Ryo is an underwater photographer based in Suruga Bay’s Osezaki and on Kume Island in Okinawa, Japan. For more than 35 years, he has dedicated his career to documenting the “unseen lives” of marine organisms. His current work focuses on pelagic larvae and deep-sea–associated species that are extremely difficult to observe in their natural environment. Through his unique blackwater diving approach, Ryo captures their beauty, diversity, and ecological significance, sharing these hidden worlds with audiences around the globe. Ryo began pursuing marine photography in the early 1990s. While working as a dive guide in Osezaki, he developed a strong curiosity toward little-known marine organisms, and this interest eventually led him into the nocturnal pelagic zone. In this constantly changing environment, shaped by moonlight, currents, and the daily vertical migration of countless drifting creatures, he completed thousands of blackwater dives. These experiences helped him develop a photographic style that brings together scientific accuracy and artistic expression. Today, Ryo is internationally recognized as a leading figure in the documentation of pelagic and larval marine life. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The Guardian, INSIDER, and in many scientific institutions and media outlets around the world. He collaborates with researchers from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, as well as specialists studying larval fishes, jellyfish, and cephalopods. Many of his photographs serve as rare in situ records that support academic publications, species descriptions, field guides, and taxonomic research. In addition to photography, Ryo is actively involved in ocean education. Through exhibitions, lectures, and publications, he communicates the ecological importance of marine life and the value of studying early developmental stages. His 2018 exhibition “Jewels in the Night Sea” featured a wide range of pelagic organisms photographed in their natural habitat and played an important role in introducing blackwater photography to broader audiences in Japan and internationally. On Kume Island, one of his primary bases, Ryo conducts blackwater dives in offshore areas reaching depths of 600 to more than 1,600 meters. He continues to photograph rare species, including larval deep-sea fishes, pelagic cephalopods, slipper-lobster phyllosoma, and previously undocumented jellyfish. These observations contribute to research on species distribution, developmental stages, and morphological diversity. Ryo’s photographic style is defined not only by its visual appeal but also by its scientific precision. He uses specialized lighting, custom-built equipment, and meticulous focusing techniques to capture delicate organisms without disturbing their natural behavior. His long-term collaborations with scientists have played a major role in shaping a visual approach that combines artistic elegance with high-quality documentary accuracy. In recent years, Ryo has expanded his activities through several major projects. These include exhibiting cephalopod footage at CIAC2025 hosted at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), collaborating with larval-fish researchers at the Smithsonian, and developing new imaging methods for documenting ultra-small planktonic organisms. He is also involved in organizing the All-Japan Student Underwater Photo and Video Contest, where he supports and mentors young photographers and storytellers. Ryo’s mission is to reveal the hidden life of the ocean and to deepen public awareness and understanding of marine ecosystems. His photographs capture brief encounters with small creatures that drift through the night sea, surviving against extraordinary odds and linking the deep ocean to the surface world. In recent years, he has also worked to raise awareness about the growing issue of marine plastic pollution and its impact on pelagic ecosystems. From his base on Kume Island, Ryo continues to share the stories of the “jewels of the night sea” that rise from the depths each night, bringing their hidden beauty and ecological importance to audiences throughout the world.