About Rika

Originally from Japan and now based in Seattle, I bring a rare combination to travel and hospitality commissions: photojournalism training, genuine cultural fluency across Japan and the West, and the ability to work in both English and Japanese at every stage of a project — from brief to final delivery.

My approach is documentary and candid. I favor real environments over constructed ones, available light over studio setups, and the unguarded moment over the posed shot. The result is photography that magazines, airlines, and hotels trust to tell an authentic story to their readers and guests.

My work has taken me across Japan, Europe, the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Southeast Asia, and beyond. I shoot destinations, interiors, food and dining, and the people who bring a place to life — the full range of imagery that editorial and hospitality clients need from a single trusted photographer.

I am available for assignment worldwide and welcome inquiries in both English and Japanese. I also offer travel, food, and portrait photography workshops for individuals and small groups.

Feel free to email me at rika@rikafoto.com or reach out through the contact menu for inquiries. English and Japanese.

英語・日本語のバイリンガルフォトグラファーとし日米両市場で活動しています。お気軽に日本語でお問い合わせください。

Exhibitions and News:

Seattle Belltown and Downtown Artwalks 2024

December 2020: M.A.D.S. Gallery (Milan, IT)

July 2018: Seattle Public Library Indigenous Stewardship of the Salish Sea (Seattle, WA USA)

January - March 2014: Solo exhibit of the images from the photo essay featuring the tribal fisherman's life at the Suquamish Museum (Suquamish, WA USA) 

May 2014:   Group show at Mall Galleries (London, UK)

Client list:

Widen+Kennedy, Starbucks, Culinary Collective, Newsweek, Sunday Times, DIE ZEIT, RED, Norah, Seattle Public Library, Squamish Museum and others.

Representation:

Stock representation with iStock and Getty Images.