Japan Photography Tour
.
Oct 31-Nov 9 2026: contact us for last minute booking
Oct 30-Nov 8 2027: BOOKINGS NOW OPEN
2027 dates subject to very minor change (confirming in Nov 2026)
$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:
- 1 night accommodation and welcome dinner in Tokyo prior to Tohoku tour
- 8 nights accommodation and all meals for the duration of Tohoku tour
- all transport including a mix of shinkansen (bullet train) and private vehicle eg 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 (can be arranged for an additional fee)
- personal expenses such as souvenirs, alcoholic beverages etc
- travel insurance – compulsory – details required prior to departure
Itinerary Outline
October 30 2027: Meet in Tokyo for a welcome dinner at our hotel before our trip to the north begins. Short afternoon and/or night walk to nearby Sensoji Temple in Asakusa for those interested.
October 31: Travel by Japan’s famed bullet train (or “shinkansen”) to Aomori in northern Tohoku We will spend 2 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.
November 2: 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.
November 4: Travel through rural Japan to Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata. We will spend a night in this beautiful mountain town. Autumn leaves during the day and old buildings nicely lit at night.
November 5: 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”. Historic and cultural visits to Ouchijuku thatched roof village and Aizu’s famous Tsuruga Castle.
November 8: Return to Tokyo All of a sudden we are done! Our last photo stop is the beautiful Tatsuzawa Falls before we return to Japan’s amazing capital city for farewells. Option to add a nights accommodation arrangements too.
.
Japan photography tour – Notes
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, wonderful cuisine, 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 travelers. 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
Our aim is that this trip is a real Japanese experience and highly memorable for all our guests. We have arranged the highest quality accommodation in each of the areas we are visiting. You will enjoy modern comfort with western style beds in modern and comfortable rooms and wonderful Japanese cuisine.
Accommodation details (2026)
In Aomori we are staying at the 1000 year old hot spring resort at Tsuta Onsen. Modern rooms in a traditional old building, with hot spring water in the bath tubs.
Our accommodation in Ichinoseki at Kajitsu no mori includes a very spacious room, and our own private dining room with a magnificently prepared multi-course dinner each evening.
The beautifully appointed Ginzanso in Ginzan Onsen with your own private in-room hot bath.
At Urabandai in Fukushima we will be centrally located at the Urabandai Kogen Hotel among the lakes, right at the entrance to the Goshikinuma Ponds waking trail.
Bathing in an “onsen” hot spring bath
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.
Using these “onsen” baths is totally optional for all guests. All rooms apart from Aomori (2 nights) have your own private bathroom/shower included. In Aomori, we have arranged a private bathroom for our own use, meaning all guests can experience a Japanese “onsen” hot bath, but privately.
For anyone wanting to experience the quintessential Japanese “onsen” (shared) baths, you are very welcome to, and we will discuss all the etiquettes involved beforehand.
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.
In Aomori, rather than sunrise itself, we will be out at dawn to make use of the even early morning light to shoot the rapids along the Oirase River without the crowds. We will also shoot sunset at Lake Towada on each of our two evenings in Aomori.
At Ginzan Onsen we will do a night walk through the historic town to shoot the buildings and streetscape lit up at night.
In the Urabandai area of Fukushima we will shoot 2 or 3 sunsets and 1 or 2 sunrises depending on the weather.
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 to book – November 2026 and 2027 now open!
Or please contact us with any questions.