Hey! I’m Kai.
I’m a Portland Oregon wedding photographer who loves a good pun, is obsessed with dancing and knows the best ramen spots in town.
(Seriously, here is a map of all the Ramen places you should try…)
Portland Ramen Map
MY STORY
I’m a Japanese-American wedding photographer based in Portland, Oregon. I was born in Tokyo, Japan, but my family moved to the states when I was a baby and settled in Portland in 1993. I consider myself a Pacific Northwest native, but I still cherish my Japanese heritage and make a yearly trip to visit friends and family.
My father, Makoto Hayashi, was a traveling photographer in the ’70s and documented some of the most iconic bands of his generation—bands like The Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, and Frank Zappa. He passed away before he had the chance to teach me about photography, but he’s still a huge part of what inspired me to pick up a camera when I was 18.
Since then I’ve had an eclectic career as a photojournalist, music photographer, event photographer, and wedding photographer. Each job has reinforced to me the absolute power and importance of telling a story.
Beyond photography, I’m a seasoned partner dancer. For the last decade, I’ve had the opportunity to dance swing, blues, and fusion all over the world. Learning how to dance has been incredibly impactful on my life and I want all my couples to experience the joy of dance. If you want a crash course on how to dance during your wedding, feel free to ask! I’d love to show you the basics.
What are all the cute food icons about?
As you probably guessed by now I love food, and in particular Japanese cuisine. Not only because I love to cook it, but because my passion for it is deeply rooted in my identity as a Japanese-American (and clearly I’ve been passionate about food from a young age). Even though I grew up in the states and rarely visit Japan, staying connected to my heritage through food is a way for me to stay grounded in my identity. If you ever want to talk about ramen, sushi, okonomiyaki, soba, (the list goes on), I’ll happily talk your ear off about it all.
Let’s chat!
As a self-admitted hopeless romantic and extroverted Aries, I just love getting to know people and hearing their love stories. I’d be excited to hear about your big day! Let’s grab a drink, a coffee, or even a bowl of ramen.