Trip Details:

 

What’s Included

• Single room occupancy
• 10 nights at Japanese style accommodation
• All meals (alcoholic drinks not included)
• One on one photographic instruction
• A professional, knowledgeable, and highly experienced Japanese driver/fixer.
• Round trip transportation from the hotel at Kansai International Airport, and back.

What’s Not Included

• Flights
• Alcoholic drinks
• Hotel night stay at on the 4th of November at Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport
• Trip Insurance (REQUIRED) I recommend using World Nomads
• Photography equipment

 

Daily Itinerary

Day 0 (November 4th)

• Arrive in Japan, (KIX) Kansai International Airport.
• Hotel night stay at Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport

Day 1 (November 5th)

Day 2 (November 6th)

Day 3 (November 7th)

Day 4 (November 8th)

Day 5 (November 9th)

• Drive to Gujo < 2 hour drive >
• Gujo Hachiman Castle
• Amidaga Falls
• Fall foliage
• Overnight in tradditional Japanese Ryokan

Day 6 (November 10th)

• Sunrise Photographic session
• Drive to Shirakawa < 40 min drive >
• Shirakawa
• Fall Colors
• Overnight in tradditional Japanese Ryokan

Day 7 (November 11th)

• Sunrise Photography session
• Drive to Hikone < 3 hour drive >
• Drive through Hakusan National Park
• Photograph the beach rocks
• Overnight in tradditional Japanese Ryokan

Day 8 (November 12th)

• Around Lake Biwa
• Photograph Hikone Castle
• Photograph Gardens
• Photograph Shirahige Shrine’s large floating torii gate
• Overnight in tradditional Japanese Ryokan

Day 9 (November 13th)

• Around Lake Biwa
• Tori gate at Sunrise
• Photograph Ukimido Shrine at sunset
• Overnight in tradditional Japanese Ryokan

Day 10 (November 14th)

• Sunrise photo session
• Transfer to Osaka airport or Kyoto < 3 hour drive >

 

Trip Logistics

 

When should I arrive?

At least one day before the tour begins. Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport is a high quality airport walking distance from the terminal. Clean spacious rooms and lots of food options nearby.

 

Where Do We Meet?

We will meet at the Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport the morning on the first day of the tour. Pickup will be at 10:00am in front of the hotel

 

How do I get to Osaka?

There are daily flights into Kansai International Airport (KIX)

 

Guides:

Your tour will be led by myself, as well as my professional Japanese guide, driver and fixer.

 

Group Size:

I like to keep group sizes small at a maximum of 6 people plus myself and Japanese guide.

 

Meals: What To Expect

UNESCO, the United Nation’s cultural organization, added traditional Japanese cuisine, or washoku, into its Intangible Cultural Heritage list meaning that the preservation of this way of eating is vital to the survival of the traditional culture. It was only the second national traditional cuisine honored as such, after French food.

As a chef of 20 years, I can wholeheartedly say that every meal I had in Japan was very, very good. From fast food style ramen, to vegan meals prepared by monks, every dish I had was amazing. Fish, pork, chicken as well as a lot of vegetables should be expected. Noodle bowls and hot pots are the norm.

Traditional Japanese food is usually based off steamed white rice, which can be served with miso soup and other side dishes like fish or pickled vegetables as well as with a main protein and sauce. Instead of rice, many Japanese dishes are noodle-based; soba noodles, udon, and ramen noodles are the most popular. Traditionally, noodles are eaten as a main dish and do not come with any sides.

 

Sleeping Arrangements

I have chosen for us to stay in traditional Japanese Ryokan hotels and guesthouses. The idea is to immerse ourselves in the Japanese culture as much as possible on this tour. The minimal aesthetics represented in these traditional Ryokan are mirrored in Japanese art, music, temples, and even food. The more you surround yourself in these thoughtful and calm environments, the more it will spill over into your photography.

Part of the experience of staying in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese guesthouse, is the relief you’ll feel as soon as you walk in the door. It’s a mindset shift, the opportunity to fully switch to a different, older pace of life where there’s little to do but relax and enjoy the serene surroundings. Hardwood floors are lined with tatami (rice straw) mats. Rooms are modular; staff transform the sitting room into the bedroom after you eat dinner, pulling out single futon mattresses, and bedding according to the season. The mattresses are very comfortable.

All rooms are single room occupancy.

 

Onsen?

The Japanese have been relaxing in public baths since about the eighth century, and it’s been estimated that there are up to 3,000 onsens in the country, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south. At most of the Ryokans we will be staying at, there will be an Onsen on-sight for you to use. Soaking in an Onsen wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day.

 

Suggested Clothing:

Comfortable travel clothing, with some warm weather gear as well. Rain coat and rain pants would be a good addition to your wardrobe for this trip. We may encounter rainy and chilly weather especially in the mountains. Gloves and a hat are also recommended. Comfortable walking shoes and a pair of hiking boots will be plenty in regards to footwear.

 

Weather in Japan.

November means early autumn in Osaka, Japan, with the city’s parks exploding with color. The skies are typically brilliant blue, and the maple trees turn scarlet. It’s cooler and drier, with average high temperatures around 64°f and much less precipitation.

 

Osaka Weather:

Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
	Month	High	Low
	August	92°	77°
	September	84°	69°
	October	74°	58°
	November	64°	48°

Required Photography Gear:

 

SLR, or mirror-less camera system. A camera that you are most comfortable with is key here. It would be ideal to have a main camera body and a backup.

If you are interested in using a great Photography Backpack System, Look no further than Fstop Gear. These backpacks are the best I have ever used. The Lotus would be a great pack for this trip. (make sure to buy an ICU “Internal Camera Unit” for packaging your camera safely, multiple sizes available on the F-stop gear website)

Wide angle lens. I’m a big fan of prime lenses, but a good wide angle zoom will work great as well. Something in the 18-24mm range will be great. If you have an APS-C camera (crop sensor), remember that you will need a 12mm lens to have the equivalent of an 18mm lens on a full frame camera.

Telephoto lens. An 80-200 will be a good lens to have access to on this trip.

Good sturdy tripod. Carbon fiber preferred. I would recommend tripods from: Gitzo, Really Right Stuff, and Manfrotto. If you spent less than $300 on a tripod and head, chances are it is not high quality. Cheap tripods not only will most likely break, but will often not function well due to poor design and low quality.

Good Ball head

L-Bracket * I find these to be such an important piece of gear, especially for shooting landscape

Cable Release Not only do these cable releases help to ensure a sharp photo by reducing camera vibrations, they also allow longer exposures.

Graduated Neutral Density Filters (ND Grads). I also find these essential. A lot of my teachings revolve around these wonderful filters. I recommend Grads and filters made by Breakthrough filters. A 2 stop hard and a 3 stop hard is a great start.

ND Filters. If you want to experiment with long exposures, I would recommend getting a couple of their full ND’s as well. A 6 stop and a 10 stop is a great start to help you experiment with long exposure photography. Breakthrough Filters are the best. The are the sharpest and the most color neutral of all the filters on the market. I recommend getting the lee 100mm filter holder system. You will also need adapter rings for your lenses.

Polarizer. If yo have a 100mm filter system for your ND Grads and ND’s, I recommend getting a 4×4 inch polarizer. With this setup, you can quickly add or remove polarization to any scene you are shooting.

Extra Batteries. You will have the ability to charge your batteries every night, but its always good practice to have a few extras at hand.

3-5 Good lens cloths (I find “The Spanky” to be one of the best on the market )

Cancellation and Payment Policy:

 

A $2,000 deposit is required to secure your spot.