Bored Panda once again reached out to Masayuki, and he shared his typical day when taking pictures of cats.
“Lately, the number of cats I photograph in Tokyo has been decreasing due to the TNR (trap-neuter-return) efforts by those taking care of them. As a result, my photography days have also decreased, and I often go more to check on the cats’ well-being rather than to photograph them. Since it’s currently hot in Tokyo, I visit in the evening when the sun is less intense and the cats start moving around. If everything goes well, I’ll take some photos.
When I want to do a lot of shooting, I take a five-day trip to one of Japan’s cat islands, known as “cat islands,” which have many cats. During these trips, I photograph relentlessly from sunrise to sunset. For instance, in mid-July, I visited a cat island in Kagawa Prefecture. I photographed from 5:00 AM to 8:30 AM, had breakfast, then photographed from around 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, had lunch, and continued photographing cats from around 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM. The photos I take are edited in Photoshop Lightroom on the same day.”
Masayuki also told us about a time when a reader’s response really touched him.
“I started posting cat photos on Instagram every day because when I posted my first cat photo, I received comments like “Awesome” from cat lovers overseas. These kinds of compliments are not often heard in Japan, and they made me very happy. I thought it was wonderful to have a hobby that could make someone in the world feel happy, so I continued to take photos every day.
I feel incredibly happy when I capture a moment where the cat does something beyond what I had imagined. Such photos, which capture unique situations, become my favorites.”
We were wondering if Masayuki had any plans for the future in terms of cat photography. He responded: “In August, I will go to Tashirojima, a cat island in Miyagi Prefecture, for a photoshoot. This autumn, I plan to visit Kagawa and Tokushima Prefectures for more photography. In October, I will hold a solo exhibition at the Canon Gallery in Shinagawa, Tokyo. In December, I will likely participate in a cat expo in Taipei, Taiwan, where I will also exhibit my photos. I hope to take some photographs while visiting Taiwan as well.”
Lastly, Masayuki added: “If you enjoyed my photos this time, please follow me on Instagram at okirakuoki. Enjoy cute cat photos every day and have a happy time. You can also purchase my photobook and 2025 calendar on Amazon.”
