Kirt Cathey came to Japan in July 2000 to pursue a career in information security, but quickly picked up an early model Nikon digital camera to continue his lifelong passion in photography and photojournalism. His first experience with photography started with an old Ricoh 35 mm viewfinder camera handed down to him at the age of 12 from his mother. He was influenced by a close family friend, Mitchell Warner, a Guam based freelance photographer, who taught some technical basics. Later in life, after graduating from San Francisco State University, Kirt went to work for the Nichibei Times newspaper as a photojournalist. This journey threw him into a variety of local news and cultural photo projects in the San Francisco and California Bay Area.

Kirt manages a compilation of photos that cover a series of iconic Japan landscapes, path scenes, food, and cultural symbols. Kirt attempts to pass on views from hiking, traveling, and absorbing scenes throughout Japan.

Each of us experience life in our own way, and as a photographers, we try to capture images that move us in the moment. Images that we dedicate to a picture to be recalled, and by viewing that image, we manage to re-experience the moment. These are moments that Kirt experienced – some old and some recent, but all with an impression on this life in Japan.

Let’s start with some food food market scenes! Delicious fresh food and Tsukiji Market in central Tokyo are synonymous. About once a month, our family dawns our jackets, and cycles across town to Tsukiji Market to purchase fresh food and enjoy a wide variety of restaurants for a brunch. Japanese food not only offers paletable delights, but the simplicity and presentation often dictates a large part of the dining experience. The bowl of sashimi (raw fish), called ‘Maguro-don’ in Japanese, is very simple but colorful – presentation and simplicity!

While food in any culture makes for a photogenic experience in any culture, there are many colorful fall scenes throughout Japan that inflect culture at the same time. We experience cultural and religious symbols throughout the cities and country.

Kirt speaks, reads, and writes Japanese, so is embedded in the society within Japan and enjoys interacting with locals throughout the country.