About Masashi
Masashi Mitsui
1974 Born in Kyoto City, Kyoto, and currently lives in Tokyo.
1998 Graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Kobe University. Worked for two years at a precision machinery manufacturer, Dainippon Screen Co. Ltd. (now SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.) as an engineer.
Dec. 2000 – Oct. 2001 Traveled around the Eurasian continent on a motorcycle.
Since then, has visited 39 countries, mainly in Asia, and photographed the lives of ordinary people.
Also writes and gives lectures extensively, based on his experiences during these shooting trips.
Won the grand prize for the 2018 Nikkei National Geographic Photo Award.
Publications include; Asia no hitomi: Pure Smiles, published by Three A Network, Inc., Kodomotachi no egao: Asian Smile by Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd., Smile Planet by Parolsha, Shashin wo torutte, darekani chiisaku koisurukotodato omou, (Photographing someone is a bit like falling in love with the person), Shibuikemen no kuni: The Aura of Working Men (country), Shibuikemen no sekai: The Aura of Working Men (world). Last three books are published by Raichosha, Inc.
Biography
1974 Born in Kyoto, Japan
1998 Graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Kobe University.
Dec. 2000 Left a precision machinery manufacturer, Dainippon Screen, Co., Ltd. (now SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.) after having worked for two years, and traveled around the Eurasian continent on a motorcycle for 10 months.
Dec. 2003 Published a photo book, Pure Smiles. Exhibition at Days Photo Gallery, Tokyo.
Jan. 2004-Jun. 2005 Traveled around Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Afghanistan.
Dec. 2005-Mar. 2006 Made his third long journey on a motorcycle, visiting Sri Lanka and Indonesia after the tsunami, and flew to Morocco, North Africa.
Nov. 2006-Apr. 2007 Traveled around Nepal, India, Cambodia, and Viet Nam on a motorcycle.
Dec. 2007-Apr. 2008 Traveled around East Timor, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal on a motorcycle.
Dec. 2008-May 2009 Traveled around Cambodia, Bangladesh, and India on a motorcycle.
Dec. 2011-Apr. 2012 Traveled around India on a motorcycle for 102 days.
Oct. 2013-Dec. 2013 Traveled around East Timor, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Cambodia on a motorcycle.
Jul. 2014 Exhibition titled ‘A Rainbow across Myanmar’ held at Canon Gallery, Ginza, Osaka, Nagoya, and Sendai.
Dec. 2014-Apr. 2015 Traveled around India on a motorcycle.
Dec. 2015-Apr. 2016 Traveled around India on a motorcycle.
Nov. 2016-Mar. 2017 Traveled around Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India on a motorcycle for four months.
Jan. 2017 Won the top prize in the People Division of the 2016 Nikkei National Geographic Photo Award.
Apr. 2017 Exhibition titled ‘Shibuikemen no kuni: The Aura of Working Men (country)’ held at Canon Gallery, Ginza, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
Nov. 2017-Mar. 2018 Traveled around Myanmar and India on a motorcycle for four months.
Nov. 2018-Mar. 2019 Traveled around Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India on a motorcycle for four months.
Jan. 2019 Received the grand prize for the 2018 Nikkei National Geographic Photo Award.
Sep. 2019-Oct. 2019 Traveled around the Ladakh region in northern India on a motorcycle for one month.
Oct. 2019 Exhibition ‘Shibuikemen no tabi: The Aura of Working Men (travel)’ at Sony Imaging Gallery, Ginza, Tokyo.
Award
Grand Prize Winner of the 7th Annual Nikkei National Geographic Photo Prize