Natsumi Hayashi, the “Levitating Girl”

Photos of Natsumi Hayashi, known as Tokyo’s “Levitating Girl,” have been, floating around the internet for years. The photos feature Natsumi in a variety of poses and locations, often with an expressionless face while undertaking mundane tasks, such as drinking out of a fountain or pressing the button on an elevator. Such photos wouldn’t be extraordinary, but for the fact that the girl is hovering in the air in each shot.

Levitating Girl

The pictures are real, but she isn’t actually floating or even dangling from a wire. She is merely being photographed as she jumps in the air. A high shutter speed is used to eliminate blur which would normally occur with such high speed motions.

This creative young lady has mastered the art of perfectly posing the moment her body is at the height of a jump. She has claimed that such photos take dozens, or even hundreds, of takes to get the right shot. Naysayers have scoffed that she could achieve the same results with Photoshop, but really – would that be nearly as cool as knowing she’s actually in the air in these shots? Her tens of thousands of followers on Google+ and Facebook are a good reason to pass on the Photoshop idea.

We find her photos fascinating and artistic. Below are 10 of our favorite shots. All photos by Natsumi Hayashi.

Natsumi’s popularity was highlighted in a 2011 feature in the Daily Mail. She hasn’t been as active on social media lately, although her Facebook page is still occasionally updated in 2015.

Updated August 19, 2015
Originally published June 2012