Sony Ambassador Michael Yamashita has shot for National Geographic for more than 30 years, combining his passions of travel and photography with his love of history and culture.  An Asian Studies major at Wesleyan University and fluent in Japanese, Michael has followed his roots to become a Far East expert. In addition to his work throughout Asia, which has included intensive concentrations in China, Japan, Korea, and India, his work has taken him to six continents.

Michael’s specialty has been in retracing the journeys of iconic explorers, such as Marco Polo and the Chinese admiral Zheng He, along their historic routes to illuminate their discoveries and help us understand the early roots of globalization.  His work has been exhibited in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Italy, Germany, and closer to home, at The Carter Center, LACMA, and the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art. Along with two documentary feature films, Yamashita has published 16 books in multiple languages, including his latest, Shangri-La (spring 2020).

When not speaking or on assignment, Michael can be found with his family at his home and photography studio in rural New Jersey, where he is an active volunteer firefighter.