Profile

Born in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan, Toshimasa Ohnishi grew up in a community where Ise Jingu’s “Naikuu” was within the school district of his junior high school. His relationship with Ise Jingu and the distinctive traditions of the city has therefore been part of his life from an early age.

While in high school, he joined the photography club and began producing photographs primarily focused on the festivals and traditional events of Ise. He also organized and participated in exhibitions outside his school. After entering the workforce, he stepped away from photography for a period of time.

With the spread of digital cameras, he resumed his photographic practice around 2006. From the early days of GANREF, a photography-focused online community, he actively participated in a variety of workshops, developing his photographic skills while also gaining a foundation in photographic printing, exhibition, and presentation. Since then, he has continued to produce work primarily through street photography and portraiture, while actively participating in exhibitions and other presentations of his work.

Following his retirement, Ohnishi returned to his hometown of Ise. His current photographic practice focuses on documenting the distinctive ways of life shaped by the faith and traditions unique to Ise. Rather than focusing solely on festivals and other formal expressions of tradition, he photographs the quiet, everyday moments in which these traditions continue to live.