Town of Photography
Culture Capital of Photography
The Town of Photography-HIGASHIKAWA
In 1985, Higashikawa Town declared itself the world's first "Town of Photography".
Higashikawa is a town where nature, culture, and people meet through photography, and in this blessed land, Higashikawa aims to create a town that is open to people from all over the world, a town with a heartfelt "photographic image".
As the "Culture Capital of Photography", we are working to create a town full of smiles by connecting people around the world with photography.
Photography-related Events
Higashikawa International Photo Festival
Higashikawa, the Town of Photography, holds the annual Higashikawa International Photo Festival every summer. The main event is the Higashikawa Award Ceremony along with the Prize Winners' Photo Exhibition, the Independent Photography Exhibition, which has become known as a launching pad for the careers of young photographers, and other events.
National High School Photography Championships (Shashin Koshien)
Shashin Koshien is a national photography contest for high school photography clubs, allowing photography-related exchange between students all over Japan. It is a unique high school photo competition where contestants participate in teams of three, and take pictures according to a specific theme.
Youth Organization of Photography
The organization was established in order to make children of Higashikawa more interested in photography. Twice a month children are shooting with Single-lens reflex cameras, later reviewing the work and polishing their photo taking skills.
