NATORI Yonosuke

NATORI Yonosuke 名取 洋之助 (1910-1962) Pioneering photojournalist who introduced documentary photography to many Japanese photographers.

Education Graduated from Keio Gijuku Normal Dept. and studied art in Munich, Germany.

Career Worked for the Berliner Times Illustrated in Germany. Returned to Japan in 1933.

Established Nippon magazine which introduced Japan to foreigners. After WWII, established Shukan Sun News (Weekly Sun News) in Nov. 1947 which was modeled after America's Life magazine. Although the magazine was unprofitable, it provided work to many photographers some of whom became well known like MIKI Jun, SONOBE Kiyoshi, and TOMATSU Shomei.

He then moved to Iwanami Publishing Co. and started the Iwanami Shashin Bunko series of photo essay books covering a variety of topics such as Hiroshima, Nara, and puppet theater. Such post-war projects helped train many photographers, designers, cartoonists, and editors. He took up photographic realism.