What is "Perspective: The Viewpoint of 'Sha Shin' Magazine"?
Sha Shin Magazine is a periodical published twice a year by Fugen-sha that delivers compelling photographic works and in-depth perspectives in a high-quality printed format.
As a medium for archiving Japan's diverse and rich photographic culture, we will use this page to share reviews of photography exhibitions and photobooks that cannot be fully covered in our biannual print publication.
We will be uploading manuscripts from our contributors as soon as they arrive, so please be sure to check back often!
Contributor Profiles
In Japanese alphabetical order
Kotaro Iizawa
Photography critic, mushroom literature researcher, and poet. Born in Miyagi Prefecture in 1954. Graduated from the Department of Photography at Nihon University College of Art in 1977. Completed his doctoral program at the University of Tsukuba's Graduate School of Art and Design in 1984. His major books include "Welcome to the Photography Museum" (Kodansha Gendai Shinsho, 1996), "Digigraphie" (Chuokoron-Shinsha, 2004), "Mushroom Literature Encyclopedia" (Heibonsha Shinsho, 2008), "Photographic Thinking" (Kawade Books, 2009), "Reading Contemporary Japanese Photography by Keywords" (Film Art, 2017), "The Perfect Little Lover" (Fugen-sha, 2022), "Trilogy: Winter/Summer/Spring" (Minato no Hito, 2024), and "Return from Cat Island" (Fugen-sha, 2025). General Advisor for Sha Shin Magazine.
Motoha Iijima
Studied photography at the International Center of Photography in the United States. After mastering monochrome photographic expression as a grand-student of Ansel Adams, she returned to Japan to engage with digital expression, two-dimensional expression, and photography as contemporary art. She has curated exhibitions such as "Nuigurumu," "Physical Body Complex," and "Bureiraka?" She has also provided collection loans for "Beyond the Landscape," "Utakata to Gareki (Debris)," and "Red Bull Music Academy Art," among others. As an art collector and sweets enthusiast, she is currently writing a series for publications such as Monthly Art Collectors.
X account: mochiunagi
Miho Odaka
Curator and photography researcher. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1980. After graduating from the Department of English Literature at Sophia University, she completed a Master's degree in Photography at Falmouth University of the Arts (UK). She is primarily active in curating, coordinating, and writing for photography-centered exhibitions. She has been in charge of "Tokyo Dialogue 2022-2024" and the Tokyo touring exhibition of the international photography award "Prix Pictet" since 2015. She contributes to literary magazines, photography magazines, and photobooks. She is a part-time lecturer at Nihon University College of Art and Tokyo Polytechnic University.
X account: Mih00daka
Masakazu Murakami
Born in Tokyo in 1977. Winner of the Grand Prix at the 16th Hitotsubo Exhibition and the Grand Prize at the 5th Visual Arts Photo Award. Published the photobooks "Kumogakure Onsen Yuki" and "Chikatetsu Nikki" (Subway Diary). Worked in the editorial department of "Nippon Camera" magazine from 2008 to 2021. Also involved in editing photobooks and books for photographers. In 2021, he established PCT LLC, operates the website "Photo & Culture, Tokyo," and serves as the editor-in-chief of "Sha Shin" magazine, which was launched in January 2022.
and more...