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Japan Photography Workshop Tour - Culinary Delights

Sep 01, 2025

Japan offers rich culinary traditions, scenic landscapes, and seasonal treats. From snowy Hokkaido to Okinawa’s subtropical islands, each region presents unique flavors and stunning photo opportunities. Every season is ideal for experiencing Japanese culture, from cherry blossoms to summer beaches, vibrant autumn foliage, and snowy Hokkaido, providing beautiful backdrops for photos and memorable meals.A highlight of Japan’s food culture is the preservation of fish during the colder ...

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Japan Summer Photography Workshop - The Sea of Japan

Aug 31, 2025

There is no better place for a summer photography workshop than along the Sea of Japan, in the picturesque prefectures of Niigata, Yamagata, and Akita. These regions on Honshu—Japan's largest and most populous island—offer an authentic and visually stunning experience for photographers of all levels. After my annual Cherry Blossom photography workshop, my family and I close our homes in Tokyo and Kanagawa and relocate to our beach home, a traditional Japanese Kominka (古民家) in ...

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Hokkaido Photography Workshop - Eagles Deer & Hidden Wildlife Secrets

Aug 21, 2025

A Hokkaido photo workshop tour offers an experience unlike anywhere else in Japan—this is where passionate photographers, both amateur and professional, journey to capture the wild north in its most breathtaking and untamed form. As a resident of Hokkaido, I am deeply connected to this land and its unique seasons, wildlife, and traditions that have been passed down through generations. Every winter, the forests, rivers, and coastlines transform into a pristine landscape that few outside ...

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Sado Island Thunderstorm - Japan Photo Workshop

Aug 16, 2025

There were heavy thunderstorm warnings the other evening at my Niigata, Japan, summer home. It’s a traditional Japanese home, known as a Kominka, that was built over a hundred years ago, just a few minutes' walk from the Sea of Japan, in the Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Park. The park is quasi-national, as it includes the sea, as well as my Kominka’s hamlet on Japan’s main island, Honshu.  The other evening, I was tutoring University visual arts students when I saw ...

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Steller’s Sea Eagles of Hokkaido - Japan Winter Photography Workshop

Aug 15, 2025

Every winter, the snowy landscapes of Hokkaido transform into a spectacular stage for one of the world’s most awe-inspiring raptors: the Steller’s Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus). As part of my annual Hokkaido Wildlife landscapes and cultural Japan Hokkaido photography workshop tour. Participants and I spot and photograph hundreds of these ice age relic raptors while on chartered cruises into the pack ice. Hokkaido's pack ice, specifically the drift ice that arrives from the Sea of ...

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Kodak Moment - Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)

Aug 09, 2025

A shutter chance has two main meanings: the perfect fleeting moment for a shot, or a "Kodak moment.” This photo of the large-billed crow is such a moment. In over forty years as a professional photographer, I have never captured a Jungle Crow with such vibrant colors, thanks to the green leaves, berries, and early morning light, along with a clear blue sky. Jungle crows DO NOT HAVE blue plumage; their glossy black feathers show purple iridescence, appearing blue-purple at certain ...

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Discover Matsumoto Castle on a Hokkaido Photo Tour

Aug 05, 2025

A Hokkaido nature photography tour led by me, your Photography Workshop Leader, is more than incredible wildlife—it’s a journey into Japan’s cultural heritage. Alongside photographing snow monkeys, Steller’s sea eagles, and Red-crowned cranes, participants step into Samurai history at Matsumoto Castle, also known as Karasujo (Crow Castle) for its striking black exterior. Built in 1504 and completed in 1594, it’s one of just 12 original samurai castles still ...

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Japan’s Premier Photo Tours-The Essence of Autumn & Spring & Hokkaido

Jul 28, 2025

My annual Essence of Autumn photography workshop tour, the Essence of Spring Sakura Cherry Blossom Photo Tour workshop, and my Winter Hokkaido Photo Tour. Each workshop tour is carefully crafted for photographers eager to capture Japan’s breathtaking beauty during its prime seasons. All my workshops are a cross-country adventure, fully inclusive from the time we meet at Haneda Airport to the time we drop you back at Haneda Airport. A few unique features are that all my photo workshops ...

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Japan's Ecological & Cultural Lines - Hokkaido Photography Tours

Jul 24, 2025

Contrary to popular belief, Japan is not a small country. Japan spans over 3,000 kilometers from north to south, comprising 6,852 islands and 47 prefectures. Over 70% of Japan is unpopulated mountain wilderness, home to a diverse population of wildlife. Common wildlife in Japan includes bears, deer, raccoons, lizards, squirrels, snakes, rabbits, and monkeys. There are over 90,000 confirmed animal species in Japan. To date, over 600 bird species have been recorded, of which 60% are migratory. ...

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Scouting Locations For Photo Tours

Jul 21, 2025

I started this newsletter to share insights from my recent Yamagata, Japan, scouting trip and, more importantly, to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how I select locations and plan immersive photo tour workshops. Knowing why and how I scout is key to understanding the distinctive value of my tours. I'll detail my recent findings in Yamagata later in the newsletter. ONWARDMy Hokkaido Photography Tours, the "Essence of Autumn Photo Tour" and "Cherry Blossom Photo Tour," are often booked ...

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