Shoji Ueda Museum of Photography

The Shoji Ueda Museum of Photography opened in 1995 and primarily exhibits works by the late Shoji Ueda, a giant in the photography world. Born in 1913 in what is now Sakaiminato City, Ueda moved to Tokyo at 19 to attend a photography school, then returned home and opened a photo studio. Through continued creative work, he won the Nika Prize in 1954 and by 1958 exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He published photo books and began a 12-year serialization in “Camera Mainichi.” In 1978 he received a Cultural Agency award commemorating the agency’s 10th anniversary and was invited to a photography exhibition in France. From 1975 to 1993, he served as a professor at Kyushu Sangyo University. The museum opened two years later, and in 1996 he received France’s Order of Arts and Letters. He continued creating for nearly 70 years until his death in July 2000 at age 87—his trajectory described as synonymous with Japan’s photographic history. Access: by car, about 5 minutes from Daisen Kogen Smart IC (Yonago Expressway), or about 15 minutes from Mizoguchi IC / Yonago IC. By public transport, it’s about 25 minutes by taxi from JR Yonago Station (San’in/Sakai/Hakubi lines). There is also a limited-period free route bus in Hoki Town (reservation required), or it’s about 5 minutes by taxi from JR Hakubi Line “Kishimoto Station.” By highway bus, it’s about a 15-minute walk from Daisen PA.