Michael Yamashita
Renowned visual storyteller Michael Yamashita has worked for the National Geographic magazine for 40 years, photographing wide-ranging topics throughout six continents. As the first person of color to be a regular contributor to National Geographic, his long career has carried him from the Great Wall of China to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and across all of his ancestral home country, Japan, on more than 30 major stories for the magazine.
After graduating from Wesleyan University, while on a “roots” trip to Japan, he discovered his two passions – photography and travel. His first assignments shooting for Singapore Airlines took him all over Asia while based in Tokyo and Singapore. Since then, Michael’s area of interest and expertise has been Asia, especially China and Japan.
Many of his stories have focused on great explorers, from Marco Polo’s travels along the Silk Road to the epic voyages of 15th-century Chinese Admiral Zheng He and the 16th-century journeys of Matsuo Basho, Japan’s most celebrated literary figure. He has published 16 books, including Marco Polo, Zheng He, The Great Wall of China, Shangri-La, Along the Tea Horse Road to Lhasa, A Silk Road Journey, and In a Japanese Garden. Upcoming books will focus on a retrospective of his 40 years covering China, titled East Meets West, and on his roots in Japan, with the working title Full Circle.
A charismatic communicator, Yamashita frequently speaks at global photography events and has delivered TED Talks that reflect on his career, travels, and the evolution of photographic practice. His social media following exceeds 1.8 million, positioning him as a powerful voice in contemporary visual media and a mentor to emerging photographers.
In recent years, he has ventured into digital innovation, launching successful NFT collections that translate his archive into new contexts, including on platforms like SuperRare. Balancing global travel with grounded community involvement, he lives between New York and rural New Jersey, where he maintains his studio and serves as a volunteer firefighter.
Michael Yamashita’s work has extended seamlessly into film, earning accolades for his historical documentaries. Marco Polo: The China Mystery Revealed was produced as a feature-length documentary retracing the steps of the famed Venetian explorer, while Ghost Fleet: The Epic Voyage of Zheng He illuminates the story of China’s legendary maritime diplomat. These films not only complement his photographic projects but have been recognised for their contribution to public historical education, with awards including Best Historical Documentary at the New York International Independent Film Festival.
His photography has been widely exhibited in prestigious institutions and cultural venues across Asia, Europe, and the United States. Notable exhibitions have been held in Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing, Rome, Frankfurt, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. These exhibitions often reflect themes of cultural exchange, historical memory, and the resilience of place and identity. Whether documenting monks in a snowstorm or caravans in the desert, Yamashita’s exhibitions offer audiences a deeply immersive experience of time, geography, and story.
Michael Yamashita is the author of numerous books that chronicle his explorations and visual storytelling, including:
• Marco Polo: A Photographer’s Journey
• Zheng He: Tracing the Epic Voyages of China’s Greatest Explorer
• The Great Wall: From Beginning to End
• Shangri-La: Along the Tea Road to Lhasa
• A Silk Road Journey
• Japan: The Soul of a Nation
• New York from Above
• Mekong: A Journey on the Mother of Waters
• In the Japanese Garden
