Japan National Award 2025 Shortlist

To Miku Yokoyama, the ‘sparkling beauty’ of Japan’s industrial landscapes look like parades of light, when observed through a telephoto lens. The photographs in this series were taken over approximately three years, from June 2020 to March 2023, at factories in various prefectures including Osaka, Wakayama, Mie, Okayama, Hiroshima and Kanagawa.In 2020, the plant in Takaishi City, the starting point of the project, ceased operations, and as of 2024, has been dismantled and no longer exists. The three photographs of factory nightscapes of this plant in the series are, the photographer says, ‘Precious images that can never be captured again.’ The photographs in the series were taken using a tripod and long exposure and digitally edited for color adjustments.

Biography ・March 2020: Started photography in Osaka, focusing on factory and urban nightscapes, sharing work on Instagram (@m.i.k.u.3939). ・March 2024: Moved to Fukuoka, now specializing in portraits and guesthouse photography while continuing nightscapes. Exhibitions & Awards ・Nov 2022: Exhibited at Art Gallery F16. ・Jan 2023: Excellence Award in “#Santo no Koko eeyan Photo Contest.” ・Nov 2023: Awarded in “Yappari Suizokukan tte iina Photo Contest 2023.