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Photography has been an art form that has captivated its audience since its introduction. So it comes as no surprise that it has also been widely popular in Japan as well.
Photography arrived in Japan way back in the 1800s and quickly became a favorite way to capture the world around them. At first, the photos were pretty straightforward, just what you saw. But over time, Japanese photographers turned into real pros. They all developed their unique styles, figuring out how to use the camera to tell a story.
These aren’t just your average pictures anymore. They’re like mini-stories, transforming everyday moments into something amazing to look at. They have a real depth and creativity that people all over the world can appreciate. It’s photography as an art form, and the Japanese are good at it!
In this article, we explore some of the most popular Japanese photographers in Japan who are breathing life into still pictures.
Also Read: GUIDE TO JAPANESE CAMERA HISTORY
1. Daido Moriyama
Daido Moriyama is a Japanese photographer and photojournalist who is best known for his distinctive black-and-white street photography.
Background
Born in 1938 in Ikeda, Osaka, he has been involved with photography since his early 20s after purchasing a Canon IV SB from a friend. He was the assistant photographer of Eikoh Hosoe, who is credited with teaching Moriyama the basics of photographic practices and techniques. Daido Moriyama’s first photobook was released in 1968 known as Nippon gekijō shashinchō (にっぽん劇場写真帖, Japan: A Photo Theater).
Art Style
Moriyama’s style of photos primarily is monochromatic but he has been experimenting with color photos recently. His photos consist of gritty, grainy images and usually of high contrast.
Best Cameras Preferred by Daido Moriyama
His primary camera of choice is the Ricoh GR1s 35mm film camera with a fixed 28mm lens. Occasionally Moriyama also utilizes the Ricoh GR21 for wider field-of-view shots.
Notable Works
Moriyama’s work has been consistently featured in group and solo exhibitions in Japan and more countries. Some of his most notable works include:
2. Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi. Photo courtesy of Cloudfront.
The ordinary moments of day-to-day life may seem mundane to us but to the eyes of Rinko Kawauchi, they are the hiding places of unnoticed beauty. Kawauchi takes photographs of daily life and portrays the poetic serenity and intimately beautiful moments of the world around her.
Background
Rinko Kawauchi was born in 1972 in Shiga prefecture, Japan. She studied graphic design and photography at Seian University of Art and Design from where she got her start in photography. Beginning as a commercial photographer for an advertising firm, she later embarked on a career as a fine art photographer. Though she still does the advertising work as well.
Art Style
Kawauchi’s works are known to be aesthetically pleasing and pleasant to view. Her photos primarily attempt to capture the beauty of daily moments we take for granted without ever realizing it.
Preferred Cameras
After experimenting with various types of cameras she found that the Rolleiflex line of cameras is best suited to her photography needs and has stuck to using it since.
Rolleiflex camera. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
Notable Works
Below are some of the best moments captured by Rinko Kawauchi:
Hanabi by Rinko Kawauchi. Photo courtesy of Rinko Kawauchi’s official website.
3. Shin Noguchi
Photography by Shin Noguchi. Photo courtesy of Shin Noguchi’s official website.
Shin Noguchi is a street photographer who can be described as an authentic portrayer of the subtleties and complexities of life and culture. He does so without relying on staging or adding more to the photos.
Background
Noguchi was born in 1976 in Shinjuku, Japan, and has lived in Kamakura for over 20 years. Spending over two decades in the city provided him the scope to better understand the intricacies of life and how to best portray them through a visual medium.
Art Style
His style of photography can be defined as down to earth as each of his photos evokes a feeling of comfort and understanding just from viewing them. He has said that the subjects of his photos tell him the meaning and value of life and by taking photos of them he affirms their existence and reaffirms his own.
Preferred Cameras
Leica M9-P camera. Photo courtesy of DPReview.
Noguchi uses the Leica M9-P camera with a cron 35mm lens. He also used to use a Leica M6 for his shots.
Notable Works
Shin Noguchi’s most famous works include:
Sorry, You’ll Never Walk Alone by Shin Noguchi. Photo courtesy of Shin Noguchi’s official website.
4. Keiichi Tahara
Keiichi Tahara. Photo courtesy of Akio Nagasawa Gallery.
Keiichi Tahara is a Japanese photographer whose works primarily focus on lights and high contrast of the images. He has also worked on sculptures that make use of his lighting specialization.
Background
Tahara was born in 1951 in Kyoto, Japan. As his grandfather was a photographer Keiichi was able to master the necessary techniques a photographer would need from a young age. He was initially a lighting and visual technician for the Red Buddha Theatre music group. While touring Europe with the group Tahara found a awe-striking, and piercing light in France that entranced him and led him to stay in Paris for 30 years. This eventually led to beginning his career as a professional photographer.
Art Style
Keiichi Tahara’s style of photography is heavily influenced by the lighting found in Paris and his use of high contrast in his photographs. Initially, he began by taking monochromatic shots but his work has also extended into sculptures as well. He has developed quite an extended repertoire with his work and has been an artist who has expanded to various other mediums of expression.
Preferred Cameras
Though he did not use any specific camera as they would differ based on his vision and techniques, Keiichi Tahara would use medium format cameras by Hasselblad and large format cameras by Linhof. He would also make use of 35mm cameras for his photography.
Notable Works
Tahara’s playful notions with lighting produced some extraordinary pieces of photography, known throughout Japan. Below are some renowned works of Keiichi Tahara:
Ordeal by Roses by Eikoh Hosoe. Photo courtesy of Pinterest.
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Ville
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Polaroid
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Échos de Lumière
5. Hiroshi Sugimoto
Hiroshi Sugimoto portrait. Photo courtesy of Wall Street Journal.
Hiroshi Sugimoto is a popular photographer in Japan as well as an accomplished architect and performance arts producer.
Background
Hiroshi Sugimoto was born in 1948 in Tokyo, Japan. His photography started back in high school when he took photos of films that he watched in theaters. He studied politics and sociology at Rikkyo University in Tokyo and later studied at the Art Center College of Design in California as an artist.
Art Style
Sugimoto usually takes minimalistic photographs with long exposure. According to him, his works are time capsules of events at that particular time. His works try to capture the short-lived states of life and the ever-present conflict of both life and death. He is also highly regarded for his abstract and philosophical interpretations in his work.
Preferred Cameras
Sugimoto’s choice of cameras was 8×10 inch and 11×14 inch large format cameras, known for their high-resolution images of great detail. Along with large-format cameras, he also used medium-format cameras and 35mm film cameras as well for some of his projects.
Notable Works
Hiroshi Sugimoto’s best works are:
Dioramas by Hiroshi Sugimoto. Photo courtesy of Sugimoto’s official website.
Also Read: WHERE TO TO BUY CAMERAS FROM JAPAN
6. Hiromi Toshikawa (HiroMix)
Hiromi Toshikawa (Hiromix). Photo courtesy of Pinterest.
Hiromi Toshikawa, best known as Hiromix, is a Japanese photographer, musician, and artist who was one of the most up-and-coming Japanese photographers of the late 90s and early 2000s. She is widely known for her snapshot style of photography that aims to capture everyday moments with an unprompted and candid feel to them.
Background
Hiromix was born in 1976 in the Suginami ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is possible that growing up in Tokyo and being exposed to the bustling urban life led to them becoming prominent subjects of her photos. Her interest in photography and music developed during her formative years, which helped her choose to pursue her artistic passions in her later years.
Art Style
Hiromix’s style of photography is usually personal. The subjects include photos of herself, her friends, her surroundings, and the urban lifestyle environment within Tokyo. Her images bring a feeling of unadulterated authenticity in the air.
Preferred Cameras
Konica Big Mini camera. Photo courtesy of Lomography.
Her choice of cameras are compact and easy to use like the Konica “Big Mini”. Disposable cameras and simple point-and-shoot cameras enable her to capture moments spontaneously, which is visible within her style of photography.
Notable Works
Hiromix’s daily life was filled with chaos and fun, which was the main source of her creative photography. Some of her popular works include:
Hiromix’s Grand Prix winning photo. Photo courtesy of Canon New Cosmos of Photography.
7. Eikoh Hosoe
Eikoh Hosoe portrait. Photo courtesy of WordPress.
It comes as no surprise that Eikoh Hosoe would be included on the list as he is regarded as one of the most influential Japanese photographers. As the mentor of Daido Moriyama, there is no doubt that he is considered a master of his craft. He is most known for his pioneering in the contemporary photography scene and expressive works.
Background
Born in 1933 in Yamagata, Japan Hosoe’s photography journey started quite early from his high school years as a member of the photography club. In 1950, after photographing a young girl at a military base and winning the 1951 Fuji photo contest, he decided to pursue a photography career. After graduating from Tokyo College of Photography he worked as a freelance photographer and co-founded Vivo Photography Collective.
Art Style
As a master of his work Eikoh Hosoe’s photography can be described as experimental and innovative. Themes such as identity, death, irrationality, and the human condition are evident in his works. His photos are usually dark, bold, high contrast, and black-and-white.
Preferred Cameras
During his early days, Hosoe would use 35mm rangefinders along with SLR cameras. The versatility and ease of use of these cameras allowed him to take photos of a variety of subjects with ease. He would also use medium-format cameras that allowed him to take photos of higher quality and details. Large-format cameras were also used when he needed accurate control over the composition and depth of field for his photos.
Notable Works
Eikoh Hosoe has numerous famous works. A few of them include:
Man and Woman by Eikoh Hosoe. Photo courtesy of SFMOMA.
Ordeal by Roses by Eikoh Hosoe. Photo courtesy of Studio Equis.
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Man and Woman
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Ordeal by Roses
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Kamaitachi
Famous Japanese Museums for Photography Enthusiasts
Photography gallery in Japan. Photo courtesy of Guidable.
As a widely recognized art form in Japan, many museums hold photography exhibitions to highlight their popular and up-and-coming photographers. So here are some widely popular museums for photography lovers and enthusiasts to visit while in Japan:
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Tokyo Photographic Art Museum: Located in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan, the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, also known as TOP Museum, is a famous photography museum in Tokyo that has exhibitions of Japan’s top photographers as well as international ones. As a bonus, the museum also has a movie theater!
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National Art Center Tokyo: The National Art Center is a museum in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is a large, modern venue that is host to numerous temporary photo exhibits of many renowned Japanese and international photographers that change from time to time, keeping the museum experience new and fresh.
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Mori Art Museum: Located within the Mori Tower at Roppongi Hills Mall in Tokyo, Japan, the Mori Art Museum provides an engaging experience for those passionate about art. Being on the 52nd and 53rd floor it also provides visitors with an amazing view of Tokyo that will leave a sense of awe to anyone who sees it.
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National Museum of Modern Art: The National Museum of Modern Art, also known as MOMAT, is situated in Tokyo, Japan. It is a must-visit place for anyone who appreciates fine art. The museum is home to many iconic artworks of 20th-century Japan and from the Meiji period.
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Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo: The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo is an art museum in Koto, Tokyo, Japan. Various International and Japanese post-war artworks are exhibited here with a collection of well over 5,500 from various artists.
Photography Events in Japan You Can’t Miss
To anyone who is an amateur photographer or wishes to take up photography as either a hobby or profession, events are a popular medium for them to show their skills and work to the public. Many photographers such as Eikoh Hosoe, Horimix, and Miho Kajioka got their start by taking part in such events and showing their prowess as photographers.
To help anyone interested to get started, here are a few photography events to watch out for when in Japan:
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Tokyo International Photography Festival
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T3 Photo Festival Tokyo
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Kyotographie
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Higashikawa International Photography Festival
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Photogenic Festival
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Mt. Rokko International Photography Festival
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