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Japan Photo Tours
& workshops

Autumn colours & cityscapes

A 13-day photography tour of Japan
including the cityscapes of Tokyo and Osaka

Join me for a photography tour of Japan with its beautiful autumn colours or sakura cherry blossoms as well as its futuristic cityscapes.

Workshop dates
Trustpilot Review
I had been wanting to return to Japan after visiting there many years ago. There were a few “must do” things on my list, and since Julian’s trip checked all of those boxes, I decided to take a chance and him a try. Well, we did everything I could’ve wanted on a twelve day trip to Japan, and then some. We did pre-dawn visits to temples, photographed street scenes in the early evening and whole lot more in between. There was just so much variety, and it made for a rich experience. I’ll be traveling with Julian again for sure.
Ken Fishman Japan Autumn Photo Tour

Tour details

Basic information

Group size

Max 5

Duration

13 days

Price

€7495

Fitness Level

Low to Medium

Our base

Various in Tokyo; Mount Fuji; Kyoto; Osaka

Cherry blossom sakuras or autumn fall colours

It goes without saying that the island is famed for its breathtaking displays of Sakura trees or cherry blossoms showing off beautiful seas of pink flowers during late March and into mid-April.

But if you prefer the stunning colours in the maple trees of the autumn fall colours, then look to my autumn Japan photo tour in November, where we’ll look to capture the majesty of the trees in all their glory in places such as Kyoto. 

Autumn color in Daigo-ji temple Kyoto. Taken on the Japan autumn photo tour and workshop in November.
Stunning autumn fall colours surround the 5-tiered Goho Falls . Taken during the Japan autumn photo tour.
Stunning autumn fall colours surround the 5-tiered Goho Falls waterfall in Gifu prefecture, Japan.

Waterfalls

The Japanese government have named over 500 waterfalls across Japan, and during each Japan photo tour we endeavour to visit some of these beautiful places.

One highlight in the Mount Fuji area is Shiraito Falls on the western side of the national park. If we are lucky, we may get to see Fuji-san being framed by the trees around the waterfall.

Other waterfalls are visited as well, depending on the itinerary.

Cityscapes

Each Japan photo tour that I run has stays in some of the big cities that the country is famed for.

In Tokyo, we’ll spend at least two nights and have opportunities to capture the vast cityscape from above in one of the many observatories that are located around this megalopolis.

Osaka is also on our itinerary. Japan’s second-largest city, Osaka, has many photographic opportunities for us to train our lenses on.

The cityscape and high-rise buildings of Osaka at sunset. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
The neon lights and nightlife of Shimbashi in Minato. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
The neon lights and nightlife of Shimbashi in Minato City, Tokyo, Japan.

Blade Runner Nightscapes

Japanese cities are photogenic at any time of the day, but especially at night when the neon signs start illuminating the streets at ground level.

All manner of colours illuminate passers-by as the shops and restaurants put on a colourful display once dusk kicks in. It’s said that the Kabukicho district of Shinjuku inspired Blade Runner, and it’s not hard to see why.

There will be opportunities for us to capture these scenes depending on our schedule.

Street photography

Street photography is widely popular in Japan due to its unique blend of neon-lit modernism, traditional aesthetics, high-density, and polite, unobtrusive crowds.

During each Japan photo tour that I offer there will be an opportunity to ditch the tripods in favour of a more run and gun approach.

A man selling electronic parts in the Akihabara Radio Center. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
A beautiful Japanese woman poses for a close-up portrait in Gion. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
A beautiful Japanese woman poses for a close-up portrait in Gion, Kyoto, Japan.

People

It’s often the case that photographers like to capture people’s portraits when visiting any particular country. Although not impossible, we do have to exercise caution in Japan.

If you are looking to capture close-up shots of people in Japan, then you must ask their permission beforehand; otherwise, you can fall foul of Japanese law.

I encourage anyone who comes on my Japan photo tour to learn some basic Japanese so that you can politely ask to take a close-up if that is something you want to do.

Temples - Buddhist and Shinto

Any Japan photo tour that I do has visits to temples either Buddhist or Shinto.

It’s easy to do too many temples during a photo tour so I try to limit the number we visit so you don’t feel overwhelmed by this part of the culture.

I’m lucky to have started building close relationships with some temples which give my groups early access to their grounds before opening times so we can fully experience these magical places without crowds of people.

Senso-ji temple in the city of Tokyo. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
Vermilion torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
Vermilion torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. The head shrine of the god Inari located in Kyoto, the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine is famous for its thousands of torii gates which span kilometres.

Torii gates

Japan is rightly famed for its temples and shrines. In some of them we find the torii gates which serve as a symbolic boundary between the everyday world and the sacred, divine space within. 

Frequently painted in bright vermilion, numerous temples and shrines across Japan have these beautiful structures and they feature in each of my Japan photo tours.

Culture

Japan is known across the world for its traditional and modern cultures. Throughout each of my Japan photo tours, we’ll see both of these either in the cities that we’ll be staying in or, more likely, in the temples.

One of my personal favourite parts of Japanese culture is the collecting of goshuin stamps, which can be obtained in the temples.

These unique, hand-painted stamps are unique to each temple, and in some cases, you can find several different ones in one temple.

A woman writes in a Goshuinchou or Honorable red-stamp notebook. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
A woman writes in a Goshuinchou or Honorable red-stamp notebook.
Osaka Castle in Osaka, Japan. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
Osaka Castle in Osaka, Japan. One of Japan's most famous landmarks, Osaka Castle played a major role in the unification of Japan back in the 16th century.

Traditional Japanese Castles

Across Japan, there are 12 original, (Genzon Tenshu) traditional castles that are still standing that have survived since the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.

Each of my Japan photo tours visits some of these castles either in the autumn fall period of the cherry blossom Sakura seasons.

In addition to these famed traditional castles, if our itinerary includes 2 nights in Osaka then there will be an opportunity to visit Osaka-Jo in the morning for a sunrise shoot.

Accommodation

All accommodation on my Japan photo tours is in four-star hotels or, if no other options are available, then we’ll look at a more modest three-star hotel.

If you’ve never been to Japan, then do be aware that room sizes are smaller than you may be used to.

The Ukimido or floating temple hall of Mangetsuji Temple. Taken during the Japan photo tour.
The Ukimido or floating temple hall of Mangetsuji Temple. Famous for being of the Eight Views of O Mi, the current temple hall was erected in 1937.

Photography techniques covered during the workshop

  • Exposure and understanding of how to get the best out of the light
  • Composition techniques to create balanced images
  • Lens choice and focal length. Typically people head for the wide-angle in a landscape but up in the mountains telephoto lenses are also heavily used.
  • Panoramic photography. How to best compose the beautiful panoramas that we’ll see during the photography tour
  • Using Adobe Lightroom or Camera Raw to process our images
  • Using luminosity masks in Adobe Photoshop
  • Colour correction
  • Stitching panoramic images

Upcoming Japan Photography Tours

Light trails in front of the high-rise buildings of Tsukuda. Taken during the Tokyo photo tour.

Tokyo Photo Tour & Fine Art Workshop | September 2026

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The neon lights and nightlife of Shimbashi in Minato City. Taken during the Tokyo photo tour.

Tokyo Photo Tour & Fine Art Workshop | November 2026

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The stunning autumn colors in Daigo-ji temple Kyoto, Japan.

Japan Autumn Photography Tour | 8 – 20 November 2026

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Light trails in front of the high-rise buildings of Tsukuda. Taken during the Tokyo photo tour.

Tokyo Photo Tour & Fine Art Workshop | March 2027

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Early cherry blossoms around the Chureito Pagoda and Mount Fuji, Japan. Captured during the Japan cherry blossom photo tour and workshop in April.

Japan Cherry Blossom Photo Tour | 28 March – 9 April 2027

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The neon lights and nightlife of Shimbashi in Minato City. Taken during the Tokyo photo tour.

Tokyo Photo Tour & Fine Art Workshop | November 2027

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Fall colors in Daigo-ji temple Kyoto. Photographed during the Japan autumn photography tour in November.

Japan Autumn Photography Tour | 14 – 26 November 2027

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Early cherry blossoms around the Chureito Pagoda and Mount Fuji, Japan. Captured during the Japan cherry blossom photo tour and workshop in April.

Japan Cherry Blossom Photo Tour | 26 March – 7 April 2028

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Fall colors at Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto. Photographed during the Japan autumn photography tour in November.

Japan Autumn Photography Tour | 12 – 24 November 2028

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Japan Photo Tour FAQs
What is the experience of the photography tour leader accompanying the Japan photo tour?

I have been a professional travel photographer since late 2010. Having travelled in more than 40 countries, I have extensive experience of the genre in a variety of situations.

You’re in good hands, and I’m here to help you get the most out of your Japan photo tour.

Do I need to be a professional?

No, I welcome all skill levels on my Japan photo tour. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or if you are a more experienced photographer.

What is the best time of year to visit Japan for photography?

This is a very broad question because so much depends on what you want to see and do.

Everyone has their best time of the year to come to Japan. In spring, you can see the famous cherry blossom or sakura, and in the autumn, there is the stunning fall foliage. In winter, most people head to the far north to photograph Hokkaido with its frozen landscapes and wildlife.

All of my Japan photo tours are designed to capture various places at the optimum time of year, so you get the images that you want.

Are there any cultural customs or etiquette I should be aware of when photographing people in Japan?

Never take someone’s photo in Japan without first asking, and this is especially so with close-up photos. You must always ask permission before photographing people, particularly in shrines or at traditional weddings.

Will there be opportunities for sunrise and sunset photography?

Where a subject demands it then yes, we will be up for sunrise or out for sunset photo shoots.

Is it safe to travel with expensive camera gear in Japan?

Japan has a global reputation as a very safe country. In all the years that I have been travelling here, I have never felt unsafe when travelling around either in cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka or even out in the countryside.

Of course, you should always exercise the usual cautions wherever you go and never assume you can just leave your precious camera gear lying around.

What kind of camera equipment should I bring for a Japan photo tour?

This is always highly subjective. Ideally, I would recommend you have at least the following three lenses or equivalent on your camera system. A 24-105mm, a 100-400mm, and a 24mm tilt shift lens for the architecture that we’ll be doing.

A sturdy carbon fibre tripod is highly recommended, along with a table top tripod.

Are accommodations and meals provided, and what type of food can I expect?

All of your accommodation and meals are provided on my Japan photo tours. Alcohol is not included and is at your own expense.

Personally, I am a vegetarian and have never experienced any issues with eating here. It’s not easy, but it’s very possible.

You can expect a variety of foods depending on where you are in Japan. 

Do note that throughout any Japan photo tour, we eat in a variety of places, from Japanese to western-style food. Having lived in Asia for a number of years, I find that if you eat only the food of a particular place, you start pining for variety.

All accommodation is provided on a single occupancy basis, so you won’t be sharing with a stranger or paying extra just because you’re a solo traveller. Unlike other companies, I don’t charge a single supplement. The price you see is the price you pay.

Do the tours include transportation between photography locations?

In Tokyo, we’ll be using the metro and local trains. I provide everyone with a Suica card so that we can easily navigate the transport system.

Outside of Tokyo, I have a driver who takes us around. The driver speaks Japanese and English, so we’ll be well taken care of throughout any Japan photo tour.

 

How physically demanding are the tours? Will we be hiking or trekking?

There are no strenuous walks during any of the Japan photo tours, so you don’t have to be supremely fit to join.

In Tokyo, we’ll be using the transportation system a lot as it’s more convenient than riding around in a van. Typically, you’ll easily walk around 10,000 steps in a day during this part of the tour.

If the tour includes a visit to Chureito Pagoda, then count on there being a walk up 400 steps to get to the viewpoint. Yes, even though not strenuous, tours often involve some walking to prime spots, sometimes starting before sunrise.

What clothes should I pack for a Japan photo tour?

Packing for a photo tour of Japan depends on when you are looking to go.

During both cherry blossom season and the autumn, expect the morning temperature to be below 10°c or around 50°f. So bring at least a light down jacket to account for this.

A rain jacket is always a good idea to bring as you never know when we might encounter bad weather.

Do I need a visa to enter Japan?

It depends on your nationality, but Japan offers visa-free entry to travellers of over 70 countries, lasting for up to 90 days. It’s best to check on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website if your country is included.

What currency is used?

The Japanese Yen (JPY) is the official currency. Credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are accepted, but ensure you have some cash with you as many places are still cash only.

I'm ready to book, how do I book a spot?

To book a spot on one of my Vietnam photo tours, then please feel free to visit the specific page of the dates that you are wanting to go.

There is the usual checkout process that you find on websites.

Payments are securely processed using WooCommerce and Stripe so your credit card details are safe at all times. 

You can either pay a deposit to secure your place or you can pay the whole amount upfront if you choose. 

My website is set up to take transactions in Euros, US Dollars and GBP.

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