SPECIAL
Interview

I’ve always loved going out to see nature, and I used to take lots of photos on my smartphone whenever I did. But once I started competing in the U.S. tour, the scale of nature there was incredible. It made me want to capture those landscapes with a proper camera.

No, it was entirely my own decision. I am being sponsored with Fujifilm and decided to give the X-T50 a try. It’s been about three months now. (As of January 2026)

Of course, it’s a completely different experience from a smartphone! The team at Fujifilm walked me through all of the camera’s features, but honestly, I don’t think I’m making use of all its capabilities just yet (laughs). Still, being able to play around with the settings to adjust colors and light is really fun. It feels like I’m taking photography seriously!

I definitely like the design! It’s so cute! I think there were two or three color options, but I instantly fell in love with this two-tone design and had no hesitation in choosing it. I really love the professional look and feel of it!

The sound was a pleasant surprise! That “click.” It’s distinctive, something you only get with a real camera. It’s a new sensation, and I absolutely love it. Another great feature is its compactness. When I mentioned that I wanted something I could carry with me while competing on LPGA tours, this was the one recommended to me. It’s professional, yet light and easy to carry.

The photos turn out beautifully, which makes it really fun. I’m not quite sure if I’m putting it the right way, but compared to smartphone photos, there’s more of a softness to the images it produces.

That’s right! While playing in a tournament in Hawaii, I had heard about a beautiful sunset spot. I looked it up, figured out the best time, and took the shot.

Exactly. It was a deliberate shot (laughs).
(Looking at the printed photo) It is beautiful, isn’t it?

No, not usually. But I do transfer almost all of my photos to my phone so I can enjoy them. It’s so easy to send them, which is convenient. Printed photos like theis is wonderful too! I recently visited the Fujifilm gallery and was deeply impressed by the prints! I might start printing and displaying my best shots too from now on… (laughs)

Yes (laughs). Being a baseball fan, I often go to games, but I could only get very distant photos before. I asked for Fujifilm’s advice, and they recommended a soom lens. Not only can you shoot your subjects much closer, but the slightest change in angle can also make a huge difference. This makes it challenging, but it also opens up so many different ways to shoot, which makes it even more interesting.

I’m really looking forward to photographing landscapes in the U.S. and other countries while on tour. But of course, I also love the nature back in my hometown, Kumamoto. I actually went to Mount Aso recently, just to take photos, and got a lot of shots!
What I want to photograph the most now is airplanes. There’s a famous spot at Kumamoto Airport where you can capture planes against the sun setting into the horizon. It’s a sight you can only capture during certain times of the year, but I’d really love to give it a try!