Shinji Ichikawa was born in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, and grew up in a family that ran a photography studio. He became interested in photography at a young age and began taking pictures with his grandfather's beloved Mamiya Flex camera. After graduating from Tokyo Visual Arts in 1993, he worked as a photographer's assistant at a studio in Tokyo. In 1998, he moved to New York to start his career as a photographer. There, he became interested in visualizing invisible spaces and atmospheres and was influenced by photographers such as Edward Weston and Andre Kertesz, as well as painters like Giorgio de Chirico and Rene Magritte. After returning to Japan, he continued to run his family's photography studio while creating his own works. His works have received high praise in various contests, including the International Photography Awards and the International Color Awards, and he has won awards in those contests.