[Kochiya Sanae Cosplay] The Refreshing Shrine Maiden of Touhou Project: Vibrant Cosplay Event Photos as the Wind Rises

When shooting these cosplay event photos of Kochiya Sanae, the convention venue (Ziyu Hall) was extremely crowded, so we specifically picked a relatively empty area near the exit at the edge of the hall. The lighting at the venue was quite chaotic, with a mix of large overhead cool lights and scattered light spots. However, the photographer's lens captured the dynamic moments beautifully—especially the snapshots of shaking the tambourine, waving ribbons, and wielding the long lace staff. The results turned out better than expected.

As for the outfit details, a massive amount of time was spent on styling the entire look. From the floral patchwork on the chest to the neatly arranged pink and white small flower decorations on the waistband, everything was manually positioned and matched by us one by one. To achieve a refreshing feel, the main white fabric chosen was a lightweight chiffon material, while the inner lining used soft cotton fabric so that it wouldn't feel too stuffy when worn for a long time in a convention environment. The inside of the waistband was specially reinforced with shaping fabric, so even in the sitting posture shown in Photo 4, there weren't many wrinkles in the waist and abdomen area to ruin the silhouette. The lace ruffles on the skirt hem were manually overlocked layer by layer, so when raising a leg or turning the body, the layered texture spreads out beautifully like flower petals.

For the makeup, I skipped heavy styles and went for a matte base to avoid reflections under the venue's complex light sources. I used a subtle pinkish-blue eyeshadow to echo the cool tones of the outfit, and for the lips, I chose a nude-pink matte lip glaze, aiming to highlight the character's inherently clear yet grounded girlhood charm. Since it's a green wig, I did a secondary trim on the bangs and hair ends to fit my facial proportions, ensuring it wouldn't randomly block my vision when worn, while also creating a nice visual contrast with the blue colored contacts. The eyebrows were intentionally drawn with an upward arch to make the entire look seem more energetic and vibrant.

Two main props were used in this shoot. One is a painted wooden tambourine with very vibrant colors that makes a crisp sound when shaken. To go with this prop, I tied ribbons around my hands; when walking or spinning, the ribbons flutter with the wind, greatly enhancing the ethereal flow of the images. The other prop is the long wooden staff with blue lace and flowers shown in Photo 4, which worked wonders as a visual guide for the composition. In the sitting pose composition, this staff helped extend the line of sight, and paired with the white tights and black platform shoes, the entire lower body line was stretched out beautifully long in the frame.

Speaking of guidance during the shoot, the photographer had an excellent grasp of rhythm. Instead of making me adjust my poses stiffly, he encouraged me to move naturally—like shaking the wide sleeves, waving the tambourine, or alternating standing on one leg—relying on the camera's high-speed continuous shooting to capture the most authentic moments. Because the sleeves of this outfit are very wide, they spread out like wings when the arms are raised. Combined with the color-blocking of white, green, and blue on the skirt hem, the entire look carries immense stage presence. The sitting pose in Photo 4 was a resting angle I chose for myself, but it unexpectedly captured an elegant ambiance. When my legs were crossed, the soft sheen of the tights was particularly gentle, and with the vibrant bow decoration on the shoes, it looked incredibly photogenic.

The background on the day of the shoot was a high-ceilinged industrial-style exhibition hall with numerous lighting fixtures on the roof. The photographer cleverly transformed these bright light sources into beautiful round bokeh spots in the background, creating a dreamy, starry sky-like effect behind me. Under this ambient light, my face received even illumination, making my facial features look very dimensional and soft. Furthermore, the hard, grey metal floor of the venue provided a wonderful texture contrast with the sheer softness of the outfit.

From the overall concept to the final execution, this cosplay mainly aimed to convey the character's lively and pure essence. While doing my best to accurately recreate the clothing and props, I deliberately avoided overdone facial expressions and tried to maintain a natural, relaxed demeanor. I hoped that through fluid movements and precise details, everyone could see a more vivid event photo presentation. Although shooting inside a convention hall inevitably means dealing with cluttered backgrounds or passersby, the photographer's patient capturing made the final photos look very clean and sharp. I'm incredibly grateful to the photographer for capturing these beautiful moments throughout the process.