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Born in 1948, Okinawa.
Henshichi Heshiki was an Okinawan photographer. He is known for his dedication to the subject of Okinawa and often photographed quiet scenes of Okinawans who lived on the margins of society. Heshiki's understated photographs of daily life in Okinawa have been differentiated from images taken by mainland photographers who visited the islands to shoot the protests and tension surrounding Okinawa's reversion back under Japanese control. Heshiki was most prolific between the late 1960s to the 1990s during which he travelled to and photographed various remote areas within the Ryukyu Archipelago. These images feature in his seminal book Lungs of a Goat which earned him the prestigious Ina Nobuo Award.

Heshiki was also active in fostering a local arts community and throughout his career frequently collaborated with other Okinawan artists. He is regarded as a pioneer of photography within Okinawa and has influenced contemporary photographers such as Ryūichi Ishikawa.