Nature of Japan

World-famous photographer Mike Yamashita's stunning visual journey through Japan’s serene and timeless landscapes

The Nature of Japan is Michael Yamashita’s deeply personal photographic exploration of Japan, shaped by his lifelong connection to his ancestral homeland and decades as a National Geographic photographer.

The book traces Yamashita’s journey from his first visit to Japan—sparked by a desire to understand his heritage—through years of immersion in the country’s landscapes, traditions, and spiritual philosophies. Through evocative images and reflections, as well as ten gorgeously calligraphed Bashō haikus and three luxurious printed vellum inserts, Yamashita reveals the intricate relationship between Japan’s people and its natural world, drawing on Shinto and Buddhist influences that celebrate the interconnectedness and impermanence of all things. His work goes beyond tourist clichés, offering a sensory translation of Japan’s scenery, gardens, and daily life, informed by concepts like mono no aware, wabi-sabi, and the artistry of pattern and light.

The book invites readers to see Japan through Yamashita’s lens—where the sacred is found in everyday details, and beauty emerges from both the fleeting and the timeless.

Michael Yamashita is a renowned visual storyteller who has spent 40 years photographing for National Geographic across six continents, becoming the first person of color to be a regular contributor. Based in New York and New Jersey, Yamashita is also a volunteer firefighter and an award-winning photographer, teacher, and lecturer. His work has been exhibited globally, and he is recognized as a top photography influencer with over 1.7 million Instagram followers. Yamashita’s commercial clients include major brands like Sony and Visa, and he has published 16 books on topics such as Marco Polo and the Silk Road. He continues to produce documentaries and is planning new exhibitions and books focused on his experiences in China and Japan.

Shunran Yamaoki was born in 1948 in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. From the first through fifth grade of elementary school, she studied calligraphy almost every day after school. Guided by the principles that “calligraphy is the art of line” and that “the writing reflects the person,” her artistic style avoids excessive deformation and strives to maintain dignity and refinement. In 2012, she exhibited at the 34th Exhibition for the Export of Japanese Fine Art in Belgium (ArtGent 2012) in Ghent. She has also received numerous awards at the Sankei International Calligraphy Exhibition in Japan and currently serves as a juror for the same exhibition.

Matsuo Basho (1644–1694) is widely regarded as the greatest master of haiku, the unique short-form poetry that originated in Japan. Basho’s early work was a variation of a form of collaborative linked verse poetry called haikai no renga. In the wake of his studies of Zen Buddhism, his work became increasingly spare and evocative, evolving into the distinctive 17-syllable poetry that is now known as haiku. A wanderer at heart, Basho traveled by foot throughout Japan and wrote extensively about nature—its beauty and impermanence—with simple yet profound emotion and insight. His most celebrated work, Oku no Hosomichi (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”), remains a classic of travel writing and haiku, and his influence has extended throughout the world into modern literature and poetry.