In 1991, Michael Yamashita embarked on a rare adventure, sponsored by National Geographic magazine, to document the Mekong from its holy source to its destination in the South China Sea. He climbed 17,000 feet up the Tibetan Plateau - what some call the "roof of the world" - to become the first Western photographer to photograph the source. From there, he spent six rugged months tracking this most glorious of rivers. He returned with stunning images not only of the river's wild waters, but of the people who live by and above them.
Yamashita's rich photographs of the varied cultures and peoples who inhabit the lands along the Mekong give a picture of the diversity of life in these regions never before covered in such detail. Many of the 73 images in Mekong: A Journey on the Mother of Waters will surprise the reader, as they are from locations rarely seen by outsiders.
— Mekong
Shangri-La [along the tea road to Lhasa] contains a close up look at a mystical and remote land, with photographs of a way of life that is fast disappearing. Seen with an insider’s eye, these images may be among the last to show the unique aspects of Tibetan life that are undergoing rapid transformation by the Chinese.
—Shangri-la
History will be remembered. The innovative “Belt and Road” initiative and Michael Yamashita’s legendary photographs both send out a beautiful message to the past and the future from different angels. We do know that Magellan’s travel, Marco Polo’s exploration, Zheng He’s voyages, even colonization and slave trade, the facts in history that have slowly been forgotten by people, are all covered in dust, describing human’s constant efforts to build civilizations and recording wars, slaughters and bloodshed. But the human race is progressing and the Chinese people, much like the rest of the world, are eager to develop and utilize our land, sea and space in a rational way to protect our common home and to live in harmony with nature so that we can enjoy the gifts of nature.
— The Silk Road Journey
A portfolio of 88 selected photographs from Michael's China Collection, an archive consisting of over 350,000 color photographs spanning his first trip to China in 1982 to the present. It includes color transparencies and digital files from sixteen major National Geographic stories, five large format books, film footage from his two documentaries on Marco Polo and Zheng He, as well as outtakes and selects from his many other editorial and commercial assignments.
— 88 - The China Collection
Of all the world’s wonders, nothing evokes more astonishment in those who visit it than the Great Wall of China. Its length, scale, age, and cultural significance make it unique among mankind’s achievements. The Great Wall: From Beginning to End takes us across deserts, over mountain peaks, and through more than 2,000 years of history to give us a new appreciation of the most colossal structure ever created by human hands.
— The Great Wall
Join Michael Yamashita as he soars high above the hustle and bustle of New York City in this unparalleled portfolio of gorgeous images conveying the architectural details, off-the-beaten-track neighborhoods, and remarkable energy that make Gotham unique. From legendary monuments like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building to the graceful bridges spanning the boroughs, New York Flying High highlights world-famous sites as well as hidden corners, providing a bird's-eye view that will change the way you see the city.
— New York Flying High
Before the legendary explorations of Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan, Admiral Zheng He sailed from Ming-dynasty China, and in 28 years, made seven voyages visiting 30 countries. With his fleet of hundreds of junks, he traveled from Southeast Asia to Africa, from India to the Middle East, gathering riches, scientific knowledge, fame, and power for his emperor. He came close to conquering the world, until the Ming Dynasty's power shriveled and the explorer's accomplishments were all but forgotten.
In this compelling tribute to Zheng He, Michael Yamashita traces each of his journeys and pays homage to the impressive achievements of this explorer whose feats equal or surpass those of other better-known explorers.
— Zheng He
Marco Polo: A Photographer’s Journey brings to life Marco Polo’s 13th-century legendary expedition from Italy to China, and his homeward sea journey via Sumatra and India. Michael Yamashita has followed in the explorer’s footsteps taking unique, spectacular images throughout two continents, from Venice’s busy Grand Canal to the famous Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing.
— Marco Polo: A Photographer’s Journey
The ancient traditions, breathtaking scenery and vibrant culture of Japan continue to fascinate the world. Michael Yamashita captures the rich variety that can only be found in "The Land of the Rising Sun." This celebration of Japan brings you exquisite images and never-before-seen insights that are an absolute joy to experience.
— Japan: The Soul of a Nation
In the Japanese Garden traces the history of the Japanese garden from its ancient beginnings–when the early Japanese spread white sand in the forest groves to invite the "kami", or spirits, to bring good fortune–to the modern-day garden, where no view is accidental, yet each is in harmony with the landscape.
— In The Japanese Garden