Draft:Tsuneko Sasamoto

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Tsuneko Sasamoto

Tsuneko Sasamoto (September 1, 1914 - August 15, 2022) was Japan's first female photojournalist.. In a male-dominated industry, she documented some of Japan's greatest personalities and historical moments. Her career spanned over eight decades, making her one of the longest-working photojournalists in history

Early Life and Education

Sasamoto was born in Tokyo in 1914, shortly after the start of the First World War.. She originally wanted to be a painter, but her traditional father was against it, claiming it was not a job for a woman. Discouraged, she went to school for illustration and pattern design. In 1937, Sasamoto saw a black-and-white film by Man Ray, sparking her interest in photography. Additionally, she was inspired by the work of Margaret Bourke-White, leading her to believe it would provide a fulfilling path

Career and Challenges

Sasamoto's career in photography began in 1940, when she was fresh out of school.. Through a family connection, she interviewed with Kenichi Hayashi, the head of the Japan Photo Library. She was asked if she wanted to become Japan's first photojournalist and accepted on the spot, despite having no experience in the field and fearing her parents' disapproval. She had to quickly learn the profession on the job while also navigating the gender requirement to wear skirts and high heels, which at times made it difficult to capture the right shots. Unlike her male counterparts, she was not allowed at the front to document World War II. During the war, she was mostly assigned to take portraits of diplomatic envoys, but she also photographed important historical events, including the Women’s Celebration of the tripartite pact in 1940, Hitler Youth’s arrival in Japan, and the eve before the war broke out between Japan and the United States. Several of her photographs were featured in the widely circulated weekly Shashin Shuho, published by the Cabinet Intelligence Department from 1938 to 1945. After the war, Sasamoto returned to Tokyo and became a freelance photographer, having previously worked as a reporter for the Chiba Shimbun, and continued documenting the voices of those who lived through the Showa era, a time marked by the rise of Japanese fascism and nationalism, as well as the imperial army’s occupation of neighboring countries under the Rising Sun banner. Throughout her career, Sasamoto captured a diverse range of subjects, including student protesters, the wives of coal miners striking against Japan’s largest coal mine at the time, young women training to become geisha, the Imperial Family, Socialist Party leader Inejiro Asanuma on the eve of his 1960 assassination, prominent Japanese novelists, poets, and artists, and the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami

Legacy

Sasamoto's enduring impact lies in both her powerful imagery and her role in advancing gender equality in the field of photojournalism. As Japan’s first female photojournalist, she broke gender barriers in a male-dominated industry, challenging societal norms that restricted women’s roles in journalism and photography. She adapted to the challenges she faced, such as restrictive dress codes that hindered her mobility, and found ways to capture powerful images despite these limitations. Her work was groundbreaking not only for its historical significance—documenting key political, social, and cultural moments in Japan—but also for its approach. She focused on capturing the human side of major events, offering perspectives that were often overlooked. By covering everything from war and political upheaval to everyday life and artistic figures, she helped shape the narrative of Japan’s 20th-century history through photography. Sasamoto’s longevity in the field, spanning over eight decades, and her ability to evolve with the times demonstrated her innovative spirit. Tsuneko Sasamoto published two photo books in her lifetime: Hyakusai no Finder (Centenarian’s Finder) in 2011 and Inquisitive Girl at 101 in 2015. These works highlight her groundbreaking contributions to photojournalism and offer a unique perspective on Japan's social and political transformations throughout the 20th century.

Awards and Recognition

In 2011, Sasamoto received the Yoshikawa Eiji Cultural Award and the Photographic Society of Japan Award in recognition of her contributions to photojournalism, followed by a lifetime achievement award from the prestigious Lucie Awards in 2016.. In 2021, her work was featured in The New Woman Behind the Camera, an exhibition at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art highlighting women photographers who shaped photography as an artistic medium in the early 20th century