Daido Moriyama (b. 1938, Osaka) is a global icon of Japanese street photography, known for his gritty, high-contrast black-and-white images. His signature style—“are, bure, boke” (grainy, blurry, out-of-focus)—redefined visual storytelling in postwar Japan.

After assisting photographers Takeji Iwamiya and Eikoh Hosoe, Moriyama began his solo career in 1964. His early work earned fast acclaim, including the Japan Photo Critics Association New Artist Award in 1967 for Japan: A Photo Theater.

From 1968–1970, he was part of the radical magazine Provoke, which helped shape a new era of avant-garde Japanese photography. His work continues to influence street and documentary photographers worldwide.

Moriyama has exhibited at major institutions including The Met (New York), Fondation Cartier (Paris), and Tate Modern (London). In 2012, he received the ICP Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Today, Daido Moriyama street photography is celebrated for its raw honesty and emotional depth—capturing the chaos, beauty, and rhythm of modern life.

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daido moriyama list of works