For more than two decades, Emmy-nominated photojournalist and filmmaker Shiho Fukada’s work has been driven by an unyielding curiosity about people, and how social issues deeply affect their everyday lives.
Her work has been published in National Geographic, The New York Times and NPR, among others. She has also received grants from the Alicia Patterson Fellowship, the International Women’s Media Foundation, and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
Fukada’s career has taken her across the globe, but her true direction was set during a foundational assignment in New York.
As a news photographer, she was dispatched to cover the aftermath of 2008’s Hurricane Katrina. It was in the wreckage — and in the faces she captured — that she found her calling to refocus her lens from every day reporting, to meaningful storytelling.
“I was down covering Hurricane Katrina, and the man who lost everything in that flood. I was taking pictures, and he’s like, ‘You know, you guys are now really interested in my story, but as soon as you leave the city, you’re going to forget about us,’” recalls Fukada.
“And his words stayed with me for a long time, and really made me want to go deeper after the news headline disappears.”
Since then, journalism has been Fukada’s pathway to engaging deeply with individuals and communities, in hope that, in turn, it helps audiences connect with experiences beyond their own to spark curiosity and interest in stories that exist outside of their daily lives.
Travel with Shiho on National Geographic Signature with G Adventures: Signature: Japan’s Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka
Documenting social inequality across the world
Over the years, Fukada’s path has led her to live in Beijing and Tokyo, contributing to major news outlets, where she found herself especially drawn to covering stories about social inequalities, aging societies, labour and loneliness.
One of the projects she holds close to heart is titled, ‘Nowhere But Here’, a photo essay featuring elderly women in Japan who are incarcerated for shoplifting.
“People often assume these cases are simply about crime or poverty, but as I spent time reporting, I realized that the issue was much more complicated and deeply human,” she recalls.
Many of the women Fukada met were living in extreme isolation, feeling so invisible and disconnected from society that prison became one of the few places where they could experience routine community and care.
“This project became less about shoplifting and more about aging and loneliness, and what happens when social support systems fail, so what stayed with me most was how emotionally complex the story was,” she said.
Storytelling is crucial for building empathy in a way that mere statistics or quick headlines often cannot, says Fukada, adding in today’s fast-paced media environment, many communities are easily reduced to stereotypes or simplified narratives.
“It’s important for people to see themselves represented with dignity, at the same time audiences benefit from being exposed to experiences outside their own lives. To me, good journalism helps people feel connected rather than distant from one another,” she said.
Providing a local lens on Japan for National Geographic Expeditions
As for what’s next for Fukada? She recently signed on to be a National Geographic Expedition Expert — where she will be sharing her array of knowledge and expertise on Japan with travellers — on National Geographic Signature with G Adventures.
As a Japanese photojournalist and filmmaker, Shiho Fukada is confident she offers a lens into her home country that few outsiders can match.
“I was born there. I was raised there. I spent years documenting both contemporary life and social issues in Japan, and also lived that life too, not just as a journalist,” she said.
When travelling for reporting, Fukada rarely engages in traditional sightseeing, instead, she finds herself in spaces that most tourists don’t go to.
“I find myself sitting in someone’s home, sharing meals, listening to their stories, and taking pictures or filming their everyday life,” she explains. “And that’s what I love most about this work.”
As an Expedition Expert, she says her ultimate goal is to spark curiosity and observation, ensuring that anyone who engages with her work comes away with a far deeper appreciation of Japan and its quiet complexities.
“No matter the destinations or itinerary, I think the goal is always the same: To help travellers experience the country, to experience a country beyond the typical tourist perspective,” said Fukada.
Read more:
How this National Geographic Expert enriches and educates travellers
National Geographic Signature with G Adventures: travel that goes deeper
17 things to do in Japan for culture, food, and fun
