Great Photographers in Japan
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Series 1
The current leading figure in underwater photography in Japan
Ikuo Nakamura
Born in Katagami City, Akita Prefecture in 1945, he began his self-study of underwater photography at the age of 19 at Cape Manazuru in Kanagawa Prefecture.
After working for an underwater photography production company, he went freelance at the age of 31. In 1977, he dived for the first time in Tokyo Bay and was moved by the creatures living robustly in the sludge-filled sea, and since then he has made reporting and photography his life's work. In 1987, he published his photo reportage, All Tokyo Bay, which became very popular. In the same year, he published "KAICYU GANMEN HAKURANKAI" which means Underwater Facial Exhibition (Published by Joho Center Publishing Bureau.) This book featured photographs capturing the vivid expressions of underwater creatures with exquisite captions, and became a huge success. He won the Kimura Ihei Photography Award (Published by Asahi Shimbun), known as the Akutagawa Prize of the photography world. This photo book sparked a surge in divers who became passionate about close-up and macro photography that captures the ecology and expressions of underwater creatures.
In 1993, he was on Okushiri Island, where he experienced the earthquake and tsunami off the southwest coast of Hokkaido, and reported on the situation in the disaster area, photographing it and sharing it with the world. In 1997, he volunteered in Mikuni Town, Fukui Prefecture, where heavy oil had washed ashore from the Russian tanker "Nakhodka", and took impressive photos of the ship's hull from underwater. He has been active as a photojournalist, appearing in newspapers, on television, on radio, and giving lectures. While gaining fame, his friendly personality has also allowed him to cultivate friendships with many famous people in various fields. As a member of the Iyahaya-tai group, which traces its lineage to the outdoor activity group "Ayashii Tankentai" led by author Makoto Shiina, he has appeared in essays and other works and the two of them have also published co-authored books.
In 2007, he won the Domon Ken Award (Mainichi Shimbun), known as the Naoki Prize of the photography world, for his book "27,000 Hours of Journey Under the Sea" (Kodansha), which he had published the previous year. In the same year, he also won the Photographic Society of Japan Annual Award. While building a brilliant career, having shot on location for television and magazines both domestically and overseas, he continued to pursue his subjects and traveled to photograph them over a long period of time. In addition to his 30-year-long pursuit of the Gurukun fishing industry, which serves as a valuable record of Okinawan fishermen and their historical background, he has also produced many works that focus on environmental issues, such as those in Minamata Bay, Isahaya Bay, and Shiraho on Ishigaki Island. In 1990, he published "Shiraho" (Joho Center Publishing Bureau), and in 2016, he published the photo book "Distant Gurukun" (Nikkei National Geographic).
Gurukun* fishing, a traditional Okinawan fishing method, has been photographed for 30 years, with a focus on black and white photography.
*Gurukun is the Okinawan dialect name for a Double-lined fusilier in the scorpionfish family.
In 2024, he published a photo book titled "KAICYU GANMEN DAI-HAKURANKAI" which means Underwater Face Exhibition (Joho Center Publishing Bureau), and held a photo exhibition of the same name which traveled throughout Japan and was well-received. In 2025, he will hold a photo exhibition titled "URABANDAI Goshikinuma Lakes and Marshes", showcasing the exquisite works he has taken over the past 37 years in Urabandai. This is already generating a lot of buzz.
Member of Japan Photographic Association and Japan Photographers Association
His photobook ”UMIHENOTABI(Journey to the Sea)” published in 2014 conveyed the beauty and wonder of the ocean teeming with biodiversity, and photo exhibitions were nationwide.
【Photobook】
KAICYU GANMEN DAI-HAKURANKAI
(Undersea face exhibitio)
https://crevis.co.jp/publishing/kaichuganmen/
