[8][6] While living in the United States, Ogigami worked on several short films, television shows, and commercials[7] as a cinematographer, camera operator, and production assistant.
Thematically, all of Ogigami's films are similar in nature, a recurring theme being culture clash; a foreigner comes to a new place and is faced with unfamiliar practices and elements.
Most of her works place Japanese characters and elements of Japan culture in these foreign settings; this is true of Kamome Diner, Megane, and Toilet.
In doing so, Ogigami often constructs a critique which "put[s] nationhood under a microscope, to satirise the notion that any particular country can be summarised, visualised, and indeed understood through reference to any single aspect of its culture [or] society.
[15] Her films tackle larger, complex ideas of nationhood and identity, yet in a calm, peaceful environment decorated by carefully constructed and detailed shots.
Her style of creating 'slice of life' stories which pay careful attention to character development and setting has been compared to the works of famous Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu, along with her camerawork which is characterized by "the illusion of flat space derived from bright lighting and defined colors; deep-focus long shots; carefully-centered subjects; attention to negative space; and frame-by-frame composition.
"[2] Ogigami's tendency to "borrow from a multitude of national film histories, invest in a personal and signature aesthetic style, craft distinctive characters, re-use actors... and afford a great deal of attention to detailed environments" has also been compared to American filmmaker Wes Anderson.
[2] Identifiable in her works is an influence of American independent cinema, deep-focus cinematography, a repeated appearance of actress Masako Motai, and frequent detailed shots of food.
[2] Her attention to food across her works is a meaningful choice; Ogigami elaborates in an interview that "I wanted to express that the time of eating together is such a happy moment...
[6] However, the films were less successful in more rural areas of Japan, to which Ogigami expressed her surprise: "I didn’t expect it because we have a popular show on TV with a big transgender star, a comedy that we love and appreciate, but I guess that if LGBT people are in the family or neighborhood, that is a totally different story, they are not accepted.