Asahachi Kono

Born in Shiranui Village, Uto District (now Shiranui Town, Uki City), Kumamoto Prefecture. In 1898, Kono moved to the United States at the age of 21. He worked for Iwata Art Store in Los Angeles, which retailed art supplies and photographic equipment along with enlargement service. There he closely interacted with Kiyoshi Asaishi and photographers who had moved from Seattle to Los Angeles, such as Hiromu Kira and T. K. Shindo (Thomas Koryu Shindo). Although Kono did not become a member of the Japanese Camera Pictorialists of California (JCPC), he was known to carry a camera with him wherever he went while he traveled and went camping. In 1924, prompted by receiving the second prize in a photo contest sponsored by Rafu Shimpo newspaper, he began submitting his work to many international salons, mainly in Europe, earning selections. Kono returned to Japan in 1934 and contributed to the advancement of photography in Kumamoto by teaching younger generations.