About me : Toshiaki Kuramochi
Beyond Light and Lenses: A Personal Journey
A Life-Altering Decision
I was just an ordinary office worker, living in Japan with my family of four. But in August 2024, everything changed—I left the company where I had worked for many years. Up until then, I had been immersed in the fashion industry, sometimes traveling the world as part of my job.
Looking back, my journey had been shaped significantly since the year 2000, when I studied fashion in Paris. That experience in a foreign land sparked a dream in me—to work in a global environment, engaging with people from all over the world. I always assumed I would spend my entire career in fashion, never questioning my path. But life had other plans.
A New Passion, Born Unexpectedly
One day, by pure chance, I discovered something that would change my direction completely. Through the internet, I learned that Japan's optical technology was highly regarded worldwide. In that moment, something inside me shifted.
I became captivated by cameras. The way they captured light, the stories they told—it all fascinated me. The more I explored photography, the more I saw new possibilities. And before I knew it, what started as a simple curiosity had become my new career.
Facing Life’s Fragile Reality
There was another major reason for this change. A few years ago, I lost my father and grandparents. Their passing forced me to confront something I had long avoided—the reality of life’s impermanence.
I began questioning everything. What does it mean to truly live? What am I leaving behind? These thoughts took root deep in my heart, pushing me to seek a life with more meaning.
Breaking Free from the Corporate Mold
Having lived more than half of my life already, I realized I didn’t want to spend the rest of it just working to survive. For years, I had simply followed the structure of Japanese society, going with the flow. But being part of a corporate system never truly felt like living my own life.
The pressures of working in a traditional Japanese company were overwhelming—especially for someone introverted like me. Even on social media, I found myself merely observing, unable to share my own voice.
But after stepping away from the corporate world, I had a realization. To survive as an individual, it wasn’t enough to exist in the real world—I needed to establish my presence online as well. Otherwise, I would disappear.
It was a sobering thought. The career I had spent years building suddenly felt as if it had never existed. I had nothing tangible to show for it.
Redefining My Purpose
Even so, I am determined to find meaning in my life. I want to show my son and daughter—who will soon enter adulthood—that there are many ways to work and live. If they ever struggle with the weight of society’s expectations, I want them to know they have options.
At the very least, I hope to contribute to my local community. And if possible, I want to connect with people around the world—to feel that my life has had a purpose beyond just making a living.
Photography as a Universal Language
That’s why I turned to photography. Even though I’m quiet and reserved, photography allows me to communicate with others who share the same passion. A single image can transcend borders, conveying emotions that words sometimes cannot.
Japan is filled with extraordinary things that remain unknown to the world. To help share these hidden treasures, I launched an e-commerce store specializing in camera lenses. It’s my way of bringing Japan’s craftsmanship to a global audience.
With each photo I take, with each connection I make, I feel as though I’m pressing the shutter on a brand-new chapter of my life.
