Torishi on the Prowl! Creeps Share Secret Photos in SNS Hideouts

Incidents involving secret filming have been occurring frequently. A case in which a group of elementary school teachers from Nagoya and Yokohama were arrested on suspicion of violating the Act on Punishment of Sexual Image Recordings shocked the public—these teachers had reportedly shared secretly taken photos of children on social media.

Perpetrators of such acts are often referred to as “tori-shi” (bird masters) on social media. They share or even sell voyeuristic photos among themselves, and some focus specifically on filming minors. The damage caused by such offenders is rarely visible, and the full extent remains unclear. Moreover, since these individuals often operate in closed communities rather than selling content to the general public, tracking their activities is extremely difficult.

Why are they called “tori-shi” (bird masters)?

The term tori-shi (literally “bird master”) originally comes from the word toru or tori (to photograph) and is used among offenders as slang referring to people who engage in voyeuristic filming. Each individual refers to themselves as a tori-shi and operates in various voyeurism genres they specialize in, such as filming on the streets or in changing rooms.

Tori-shi mainly operate on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Discord, and LINE groups. When active, they often use identifiers like the term tori-shi, bird emojis, or bird-themed icons as secret signs to recognize each other.

According to crime journalist Mr. K, who is well-versed in voyeurism cases, “Because of the risk of being arrested, they use slang and complex terminology to avoid being noticed by outsiders.”

“These kinds of voyeurs have existed for a long time, but public scrutiny has become more intense, and unlike in the past, they can no longer act openly. Most of them operate in closed online spaces on social media, and to avoid being tracked, they usually post activity updates only through locked or private accounts visible to trusted contacts. Once someone is recognized as truly passionate about voyeurism, they may be invited to exclusive online groups on platforms like Discord, where data is exchanged only among trusted tori-shi peers,” says Mr. K.

The motive isn’t just sexual desire

The language they use is also deliberately cryptic.

“Some of the more recognizable terms include ‘JK’ (high school girl) and ‘JC’ (middle school girl). Terms like ‘kōnai’ (on campus) or ‘gen’eki’ (currently enrolled) are used to imply that the subject is likely a student, though their exact age is unknown. Other terms include ‘ori’ (original photos taken by oneself), but I can’t keep track of them all. They also use emoticons and emojis to avoid direct expressions, communicating in a way that only makes sense within their community. The more malicious tori-shi even use codes like ‘K’ (police) or ‘P’ (police) to share information about where officers are patrolling.” (Same source)

What motivates tori-shi to engage in voyeurism? At first, I assumed it was purely for sexual gratification, but after hearing more, it seems that’s not the only reason.

“There are cases where the goal is to satisfy their sexual desires, and others where it’s about gaining recognition or improving their skills. The former tends to involve those who target minors that can’t be seen in adult videos, or those who can only get aroused by real amateurs.

In cases driven by approval-seeking or skill development, the goal is to show their secretly taken photos to others and be praised. Especially challenging shots—like ones taken from difficult angles or in places not suitable for filming—are held up as examples within the voyeur community, and the person who took them is admired and respected. To earn more praise, they work on honing their voyeuristic skills.” (Same source)

Many who originally engaged in voyeurism to satisfy personal urges eventually begin doing it for the sake of taking the photos itself.

“The longer someone has been a tori-shi, the more they tend to focus on whether their photos can be sold. They get to satisfy their sexual urges, make money, and become a hero among their peers. It’s a way to earn doing what they love. For buyers, these photos are considered rare and impossible to find elsewhere, and they’re often traded on social media for several thousand yen.

Not only are these images sold person-to-person, but there are still magazines out there that buy voyeur photos, leading some to keep it up as a way to earn pocket money. Shockingly, there are even magazines that explain voyeur gear and techniques, further encouraging the crime.” (Same source)

The abnormality felt by the reporter who accompanied a voyeur to the scene

Former magazine journalist Mr. S says, “As Mr. K mentioned, the publisher I worked for used to buy voyeur photos, and we even featured articles on voyeur techniques and equipment.” He once accompanied a tori-shi to the scene of a voyeuristic act and recalled the experience as disturbingly abnormal:

“It felt like a survival mission,” he said.

“In the past, I went along with a tori-shi who specialized in filming outdoor hot springs. He used a bazooka-like telephoto lens to secretly record the women’s bath. We traveled down unmaintained paths, hid in the bushes, and waited for women to enter the hot spring. It was so intense it felt like some sort of military training. I couldn’t understand where that level of obsession came from.” (Mr. S)

While such extreme cases in remote locations are rare, voyeurism in public places happens far more frequently than people imagine, and many victims are unknowingly being filmed.

“Their crimes are committed in very ordinary places. For example, they may target areas like bank ATMs. One common tactic is to spill a drink near the machine and then tell the staff, ‘Excuse me, it’s dirty over there’ prompting a female employee to come clean it. The moment she crouches or leans forward, they quickly slide a smartphone underneath her skirt and take rapid photos. This is a technique known as upskirting, where the perpetrator secretly photographs under a woman’s skirt to capture her underwear. It can be done practically anywhere a woman is standing or working at a counter.” (Same source)

With the widespread use of smartphones, cases of voyeurism have increased tenfold between 2012 and 2022. In response to the growing number of offenders, Japan enacted the Act on Punishment of Sexual Image Recordings in July 2023. However, the number of arrests for voyeur-related crimes still hit a record high in 2024.

Because it’s so difficult for victims to even realize they’ve been targeted, voyeurism remains a hidden threat lurking in everyday life.

A post by another tori-shi on X—the upside-down emoji in the first line signifies upskirt filming