/ 2026 / Fine Art / Landscape

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Toshimitsu Watanabe, Japan
• Date of Photograph
  06/08/2026

On this day, just after a typhoon had passed through earlier than usual, a tsunami warning had been issued along Japan’s Pacific coast. Despite this, the surfers didn’t evacuate; instead, they happily headed out to the ocean with their boards in hand, seeking waves that were even better than usual. This scene reflects a blend of the resilience and adventurous spirit of the people of Japan, a nation prone to earthquakes. While it’s a dangerous sight, I, too, am one of them—trying to capture that moment on camera.