It's not photography specifically, but one of Japan's most revered historical figures is Fukuzawa Yukichi. In the 19th century, he spent many years traveling th

It's not photography specifically, but one of Japan's most revered historical figures is Fukuzawa Yukichi. In the 19th century, he spent many years traveling through the West, learned English and Dutch, and wrote a lot of books in Japanese about his experiences. He "discovered" the West for Japan and brought knowledge back. They used that knowledge to help re-found the country after the Edo period ended; he's regarded as one of the founders of modern Japan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukuzawa_Yukichi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukuzawa_Yukichi