MENU

Explore Authentic Japan and Unearth Untold Stories with Blain & His Team in Japan!

Thanks!

    

View Receipt View Submission
Subscribe to Newsletter
This form is protected by reCAPTCHA to prevent spam and abuse. Information collected may be processed for security purposes.

Thanks!

    

View Submission
Leave this field empty

Japan Cherry Blossom Photography Tours - Japan and overtourism

April 29, 2026

I’m back in Tokyo for a week’s break before heading out again to chase the light and capture the perfect cherry blossoms again and again. I would stay on the road, but I have been photographing nonstop this spring on a broken ankle; it’s only a hairline fracture, along with a tendon strain, and I have been taking care of it wearing compression socks and light strong hiking boots, but my sports therapists insist I take another week's break between workshops to check my ankle ...

Read More

Cherry Blossom Photography Workshop 2026 - Mt. Fuji and Beyond

April 19, 2026

Leading a Mt. Fuji Cherry Blossom photography expedition never gets old — each year brings its own surprises, its own light, and its own story. On my 2026 group cherry blossom photo tour, we spent three immersive days exploring the iconic Mt. Fuji region, cameras in hand and eyes wide open for every fleeting petal.On our arrival, I gathered the group and delivered what might have sounded like disappointing news: the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms had already passed their peak bloom and ...

Read More

The Perfect Cherry Blossoms - Japan Chery Blososm Photo Tour

April 11, 2026

I am currently in the heart of my annual cherry blossom photography workshop tour — an eleven-day cross-country adventure through Japan, chasing golden light and the fleeting perfection of sakura in full bloom. In my last newsletter, I shared that our very first day delivered the perfect cherry blossoms, and that we were heading to Niigata to experience one of Japan's top three cherry blossom lighting-up events. I was confident we would not be disappointed — and we were not.At ...

Read More

Japan Cherry Blossom Photography Workshop

April 7, 2026

I'm currently leading my annual cherry blossom photo tour through the heart of Japan with a small, passionate group of photographers. We met at Haneda Airport in Tokyo and set off on our eleven-day journey — chasing light, bloom, and the spirit of authentic Japan.Our first stop took us deep into the countryside of Nagano, well off the beaten path, where the cherry blossoms were in perfect mankai — full bloom. We photographed them at an ancient Shinto shrine founded over a thousand ...

Read More

The Super Rare Hokkaido White Squirrel

March 29, 2026

This winter, a field report stopped me in my tracks: a rare leucisticHokkaido red squirrel had been spotted in Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. Having spent years photographing the Hokkaido red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris orientis) — known locally as the Ezo-risu, a subspecies of the Eurasian red squirrel endemic to Hokkaido island — I have encountered hundreds of these charismatic animals, but never a white one. Albino individuals are extraordinarily rare, set apart by their ghostly ...

Read More

The Red Forehead of Winter: Leading Hokkaido’s Most Unforgettable Photo Workshops

March 23, 2026

There is a particular kind of silence that exists only in Hokkaido in winter. It is not the silence of absence — it is the silence of fullness, of a world so densely packed with cold and snow and held breath that sound itself seems to freeze before it can travel. I have stood in that silence more times than I can count now, my camera raised, my fingers numb inside their gloves, my eyes fixed on a tiny brown-grey speck trembling in the high branches of a silver birch. And every single ...

Read More

A Dance That Stopped Time: Dance of the Red-crowned cranes

March 13, 2026

There are moments in a photographer’s life that go beyond just taking pictures. Sometimes, the camera feels almost intrusive — you want to lower it, hold your breath, and simply watch. My last week in Hokkaido for the winter of 2026 gave me several such moments, all in a single breathtaking morning. The Snow Ballerinas of Hokkaido. I have spent years leading photographers through the wild, frozen landscapes of Hokkaido, and this intimate knowledge of the island — its light, ...

Read More

2026 Hokkaido Wildlife Photo Workshop Discover Japan’s Winter Wilderness

February 21, 2026

I am currently leading my annual Hokkaido photography workshop, an exhilarating and truly transformational adventure led by me, Blain Harasymiw, internationally recognized master photographer and passionate educator. This is far more than just a wildlife workshop; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime journey into the beating heart of Japan’s wild beauty and vibrant culture. Imagine yourself standing before the jaw-dropping majesty of Mt. Fuji, or gazing into the playful eyes of the famous snow ...

Read More

Steller’s Sea Eagle Photography Hokkaido Photo Workshop

February 10, 2026

I’m happy to announce that I am leading my annual Hokkaido photography workshops. And the other day, we photograhed the magnificent Steller’s sea eagles on the pack ice off the coast of Hokkaido aboard a chartered vessel. This birding opportunity is the highlight of raptor photography of my year—a unique chance for photographers to capture one of the world’s most dramatic wildlife spectacles.Why We Book Three Mornings: Ensuring Your ShotOne of the secrets to our ...

Read More

Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni) - Japan Photo Tour

February 8, 2026

I’m currently leading my second Hokkaido photography workshop of 2026—one of five Hokkaido photo tours I’m running this year. Yet, this adventure is truly special: an unrivalled, once-in-a-lifetime expedition for passionate wildlife photographers. We’ve just completed an exclusive workshop at a luxurious five-star mountain lodge, our basecamp for an electrifying quest to capture the legendary Blakiston’s Fish Owl. This isn’t just any ...

Read More
CLOSE