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 Niigata, from spring through October. For nearly a decade, this has been our routine. We once spent summers at our cottage in Hokkaido, but Niigata’s proximity to our aging parents allows us to visit them within a few hours, unlike Hokkaido, which requires a day or two of travel.

For the past decade, my team, family, and I have explored the coast of the Sea of Japan, from Niigata up to Aomori. Today, we know exactly when and where to find the most breathtaking scenes from spring through autumn. Our subjects include dramatic sea stacks, high alpine landscapes, and vibrant festivals—from Earth Day on Sado Island to ancient Shinto and Zen Buddhist ceremonies, some with thousands of years of tradition. Some festivals draw large crowds, while others unfold quietly in remote villages. The region is rich in “Energy Spots,” or power spots, often natural landmarks or ancient sites, that are believed to have heightened spiritual or physical energy. There are tens of thousands of Kofun burial mounds and villages in the region. Today, many of these charming villages we visit were inhabited during the  Kofun period, and many of the Shinto and Buddhist sanctuaries were built over Kofun sites.