Pay full price now or a €400 deposit, with the balance payable 8 weeks before the workshop start date.
28 March – 9 April 2027
5 places left
Max 6
13 days
Low to Medium
Various in Tokyo; Kyoto; Osaka
We'll meet at our hotel in Osaka.
Join me in the spring of 2027 for a photography tour of Japan with its beautiful cherry blossoms, also known as sakuras, as well as its futuristic cityscapes.
During the spring months in early April, the beautiful sakura or cherry blossom flowers start to bloom across Japan.
But the photo tour will not only cover these magical flowers, but we will also take in the awesome Blade Runner-like cityscapes of Tokyo and Osaka. Tokyo is one of the World’s biggest cities, and no photography tour to Japan would be complete without exploring at least some of its futuristic districts as well as some of its more traditional temples.
The Japan photo tour is based in various locations. We’ll start in Tokyo, where we’ll spend 2 nights. From here, we’ll head over to the Fuji Five Lakes area, where we’ll spend 4 nights in 2 different locations hunting out the famed sakura cherry trees around Mount Fuji. Then we make our way across Japan towards Wakayama, Nara and Kyoto before ending in Osaka.
As we head across Japan, we’ll take in some of the more out-of-the-way places before arriving in Osaka.
We will spend time seeking out both the traditional and newer sides of Japan. The traditional side will see us capture temples with their stunning cherry trees in the gardens and the newer side will see us capture the grandiose cityscapes.
Arrival in Tokyo
Upon arrival in Tokyo at Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT) airport, make your way to the hotel and meet the group just after check-in time.
After a quick orientation meeting, we’ll head out into the cityscape of Tokyo and take in an observatory so we can watch the sunset over this stunning megapolis.
*If you require help getting into central Tokyo, please contact me
Tokyo city
We’ll be up early to catch sunrise at a chosen spot in Tokyo. After our shoot, we’ll head back to the hotel for breakfast, then head out again.
Tokyo is a city that has a multitude of sites so every year I’ll be taking the group to somewhere different. But expect some of the cultural side of this amazing city as well as the neon-lit street scenes.
Goodbye Tokyo | Hello Mount Fuji
Our last morning in Tokyo will see us catch the sunrise across the city. We’ll take taxis to get us to our destination as the metro won’t be fully operating yet.
After breakfast, we’ll check out, and our driver will pick us up, where we’ll head to Fujikaguchiko to discover the Fuji Five Lakes area.
Fuji Five Lakes
We have a whole day to discover the Fuji Five Lakes area. One of the main attractions here is the world-famous Chureito Pagoda, which is high on our itinerary.
With sunrise over, we’ll have an extended break before heading out again to discover more of the surrounding area.
The Fuji Five Lakes region has a multitude of locations that we can visit so we’ll endeavour to make the best of our time here before heading back to our base in Fujikawaguchiko.
Sayonara Fuji Five Lakes | Shizuoka
We have the opportunity to catch one more sunrise in Fuji Five Lakes before checking out of our accommodation.
The shores of Lake Kawaguchiko offer an unrivalled view of Fuji-san, and with luck on our side, we’ll have a stunning sunrise to train our lenses on.
After checking out, we’ll head around the western side of Mount Fuji where we’ll first stop at the stunning Shiraito Falls before continuing onto our base around Fujinomiya.
Fujinomiya and Shizuoka
An early morning start sees us capture a stunning temple gate backed by Mount Fuji in the background. If the weather Gods are with us, then you’ll be in for an unrivalled view of Mount Fuji as the morning light hits the eastern side of it.
After a break, we’ll continue discovering around the Fujinomiya area. This part of Japan is quieter than the more touristic sides in and around Fujikawaguchiko.
Fujinomiya | Nagoya
After our final sunrise session in the Fujinomiya area, we’ll check out of our hotel and start our journey westward across Japan.
We’ll be spending the night in the city of Nagoya, which is also home to one of Japan’s Edo period castles.
Nagoya | Nachi Falls
After checking out of our hotel, we’ll drive to Wakayama Prefecture. Our destination here is the stunning Nachi Falls and the nearby Seiganto-ji Temple Sanjuno-to 3-Storied Pagoda.
Nachi Falls is Japan’s largest vertical-drop waterfall, which has an awe-inspiring 133m drop. It is truly one of the most magnificent scenes that we will see during the Japan Cherry Blossom photo tour.
Nara
There’s no sunrise shoot today, but after breakfast we’ll be headed to the ancient capital of Nara.
On the way, we’ll stop at Tsubosaka-dera Temple with the stunning Sakura Daibutsu (Cherry Blossom Great Buddha), a towering 10-meter (33-foot) stone Buddha that sits amidst roughly 300 blooming cherry trees.
We’ll be winding our way across the mountainous landscape of Wakayama before reaching our hotel in Nara.
Nara | Kyoto
There’ll be an optional sunrise shoot at Ukimido Pavilion before breakfast.
After checking out, we’ll drive up to Kyoto, which needs no introduction. Across the city, there are a staggering 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
We will endeavour to capture some of the highlights of this magnificent city and the cherry blossoms that are in and around the various sites across the city.
Kyoto
Rising before sunrise, we’ll be up early to catch the stunning Fushimi Inari Taisha temple and its mesmerising endless rows of torii gates.
After breakfast, we’ll have a break before heading out to lunch and to take in more of the city of Kyoto with its 1000s of temples and shrines.
Kyoto | Osaka
Our photo tour adventure across Japan is nearly at an end, but there is a final chance to capture the cityscapes of Osaka in this captivating country.
Osaka is Japan’s second-largest city, and we’ll look to capture the more modern side of the city, leaving behind the temples and shrines of the last few days.
Our final evening in the city will see us capture the cityscape from a unique vantage point. We have the opportunity to have a farewell dinner together as the city lights take over from the fading sunset.
Farewell to Japan
Depending on participants’ travel schedules, we’ll head out for one more sunrise shoot. This time, we’ll head to Shitennoji Temple to see the temple as the sun illuminates the morning sky.
After breakfast, it’s check-out time, and participants head their own way back home.
If you have a flight from Osaka, depending on the time, then we may be able to drop you off at the airport. Otherwise, you are welcome to join us for the ride back to Tokyo, where we arrive in the early evening.
I’m here as a professional landscape and travel photographer to help you get the best from the Japan cherry blossom photo tour. You can expect:
The two inevitable questions before any photography tour are “what camera gear do I bring and what clothing?”
Camera Gear
Clothing
We will all meet at our hotel in central Osaka. If you need help getting from the airport to the hotel, please contact me.
Yes, it can be chilly in the mornings and evenings, but be prepared for warm days as well as the odd rain shower.
Make sure to bring comfortable clothing. You will need a fleece for dawn/ evening shoots.
Comfortable walking shoes are ideal for both walking around the ancient temples as well as the city.
It can be crowded in the photo hotspots of Japan, such as Kyoto, but this is mainly evident during the daytime.
Early in the morning, you find that most people aren’t walking around yet, and we will concentrate our efforts on getting to the major places at the optimum time. That’s not to say we won’t see people or other photographers, so please be aware of this and have due patience.
A wide-angle lens (16-35mm) and a medium zoom (24-70mm) are the lenses we’ll be using the most. A longer zoom (100-400) will be useful to cover most compositional eventualities that we may need to isolate.
Although not essential, it’s a great idea to bring a laptop computer with you so you can discuss imagery with me.
I try to make a point of helping those who need it in digital photography. If inclement weather or tiredness takes hold, it can help to have a computer session to assess our progress.
What’s included in the tour?
4-star or 3-star hotel accommodation in double rooms on a single-occupancy basis (no single supplement) and private en suite bathrooms. Depending on the area, it may not always be possible to get 4-star hotels. The hotels will still be comfortable and clean.
All meals from dinner on Sunday night to breakfast on the departure day.
Ground transportation in private air-conditioned vehicles for the listed activities
Public transport, taxis during the Tokyo part of the tour (Suica card for metro etc).
Site entry fees (if applicable)
Tuition from Julian Elliott
What’s not included
International flights to and from Japan
Airport taxes
Entry visa, if required, to Japan
Early/ late check in/ out service at hotels
Travel insurance and trip cancellation (highly advised)
Medical expenses
Extra drinks or alcohol during lunch & dinner
Personal expenses such as telephone charges, laundry etc
Tips and gratuities for drivers, guides and hotel porters
Services and transportation are for listed activities only
Charges will be applied for any additional requests
All other services which are not mentioned in the Inclusion section
My tours fill up quickly but sometimes spots open up due to cancellations.
If the tour you are interested in is currently full and you would like to be added to the waiting list then please fill out this form
Skip to content
