Hatahata-A Gift From God In The Cold Winter

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  SATOSHI TAKAHASHI, Japan
• Studio
  Freelance Photojournalist
• Website
  https://www.satoshitakahashi.info/
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/satoshitakahashi_photography/

Japanese sandfish, commonly known in Japan as "Hatahata" is an important fish especially for Akita Prefecture. The fishing is carried out only for a limited period from the end of November to the end of December. A long time ago, Japanese people gave the name "God of thunder" to Hatahata, because Hatahata comes over with the winter thunderstorm from the depths of the ocean to the coastal area. The people of Akita believe that they are the "Gift of God" during the harsh winter. This is the reason that the fishermen head to the cold ocean every year with courage and hope.

Satoshi Takahashi is a Japanese photojournalist. Born in Akita Prefecture in 1981, he studied photography at the Department of Photography at Nihon University's College of Art. He started his career as a freelance photojournalist in Cambodia in 2007. In March 2019, he was awarded the 38th Domon Ken Award for his photobook RESISTANCE, which compiles work shot in Cambodia between 2013 and 2018. This is one of Japan's most prestigious awards for documentary photography, and the book has been added to the permanent collection of the Ken Domon Museum of Photography.