Inside the NHK Travel Show Where Cats Show You Across Japan
Wildlife photographer Mitsuaki Iwago hosts a popular NHK travel program that explores Japan through the perspective of local cats. Iwago, a renowned photographer, uses his expertise to capture intimate interactions with felines in various regions.
Why it matters
The show highlights the intersection of nature photography, cultural travel, and the global appeal of animal-centric media.
Several years ago, the renowned wildlife photographer Mitsuaki Iwago was shooting in the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil. A nearby jaguar had attracted his attention, but he wasn’t satisfied with the shots he was getting. So he tried asking his subject politely: “Can you please roll over?” The big cat somehow complied immediately — a fearsome predator playfully lounging on its back like a common house pet waiting for belly scrubs, now the cover star of Iwago’s Pantanal book.
The article is a human-interest feature story with no political or social bias.
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