Born in 1966. Native of Tokyo. Moved from Tokyo to the Yaeyama Islands in 1987 after visiting Kohama Island as a marine sports instructor and being drawn to the natural beauty. Has since photographed the landscapes, underwater realms and resort life of Okinawa and Japan's southern islands on the colorful themes found in the seas, islands and skies. His work can be seen in advertisements, magazines, online, etc. Has 92,000 followers on Instagram. His biggest photo albums include “60 Beautiful islands and the Best Places in Okinawa” (X-Knowledge), which covers all of the inhabited islands of Okinawa, “Blue Winds: Happiness Carried by the Wind” and “Nature Therapy: Aqua”, while his most recent publication was “Ishigaki Is.” (Ringo Promotion), which was released in July 2021. Regular member of the Japan Advertising Photographers' Association.
I've been coming to the Yaeyama Islands from Tokyo for 36 years, 20 of which I actually lived on Ishigaki Island.
Ishigaki is the third biggest island in Okinawa Prefecture after Okinawa and Iriomote. And, with about 50,000 residents, it is the most populous of the Yaeyama Islands and the political, economic and transportation center of the chain.
Not far from the urban areas on Ishigaki, the natural world abounds with mountains extending from Okinawa's tallest peak, Mt. Omotodake, crested serpent eagles soaring across clear blue skies and manta rays gracefully swimming over resplendent coral reefs. The tropical beaches are -- of course - beautiful by day, but sunrises are incredibly serene and, after the “Magic Hour” when the colors of the setting sun reflect off the sea, the Milky Way appears on the horizon and shinning stars fill the evening sky. And, if you venture into the woods on a summer night, you discover Yaeyama fireflies twittering about and powder-puff trees blooming in the darkness.
I have photographed many of Okinawa's outlying islands, but nowhere else have I found so much wonder on a single island as on Ishigaki. I reacquainted myself with the beauty of it all during the Covid-19 pandemic, as we weren't allowed to leave the island. I want to share with you those wonders through works I produced over these past two years that led me to rediscover the island, and some older photos I had taken.