Life Onboard LAST UPDATE  June 2, 2009
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April 17, 2009 Underwater Photographer Okata Yoji Shares His Amazing Experiences
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Guest educator Okata Yoji, underwater photographer
For the eighth time, Okata Yoji came aboard Peace Boat to share his history and skills as an underwater photographer. Mr Okata, 67, has been drawn to the ocean for as long as he can remember. He began snorkeling in high school. “Scuba diving wasn’t that widespread back then,” he said. “But I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to go through the training and get my license.” But scuba diving is an expensive hobby, and Mr Okata had to start working immediately after high school to pay for his passion. At first, he could only afford to dive around the coast of Japan, which at that time had no diving centers or services. When he wanted to go diving around the Izu peninsula, “I had to take everything with me, including my own oxygen tank.”
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Mr Okata presents his photographs to Peace Boat participants
Mr Okata’s fate changed when he was 21. At that time, Nikon introduced the first underwater camera. Before, he had simply enjoyed being under the ocean and watching the hidden creatures. But once he held the camera in his hand, his interest changed from merely viewing the strange fish and coral, to recording them for everyone else to see. “Sometimes I’d send in my pictures to magazines for scuba diving,” he said. “I pretty much received awards every single time. I’m sure it’s because there weren’t that many people doing underwater photography back then. But because I had so much success, I started thinking maybe I could turn it into my profession.” When Mr Okata was 39, he quit his job as a salaryman and turned the ocean into his office. The courage it took to quit a secure job at an advanced age in Japan—when the benefits of the seniority system were just beginning to come to fruition—is a testament to Mr Okata’s love for his art and an inspiration for many of the young people aboard Peace Boat. The following are some of his many beautiful photographs, all of which are available in his four published photography collections.
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The vibrant colors under the ocean off the coast of Papua New Guinea.
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Though it looks like a particularly bright piece of sharp coral, this yellow and black creature is actually a fish. By mimicking the shape of coral, the fish can avoid potential predators and more easily sneak up on its prey.
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This fish is also practicing a form of mimicry. The two large spots on its fins resemble eyes, making the small fish look like a much larger, more menacing creature.
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In one of the most surprising displays of adaptation that Mr Okata showed, this seahorse has evolved to look almost exactly like the coral of its habitat.
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In an interesting display of symbiosis, a fish gets detrimental bacteria cleaned from its mouth by a creature who uses the bacteria for nourishment.
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Guest Educator Profile
 Okata Yoji, Underwater Photographer
 At the age of 21, Okata Yoji started scuba diving. Since then, he has been taking photos under the ocean as a self-taught photographer while also working full time. When he was 39 years old, he quit his job and became a professional photographer. Recently, he was chosen as a coordinator of a television programme dealing with nature and wildlife, enabling him to take many more underwater photographs. His lectures onboard consisted of photography slide shows and gave participants a clearer idea of the thriving world beneath the ocean’s surface.