authority sets its own specification: the overall dimensions, how large your face should be in the frame, the background colour, how recently the photo must have been taken, and whether it's submitted as a print or as a data file. A resume photo also has a different job from an identity photo, so its expectations are a little different again. I'm not listing sizes here on purpose, because they differ by document and can change; the application form or its guidance lists the exact dimensions and the recency rule.
A simple habit helps: before you head to a booth, jot down for each document the size, how recent the photo must be, how many copies you need, whether it's printed or uploaded, and whether you should write your name on the back. If you're sorting out several applications at once, check whether one shot meets all of them — sometimes it does, and sometimes one document needs its own.
Common reasons a photo gets sent back
The same few issues come up again and again: shadows across your face or behind you; a busy or patterned background; tinted glasses, or glare on clear lenses that hides your eyes; hair covering your eyes or the outline of your face; hats and caps; and filters, beauty modes or noticeable editing. If you wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons, check the guidance for how that particular authority handles it.
Other things to watch are not facing straight ahead, an open-mouthed smile, a blurry or badly cropped image, and an older photo that no longer looks quite like you. A returned application usually means another trip and more waiting, so taking one extra minute on the booth's preview screen is time well spent.
Small habits that save a retake
Keep spare prints in a small envelope with the date they were taken written on it, and keep the digital copy if you have one. Before reusing a spare, though, check the recency rule for the new document rather than assuming it still counts. Wearing a plain top that stands out from the background can also help, since a pale top against a pale background can blur the outline.
When you're unsure, ask the place you're submitting to — the ward office counter, the immigration office, your school or your employer — what they'll accept. It's a quick question, and it's much easier than finding out after the application has come back.
One quiet thing that makes this easier
More and more of this happens on your phone: some booths send the photo straight to your smartphone, and some online applications let you upload it directly, which saves reprints and extra trips. So having a Japanese phone number with data in place early makes the whole thing smoother. Setting one up is refreshingly simple — you apply online with your residence card, verify with a quick eKYC, and eSIM-capable phones can connect the same day, often within about fifteen minutes.
Have a look at our setup guide for eligibility and the step-by-step, and confirm current terms on the page before you apply. Get the line sorted, check each document's guidance, and your next photo can go from booth to application without a second trip. I'll be right here to help.
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