My Hanfu Photoshoot in Shanghai: A Souvenir You Actually Experience, Not Buy

Located at the Yuyuan Garden, this traidional hanfu shop is full service for makeup, hair, clothing, and photography.

5/8/20243 min read

If you’re going to Shanghai and want one of those “this feels like a movie” travel moments, I want to gently put this on your list: a hanfu photoshoot around Yuyuan Garden.

It might sound complicated at first, but I promise you—it’s way more accessible than it looks. I walked into it with zero plan, and it ended up being one of my favorite experiences in China.

Think of this as your friend telling you: you can absolutely do this.

Why I Knew I Had to Do This

When I got to Shanghai, I didn’t just want photos—I wanted a memory that felt like it belonged to the place.

I kept seeing women dressed in beautiful hanfu outfits around Yuyuan Garden, walking through the old streets like they’d stepped into another time. And I remember thinking:
“Okay… I need to do that too.”

And I’m really glad I listened to that feeling.

How I Actually Found My Hanfu Studio (No Planning Needed)

Here’s something that might surprise you: I didn’t book anything in advance.

There are multiple hanfu shops around Yuyuan Garden, so I just planned to walk around and see what felt right.

But I ended up getting a recommendation in the most unexpected way—a Chinese guy I met on the street casually offered to help. He spoke English, and once he realized what I wanted (hair, makeup, and photos), he actually walked me over to his cousin’s shop and translated everything for me.

And just like that—I was in.

Friendly reminder: In places like Shanghai, English-speaking locals are often more helpful than you’d expect. The love to talk for foreigners to practice their English!

Pricing Breakdown (So You Know What to Expect)

Before anything started, we went over pricing clearly, which honestly made me feel way more comfortable.

Here’s what I paid:

💄 Hair + makeup: 399 CNY (~$60 USD)
📸 Photoshoot: 199 CNY (~$30 USD)

Total: under $100 USD for the full experience

For a styled cultural experience, professional makeup, and a photographer in a major city—that felt incredibly reasonable.

The Shop Experience (and Getting Ready)

The shop I went to was:

HanYi HuaShang Store
📍 Room 226, 2nd Floor, No. 88 Lishui Road, Chenghuang Jewellery, Shanghai
📱 WeChat: 18019741829 / hyhsyuyuan

(You can message them in advance on Instagram, Redbook, or Wechat but I personally walked in.)

I chose a beautiful blue hanfu robe with a dragon embroidered on it.

The staff used translation apps with me the entire time, and it actually worked surprisingly well. My hair and makeup took about an hour and a half, but it didn’t feel long because I was chatting with other customers and and translating back and forth with the shop owner asking her about her business and where she has travelled too.

The Photoshoot Experience (What It Actually Feels Like)

Once I was ready, I stepped outside with the photographer and started taking photos around the streets near Yuyuan Garden.

This is where things got interesting.

Communication with the photographer was a little tricky since I didn’t have my phone on me, but honestly? He made it work. He demonstrated poses, used gestures, and basically directed the whole thing like a silent performance.

It was kind of chaotic lol but it only took 15 minutes and then it was over.

One Thing I Wasn’t Expecting: The Attention

This is the part I always tell people to mentally prepare for.

As a foreign traveler, you will get attention in China—and during the shoot, I had people stopping, watching, and taking photos.

At one point, I was literally standing in the middle of an intersection while people gathered around. Maybe 100 poeple were staring at me, many were taking pictures and videos on their phones.

I won’t lie—I was a bit uncomfotable but I also felt like a celebrity in a way.