Famous Japanese photographer to make photo book of Saipan

Famous Japanese photographer Masaaki Miyazawa is here on island to work on a photo book that will feature the many sights Saipan has to offer.

Miyazawa, speaking through translator Ayuko Iwane, said these photos will come from all over the island.

Famous Japanese photographer Masaaki Miyazawa is on island to work on a photo book that will feature the many sights Saipan has to offer. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

“Everybody knows Saipan is so beautiful. I just want to show how beautiful it is again with the photo book,” he said.

He wants people and travelers from China, Korea, and Japan to get a glimpse of Saipan through his lenses.

Saipan is a very small island, but the ocean surrounding it has so many colors, he said. He’s seen the waters from Managaha to Ladder Beach and “each place is a different color.”

“The deep blue of the south, the green of the east side of the island. …The sun makes the ocean different colors. It’s very interesting,” he said.

Miyazawa, 54, has been a photographer for more than 35 years. Growing up, he always enjoyed photography and movies. Most of all, he likes to create by himself.

“I don’t like working with a lot of people, in a team. I like the freedom of doing it myself,” he said.

Miyazawa has been a photographer of actors, actresses in Asia, and done projects in China, on butterflies, and on industrial sites.

He mostly likes to take in the green and oceans of the world with his camera.

One thing he is known for are his shots of Japanese temples. He said he is one of the few who have been allowed to take photos of the Ise Grand Shrine.

He was asked to do so because of the reputation he has built in taking the pictures of other temples in Japan.

“It’s Japanese culture. But it’s not only Japan,” he said. “China and Korea have temples. It’s part of Asian culture. I find how they are made, the wood, the carpentry, very interesting.”

History, he said, can be read by just looking at these temples.

He claims he has over 10 terabytes of shots he’s taken all over the world. In fact, he has already lost count.

“Japan hospitals, schools, offices ask for my pictures on their wall,” he said.

One of his famous photos is called “Red Dragon,” an auburn, dream-like photo of sunlit fog rising at the base of Mt. Fuji in the slender, ethereal shape of a dragon.

He hopes to bring his skill to the sights of Saipan. Especially with a larger Chinese market coming in, he wants to showcase the island even more.

“I really like Saipan. I want to show everybody how beautiful it is,” he said.

Miyazawa will also include in his project photos of Saipan’s culture, from its canoes to its Chamorro and Carolinian dancers, historical sites, and hiking trails.

“Saipan is not like Guam or other islands. I want to learn more about the island and see all its sights,” he said.

Miyazawa resides in Tokyo where he was born in 1960. He entered the Art Department of Nihon University in 1992. A photography major, his senior work received the school’s Art Academy Award in 1983.

His photos have been exhibited all over the world, from China to Greece. Over 2000 of his photos are placed in various hotels and locations.

To see his work, visit www.mmmp.net.