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Tours of Japan
Photography guides, field notes, and tour reports about Tours of Japan from Japan Photo Guide.
May 17, 2014
Kamikochi Japan | My new favorite place in Japan
I’ve often said that Kyoto is my favorite place in Japan, and perhaps in the world, but last Fall I had the chance to visit Kamikochi for the first time and while I think Kyoto is still my overall favorite, Kamikochi took a small piece of my heart away from Kyoto! Kamikochi offers picture perfect [...]
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May 13, 2014
Why should I visit Japan with a guide or group tour?
I get asked frequently why should I visit Japan with a group or a guide and there are many reasons why you should see the sights in Japan with a guide! There is nothing wrong with going sightseeing in Japan by yourself and Japan is safe enough (actually, crime wise, Japan is probably just about [...]
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May 9, 2014
2014 Summer and Fall Tours of Japan
Japan Photo Guide is excited to announce 2 opportunities to experience Japan in 2014! In June and July of 2014 there is limited availability of short day tours or photography/portrait sessions in Japan. Whether in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hokkaido, Miyajima or someplace else, please contact me about what you want to do in Japan this summer! [...]
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Apr 20, 2014
Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan | Maiko Portrait Session
The 2014 cherry blossom tour of Tokyo and Kyoto in Japan had been going great and filled with special experiences so far. When planning this trip to Japan, one of the experiences I was most excited about was this portrait session with a real maiko! A maiko is an apprentice geisha or geiko as they are [...]
Read article → Apr 19, 2014
Tour of Japan | Ninja Experience
While still in Tokyo for the cherry blossom tour, I arranged an experience at a small dojo to learn about life as a ninja, the tools/weapons ninjas used and even to learn a few moves. For this special experience, it was just the boys as the girls had their day to go shopping in [...]
Read article → Apr 17, 2014
Tour of Japan | Japanese Sword Smith Demonstration
The family I was guiding around Japan during cherry blossom season was interested in participating in quite a few experiences. One of which I was really excited about was visiting with a real Japanese sword smith and getting a demonstration while we were able to take photos. When I was first asked about this, I [...]
Read article → Apr 16, 2014
2014 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan | Tokyo and Kyoto
I love visiting and sharing Japan during anytime of the year, but there is nothing like Japan during cherry blossom season! What started out as me helping the family plan by consulting on their trip, turned into a 8 day tour with them in Tokyo and Kyoto during cherry blossom season. We were perhaps a [...]
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Apr 16, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Fushimi Inari Shrine
Fushimi Inari Shrine is one of my favorite places in Kyoto. It’s a little out of the way in Southeastern Kyoto, but certainly worth the extra effort to get there! There are thousands of torii gates lined up next to each other of various sizes. All of the gates have the names of individuals or [...]
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Apr 15, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Bamboo Grove in Arashiyama
Arashiyama is on the outskirts of Western Kyoto and a beautiful place to visit. I talked about Arashiyama already in my post in Kokedera (Moss Garden) and another popular place to visit, walk through and take photos is the bamboo grove. I recommend going as early as possible, even arriving just before sunrise. I recommend [...]
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Apr 10, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Golden Pavilion
In the Northwest of Kyoto you can find quite a few interesting temples and shrines, including a few that are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites like Ryoanji, Ninnanji and this one Kinkakuji. Or in English, The Golden Pavilion. Perhaps one of the most iconic symbols of Kyoto, and maybe Japan, The Golden Pavilion is [...]
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Mar 16, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Kokedera, The Moss Garden Temple in Kyoto
Kokedera is one of my favorite places in Kyoto. The Moss Garden Temple, aka Kokedera or Saiho-ji, is on the outskirts of Kyoto and you not only do you have to make reservation far in advance by mail, the entry fee is 3,000 yen per person. Even though you do need a reservation for the [...]
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Mar 1, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Shirogane Falls
There are not too many hotel choices close to the Blue Pond and in the Shirogane Onsen area, but the hotel we stayed at, Shirogane Park Hills, is just a minutes walk away from a bridge overlooking Shirogane Falls. This is great for rolling out of bed early in the morning and seeing if the [...]
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Feb 22, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Blue Pond
If you have a Mac, there is a good chance you have seen Blue Pond or Aoi Ikke before as it is one of the National Geographic photos is a desktop photo that comes with Mac OS. While I would love to visit this lake and Hokkaido in the Winter, we were visiting the Shirogane [...]
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Feb 21, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Lake Daisetsu
Lake Daisetsu is about 10 minutes from the Sounkyo Onsen area and there are a couple of different places to take photos. Our group traveling around Japan drove around one part of the lake looking for the angle we liked best and then found parking as close to where we wanted to photograph the lake [...]
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Feb 15, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Kamikawa Angus Farm
About 40 minutes by car from Sounkyo Onsen, and minutes away from Kamikawa Town, is an area famous for landscapes of hills and plains along with The Daisetsuzan Mountain Range in the background. The sun rises on the far side of the mountains and if you come here in the afternoon, the sun will set [...]
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Feb 14, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Sounkyo Ropeway
The station for Sounkyo Ropeway is next to the visitor’s information center in Sounkyo Onsen and the “town center” which has most of the restaurants, small shops and convenient stores in the area. It’s kind of like a really small strip mall. Don’t expect too many choices, but you can find the standard ramen, curry, [...]
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Feb 12, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Ginga Waterfall
Continuing with our exploration and photography tour in the Sounkyo Onsen area, we stopped by Ginga no taki or Ginga Waterfall. There is actually a second waterfall next to this one but we found Ginga no taki to be easier seen and more photogenic. You can view the waterfall from the parking lot area, or [...]
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Feb 11, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Oobako
Oobako is the beginning of the gorge that makes way for Sounkyo Onsen and the Sounkyo Gorge. Oobako is about 10 minutes from the Sounkyo Onsen area and has parking directly next to it. You probably won’t need a whole lot of time here, as the area is quite small, but certainly worth taking [...]
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Feb 9, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Sounkyo Onsen
Sounkyo Onsen is the central part of Hokkaido and northern part of Daisetsuzan National Park. As we continued to tour around Hokkaido, we stayed in Sounkyo for 2 nights. The Sounkyo area is basically inside the Sounkyo Gorge, which starts with the entrance with Oobako. There are a few waterfalls, nice hikes, lake, small but [...]
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Feb 1, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Lake Onneto
Lake Onneto is about 25 minute drive from Lake Akan and part of Akan National Park. While it isn’t as famous with tourists as some of the other lakes in the area like Lake Mashu or Lake Akan, it certainly should be! Lake Onneto is a much smaller lake than Mashu or Akan, and while [...]
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Feb 1, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Oshinkoshin Waterfall
After our final morning in the Shiretoko Peninsula and on the way to Akan National Park, we made a brief stop at Oshinkoshin Waterfall. The waterfall is about 15 -20 minute drive from Utoro and is very easily accessed as there is a parking lot next to Oshinkoshin Waterfall. You can see the waterfall from [...]
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Jan 28, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Furepe Waterfall
Furepe Waterfall is part of Shiretoko National Park on the south west side of the Shiretoko Peninsula. It is fairly easy to access as you park at the Shiretoko National Park Nature Center and then take a short 2km walk/hike to the waterfall. The hike itself is actually quite pleasant and like with the Shiretoko [...]
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Jan 24, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Utoro Sunsets
As the 2013 fall Japan Photo Guide tour was exploring the Shiretoko Peninsula and Shiretoko National Park, instead of camping in the wilderness, we were staying the the town of Utoro just outside of Shiretoko National Park. The Shiretoko Peninsula has quite a few places that are great for viewing the sunset and taking photos [...]
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Jan 23, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Shiretoko Pass
After posting about the portrait session in Kyoto, I’ve gone back to the order of the trip to share with you Shiretoko Pass. On the roads in Hokkaido that go up mountains, there are many passes that have some places to park and offer great views. Shiretoko Pass is inbetween Utoro and Rausu and with [...]
Read article → Jan 23, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Portrait Session in Kyoto
I am going a little out of order from my recent photography tour in Japan with this post here, but this portrait session was such a huge hit with the group, I wanted to go ahead and share it. After Tokyo and Hokkaido our group travelled to Kyoto. While the main purpose of this photo [...]
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Jan 23, 2014
Photo Tour of Japan | Shiretoko Five Lakes
In September and October of 2013, Japan Photo Guide and PhotoSafari.ru worked together to prepare a tour for photographers from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania and of course myself from USA. Including myself, we had 15 photographers touring Japan from Tokyo to Hokkaido to Kyoto. After spending a few days in Tokyo, our first stop on our [...]
Read article → Mar 3, 2013
Interview on Live w/ Katie Adler
Another exciting event that happened in February was that I was asked to be on Live w/ Katie Adler, a voice over artist in Tokyo, Japan, that works for NHK and many other clients. I was really excited about talking with Katie about how I ended up in Japan, going from North Carolina, then Miami [...]
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Feb 2, 2013
Japan Photo Guide and PhotoSafari.ru Photography Tour of Japan
I am excited to announce I will be working with Dmitry from PhotoSafari.ru for an upcoming guided photography tour of Japan in the Autumn of 2013! Dmitry leads photography tours for Russians all over the world and I am honored that he asked me to accompany him to Japan as his Japan specialist. If you [...]
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May 11, 2012
Special Deals on 2012 Summer Tours of Japan
Going to Japan in the summer of 2012? Me too! I will be traveling to Japan this summer in July to visit friends before they leave Japan and also to see family in Tokyo. If you were to hire me for a custom tour of Japan, normally you would be charged my travel fees to [...]
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Mar 1, 2012
13 Day Photo Tour of Japan | Few of My Favorite Photos of Japan
You have probably already seen some photos from my most recent photo tour of Japan when I guided a lovely couple from Turkey from Tokyo to Hiroshima and back, but here are a few more of my favorites from the trip. Actually to be more specific, our photography tour of Japan took us from Tokyo to Hakone [...]
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Jan 18, 2012
13 Day Photo Tour of Japan | My Lovely Couple from Turkey
One of the best parts about leading photo tours in Japan is meeting and developing relationships with my fellow travelers in Japan. Part of the experience that I offer with Japan Photo Guide is to help document your trip to Japan. Of course you will be taking lot’s of photos of Japan, but I think [...]
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Dec 15, 2011
13 Day Photo Tour of Japan | Street Photography in Japan
In November I was lucky enough to lead another private photography tour of Japan. This time, I was with a couple from Turkey, Kurt and Serap, who had always dreamed of coming to Japan. After learning a little more about them, their interests and reasons for wanting to visit Japan, I planned a 13 day [...]
Read article → Dec 3, 2011
Japan Photo Guide Fall 2011
Just returned from an incredible 2 week photography tour in Japan with a wonderful couple from Turkey! As you can imagine, after touring Japan for 2 weeks, I have quite a few photos to go through, but I wanted to just post a two photos real quick! A lot more photos of our trip in [...]
Read article → Apr 20, 2011
Yes, It is safe to visit (most places in) Japan!
Northern Japan is still, and will still be, devastated for a long time, but now is as good as time as any to visit Japan! From Tokyo down to Okinawa, life is back to normal and is safe to travel to. There are two great reasons why now is the perfect time to plan a [...]
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Jan 3, 2011
Japan Photo Tour Fall 2010: Andre and Evelyn
Andre and Evelyn were the latest couple to hire me as their Japan Photo Guide. Andre had been to Japan before for business but hadn’t had much time to explore on his own and speaks very little Japanese. Andre is also quite the hobbyist photographer so it made a lot of sense to hire me [...]
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