Japan Photography Tour

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BOOK NOW: Click here for online Booking Form
$11,000 per person (twin-share price, for friends/couples booking & traveling together)
+ $1500 for singles (your own private room every night)
Strictly 6 guests only – very small group, highly personalised experience
Includes:
- accommodation and welcome dinner in Tokyo prior to the tour (Oct 23)
- 8 nights accommodation (Oct 24-31) and all meals for the duration (up to and including lunch Nov 1)
- all transport including a mix of shinkansen (bullet train) and private minibus (starting & finishing Tokyo)
- Luke and Midori as your local guides including translating, guidance re local sights and customs and photography tuition
- entry fees for all planned attractions/activities
- GST
Not Included:
- airfares and airport/Tokyo transfers (lots of detailed advice provided!)
- accommodation in Tokyo after the tour on Nov 1 (can be arranged for an additional fee)
- personal expenses such as souvenirs, alcoholic beverages etc
- travel insurance – highly recommended
Itinerary Outline
(near final – may stay 1 night at Ginzan Onsen day 5)
Meet in Tokyo for a welcome dinner at our hotel before the tour starts.
Short afternoon walk to nearby Sensoji Temple in Asakusa for those interested.
Day 1: Travel by Japan’s famed bullet train (or “shinkansen”) to Aomori in northern Tohoku We will spend 2 or 3 nights in the far north photographing autumn leaves in the stunning Towada-Hachimantai National Park. A highlight is the Oirase River, one of Japan’s most prized autumn photography locations.
Day 4: Transfer to Ichinoseki in Iwate Prefecture for some cultural highlights amid autumn colours Two nights in Ichinoseki will allow us ample time to enjoy the World Heritage listed temples at Hiraizumi, and some scenic gorges including a short boat ride in Geibikei.
Day 6: Transfer to Urabandai in Fukushima Another location celebrated for its scenic beauty. Mt Bandai is a dramatic backdrop to countless lakes and waterfalls, including the picturesque “Five Coloured Lakes”. Transfer via historic Ginzan Onsen (overnight stay here possible day 5) and Aizu’s famous Tsuruga Castle.
Day 9: Return to Tokyo All of a sudden we are done! We will do some short stops as we return to Japan’s amazing capital city for farewells. Option to add a nights accommodation arrangements too.
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Japan photography tour – Notes
Mt Fuji?
During the planning stages we wanted to include Mt Fuji but with logistics and price considerations we’ve left it out for now. If there is enough interest, we are open to scheduling an additional short trip to Mt Fuji after this main tour.
Japanese Customs and Language
As much as this tour is about photography, it is also a very special chance to experience a country that is very different from Australia/western countries with a fascinating history and culture, great food, and very friendly and helpful local people.
Your bilingual guides, Luke and Midori, will be there to translate and provide advice to enrich your experience. It is not necessary for you to speak or read Japanese but it is always good to learn a few phrases and greetings, and no doubt you will pick up a few of these as we travel!
Travel within Japan
All your travel arrangements are included and will be a combination of shinkansen (bullet train) for the long sections and our own private transport by minibus in the regions we visit.
The shinkansen is a public transport service and as such we will be sharing space with other travellers. We will book assigned seats in advance, and there is luggage space onboard, but there will be times when we are manually moving our own luggage through train stations etc. Please be aware of this when packing for the trip.
As a guide, one large suitcase with enough room for your tripod, your camera bag on your back and at most one extra small handbag/backpack would be ideal.
Hotels
We are looking at high quality hotels (mostly 4 stars) with “western” style beds, rather than traditional Japanese futon bedding, which is generally thinner mattresses placed directly on tatami (straw) mat flooring. Please advise if you very definitely would not like (due to health or other reasons) futon bedding.
Bathing
Japan is famous for shared bathing experience in “onsen” (hot spring resorts) and many of the hotels we stay at will have this option. These baths are shared, and are of course very strictly single gender. Please note, all the rooms we arrange will have your own private bathroom/shower and using the shared baths is optional.
Sunrise & Sunset
Sunrise is approx 6:00 and Sunset is approx 16:45 during the dates of this tour. There is less emphasis on sunrise/sunset shoots on this tour compared to many of my Tasmanian trips. We are likely to attempt at least 1 sunrise/sunset in Aomori, and 1 or 2 of each in the Urabandai area. We will not likely be doing both sunrise and sunset on the same day.
Japan Photo Gallery
Click here to view my online collection of images from Japan, including many of the regions this tour will be visiting.
Bookings
Click here for online booking form, or contact me with any questions.