About
the view from japan is a community blog where photographers from around the country share their views. It’s an honor to share them with you. We hope you love the view – we do!
Allow us to introduce ourselves…
Shane Sakata
Shane lives in Chiba Prefecture, about thirty minutes out side of Tokyo, and enjoys photographing temples, shrines and all things “traditional Japan”. She writes about Japan Travel and Culture on The Nihon Sun and co-hosts a weekly Japan travel chat on Twitter via Japan Discovered! Her images are often featured on her website. You can also follow Shane Sakata on Twitter.
- Browse Shane’s views from Japan.
Robert Staehlin
Robert currently lives in Takizawa Village, Iwate Prefecture, about 550km (350mi) North of Tokyo, and enjoys traveling, photographing, computers/technology, quality time with his wife and 2 children, and indulging now in then in the “otaku” culture. He has lived in Northern Japan for 6 years and currently teaches English “everything” (Speaking, Reading, Writing, Culture, computers, etc.) at the college level after working his way up from a JET Programme participant. Alas, he has no blog to speak of but you can follow and contact him on Flickr or Twitter as LostInInaka.
- Browse Robert’s views from Japan.
Hugh Ashton
Hugh has lived in Kamakura for the past 10 years, and in Japan (Hamamatsu, Mitaka) for twice as long as that. He has always taken photographs, but the relatively recent purchase of an Olympus DSLR and some lenses reminded him (i) how expensive a hobby photography can be and (ii) how much fun it is to go out and record images of the surrounding world.
When he is not taking photographs, Hugh sells his writing (and sometimes photos) for magazines, for companies in the banking and financial services world, and teaches a few classes on presentation skills at a university in Tokyo. He has recently published his first novel, Beneath Gray Skies, and is working on the publication of another one (working title Sharpe Practice). In his spare time, he may be sometimes discovered playing Dobro (resonator guitar) in a variety of unlikely locations in the Shonan and Tokyo areas.
- Browse Hugh’s views from Japan.
James A. Jack
After graduating from the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam and working in multimedia production James studied Japanese at Leiden University and eventually ended up living in Japan.
He currently resides in Matsue in Shimane prefecture (the “Home of the Gods”) where he runs an ecommerce company and is very busy setting up his new blog Unfamiliar Japan.
Hobbies include, but are not limited to: traveling, cooking, playing the piano, skiing.
Nationality: Dual British-Dutch
Pets: Kishu dog Yakumo & Pot-bellied pig Bill
- Browse James’s views from Japan.
Sarah Noorbakhsh
Sarah got her first real taste of Japanese culture in 2003 as a student at a university in the backwaters of Saitama, where she lived off expired food from Family Mart and learned Japanese during all-night karaoke sessions and frequent visits to Wara Wara. She has since relocated to the bright lights of Tokyo, where for the past few years she’s been biding her time as a freelance writer, translator and amateur photographer.
She loves travel, reading about current events and new media, and can usually be found loitering in cafes or lurking about town looking for a protest or absurdly long line to photograph. Follow Sarah on Twitter or visit her website, Simple Tribe.
- Browse Sarah’s views from Japan.
Thomas Hammerlund
Thomas first came to Japan in 1996, went back to the States, came back in 1997, then went back, came back in 2003 and decided that going back and forth was too much work. He moved from Tokyo to Sendai and hangs around there for the most part. He blogs about Japan at sixmats.com.
- Browse Thomas’s views from Japan.
Jason Hill
Jason is currently a resident of Hachimantai City in Iwate. He came to Japan in 2003 on the JET Programme. He has taught English at almost all levels and currently works in the junior high schools and elementary schools in his area. He has been interested in photography since his junior high school days and his current ambition to become a professional wildlife and landscape photographer. He enjoys hockey and running in his free time. You can find Jason’s main photo collection is on Flickr , and he has a number of photos for sale at Getty Images . You can also follow Jason on Twitter.
- Browse Jason’s views from Japan.
Derek (iMorpheus)
Derek discovered the joy of photography with the release of Canon’s Kiss X. (Photo taken on his first outing.) He is waiting for a kind soul to “gift” him a Canon 5D Mk. II. Waiting….waiting…..waiting…..
Follow Derek on Twitter, view his photos on Flickr; or visit his website, Epimetheus.
- Browse Derek’s views from Japan.
Jesslee Cuizon
I’m a IT Engineer working in Japan for over 3 years. I’m originally from Cebu, a small island in the Philippines. One of my favorite past times is photography and I take mostly street photos. I really do want to be a photojournalist in the future. I have my own website – The world is so Kalandrakas and you can follow me on Twitter @simplyjesslee.
- Browse Jesslee’s views from Japan.
Andrew Yamaguchi
After spending numerous summers visiting Japan, Andrew finally moved over in 2006 and is currently living in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. A festival and fireworks junkie, you’ll often find him in the thick of things with a camera in one hand and a can of chu-hi in the other. Many of his previous festival photos can be found on his website, Squampton.ca.
- Browse Andrew’s views from Japan.
