How female Japanese photographers rebelled against exclusion, from the 1950s to now

In a world full of sexism and neo-sexism, women in Japan have suffered in silence for a long time. Japan is the worst-performing G7 nation on gender issues, and gender inequality in the country is often masked by high rates of tourism, a high nominal GDP, and a world-leading economy. However, Japan ranks low on the Global Gender Gap Index at 125 in 2023, out of 146 countries.

This disparity is reflected in the limited opportunities for women to find success within the photography industry, leading to a radical faction of female photographers throughout Japan’s recent history.

Published by Aperture, I’m So Happy You Are Here: Japanese Women Photographers from the 1950s to Now is a much needed criticism and celebration, and retelling of the history and establishment of Japanese photography from a female perspective.

Calling it a “restorative history” , Aperture presents a wide range of photographic approaches on the lived experiences and perspectives of women in Japanese society. The book focuses on material from the 1950s onward, with 25 artist portfolios and more than 500 images, including an illustrated bibliography.

“This volume is an electrifying expansion of our understanding of Japanese photography and photo history,” says Aperture, “I’m So Happy You Are Here includes contributions from a range of writers, historians, and artists, further contextualizing the photographers’ meaningful place within the history of the medium.”

One of the inspirational photographers featured in the book is Yamazawa Eiko, who between 1926 and 1928 worked in San Francisco as American female photographer Consuelo Kanaga’s studio assistant, before moving to New York to work with American Hungarian fashion photographer Nickolas Muray.

She learned the trade of studio photography operation, and how portrait photography offered opportunities for innovation and experimentation. Following in the footsteps of Kanaga, Yamazawa became the first woman to open a photography studio in Osaka.

She wrote in 1935:

“There can be no liberation of women while they are hired by men and always work in worse conditions than men. A bright future is promised only when as many women as possible learn their own mission to live and discover their jobs.”

'I’m So Happy You Are Here: Japanese Women Photographers from the 1950s to Now’ is essential reading for anyone who is interested in an accurate history of Japanese photography. Available from Aperture books for $75 (£58), the release coincides with a major exhibition of the same title coming to the Fotomuseum Den Haag in the Netherlands in January 2025, with other venues to be announced.

Take a look at our guides to the best camera for beginners, the best camera for portraits, and the best coffee table books on photography.