[Kochiya Sanae Cosplay] That Blue and White Breeze in the Autumn Shrine

For this Autumn photography project featuring Touhou Project's Kochiya Sanae Cosplay at an autumn shrine, the focus was placed on the tiered layers of the skirt and the texture under backlighting. The wig is a light green with subtle grey undertones; to complement the backlighting, I intentionally thinned out the hair tips so sunlight streaming from behind creates a gorgeous translucent rim glow, looking as airy and light as real hair. The costume features the classic blue-and-white wave pattern combined with generous white lace and ruffles. The chest lacing and waist bow had to be tied with precision to ensure the skirt flared into a perfect umbrella dome while twirling. The lower hem has multiple lace tiers that create fantastic dynamic motion while walking. The long-handled mirror frame prop paired with light blue ribbons looked especially striking against traditional Japanese architecture and fallen leaves.

The shoot took place around 3 PM during the golden hour of an autumn afternoon, and photographer Mingyan excels at capturing light bokeh and warm ambiance. During the shoot, we tested several poses repeatedly, such as lifting the skirt hem and twirling in the backlight (the first three photos)—capturing the fluttering skirt in motion demanded strong core balance and easily made me lose my footing. For the high-angle shot looking down on the stone steps, maintaining balance relied heavily on leg strength. The final selected shot with a frontal raised-leg pose was chosen to maximize the layering of the skirt and leg lines. White socks paired with black leather shoes created a great visual contrast with the cool-toned blue-and-white dress. The entire shoot lasted about two hours, creating wonderful harmony with the fallen leaves and lighting.

Experimenting with a cool-toned dress under warm lighting allowed the pure blue-and-white palette to pop distinctly within the textured autumn garden, yielding a high rate of keepers. Throughout the shoot, I kept adjusting the angle of the hand-held prop to prevent the ribbons from tangling in the wind or catching in my hair. The costume has numerous details—especially the headpiece and back bow—that required constant grooming. Overall, this photoshoot at the autumn shrine faithfully captured that cool, sacred grace from Touhou Project; the seamless fusion of outdoor lighting and costume aesthetics, paired with the photographer's candid captures, achieved the ideal creative result.