About

Small frame,
Tiger heart.

The story behind TubuTiger

01 — Introduction

Taiga

Hi, my name is Taiga. I'm a Japanese photographer with a deep passion for sport — especially cycling, golf, and snowboarding. I love capturing athletes in those split seconds when they give everything they have: the focus, the motion, and the emotion. Sports move fast, but the stories behind them deserve to stay.

I shoot from inside the sport, because I ride, ski, and swing too. I also race — road and crit, mostly — so on race weekends you'll usually find me with a camera in my hands before and after my own start, shooting everyone else's race.

Based between Vancouver, BC and Japan. Bilingual in Japanese and English. Happiest somewhere between a start line and a mountain.

Taiga with his camera — Racer first, photographer always.

02 — The name

Tubu + Taiga

粒 — tsubu — "tiny"

TubuTiger comes from two names. Taiga, which is me, the tiger. And Tubu, my dog. Tsubu means tiny in Japanese. And he was.

There's a photo of Tubu as a puppy, mid run, all four paws off the ground. His body is tiny but his face is dead serious. Total confidence. He isn't wondering if he's fast. He knows.

That photo became the whole idea. Belief decides, not size. Look at his shadow, and you'll see what's really coming out of it.

Tiny dog. Tiger shadow.

Tubu as a puppy, mid run, all four paws off the ground — Tubu. Zero doubt.

This is the photo. One tiny dog, fully airborne, completely sure of himself.

Every athlete I shoot has a version of this in them. My job is to catch it.

03 — The little guy

The Little Cheerer

You've seen him. Top corner of this site, and in every Instagram post I make. One little hand drawn dude. He rides with you, races with you, walks the course with you. When he's not in the action he's on the sideline, cheering like it's the world championships.

He's there to say one simple thing. Someone is always cheering for you. Every athlete grinding through a race deserves to know that.

The little cheerer — TubuTiger's hand-drawn mascot

04 — Why I do it

Photos can connect

Through my photos, I want to help people keep their memories, stay motivated, and inspire others who feel that same passion. I want my work to remind people of their journey — why they started, how far they've come, what keeps them moving.

I try to capture the feeling inside every athlete, the drive that pushes them forward. Photos can motivate. Photos can connect. That's why I shoot — and if one of my frames puts energy back into someone's passion, the little guy and I did our job.

小さくても、心は虎。

Even when you're small,
the heart is a tiger.

Come find us at a race

If I shot you at an event, your photos are free. That's the whole point. And if you want me riding, skiing, or walking the course with you for a day, let's talk.