Day 1  — Tokyo

The trip commences in Tokyo. We take in the bustling street life of Japan's very own megalopolis.

Days 2-4  — Kushiro and Rausu

We fly from Tokyo to Kushiro on the northern island to spend time photographing the rare and sacred red crowned cranes and the Steller's Sea Eagle of Hokkaido. Capturing the cranes dancing in the snowfall is something you will want to witness with a camera in your hand. We will venture out on a boat cruise of the  in search of the Steller's Sea Eagles on drift ice.

Day 5 — Biei

We then head out into the winter wilderness of the Biei area and its picture perfect snow covered landscapes. Like something out of a fairy tale, the terrain appears perfectly manicured in a frozen setting.

Day 6 — Sapporo

The largest snow festival in Japan lights up in Sapporo at night with impressive snow and ice sculptures across the city. Street photography in one of the most snowy cities in the world offers exceptional images.​

Day 7 — Otaru

The Otaru Snow Path festival is held in a small fishing village that lights the canal and adorns the village with ice installations. This is a beautiful time to be in Japan with a camera!

Days 8-9 — Jigokudani

We fly from Sapporo to Niigata and head to the land of the snow monkeys. A day with the snow monkeys up in the hills of Jigokudani is something you won’t experience anywhere else in the world. Photographing them during their winter routine of keeping warm while sitting in hot springs in the snow is something remarkable you wont easily forget.

Day 10 — Mt Fuji

We then head to Matsomoto where the “Black Castle” resides in the center of town. With its surroundings covered in snow, it's a great opportunity to see one of the finest preserved castles in all of Japan.

A drive to the vicinity of Mount Fuji offers a variety of stunning lakes and landscapes against the background of the majestic Fuji-san. ​

Day 11 — Tokyo

We return to Tokyo with a final day to explore. At this time of year, its possible to capture “Diamond Fuji” with the Tokyo skyline that shows the incredible expanse of this modern city. We also visit some of the picturesque traditional areas and temples at times with less crowds. Our tour will conclude at the end of this day and participants can arrange to depart the following day.

The tour covers 11 nights accommodation, domestic flights from Tokyo to Kushiro (Hokkiado) and return from Sapporo to Matsumoto, ground transport, park entrances fees and all breakfasts.

Japan is a gastronomic destination, far more than just Sushi. From succulent seafood to giant bowls of Raman, crispy tempura, or Kansai Okonomiyaki, you will come to appreciate all of what Japan has to offer your palate. When we aren't leaving in the dark to shoot sunrise, breakfasts will be provided. We will be staying in three-star or greater hotels during our trip. We will spend one night in a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese Inn, which will be quite the experience. Each hotel has been selected for their value and offers a comfortable stay in petite but modern and well-equipped rooms.

All rooms on the workshop will be provided as dual occupancy. Single Occupancy is offered on a limited first come, first reserved basis for $850 USD for this tour. Please nominate Single Occupancy when booking or as early as possible to ensure reservation. If Single Occupancy cannot be reserved, we will communicate this as soon as possible.

• Two professional photography guides 

• 11 nights accommodation 

• Dual Occupancy (where possible)

• Domestic flights to Sapporo and return to Matsumoto

• All breakfasts

• Transportation in private cars and ferries 

• All entrance fees to photography locations (snow monkeys and cranes)

• Post-Processing sessions during the tour

We understand getting the photo onto the card is only half of the battle. During the workshop, there will be time to go over post-processing to help you create images that pack a punch. Our photographers will sit down with you to assist your selection process, Lightroom and Photoshop workflows and techniques, and develop your best images, so you can showcase the finest Japan has to offer.

The trip is suitable for the photographer with basic knowledge through to expert level.

• Airfare to/from Japan

• Lunch & dinners

• Train transport

• Alcoholic beverages

• Travel and equipment insurance

• Visas

• Gratuities

• Camera and lenses - ideally lenses that will cover both wide angle from 16-24mm right through to telephoto zoom at 400-600mm

• STURDY tripod - very important

• Torch or head torch

• Spare batteries and charger (plenty of batteries as we are unlikely to be able to charge during the day while travelling)

• Laptop with both Lightroom Classic & Photoshop installed

• Plenty of memory cards and adapter to link with laptop for editing

• Remote shutter control (unless your camera has bulb timer)

• Neutral density filters

• Warm winter clothing - it's midwinter so you will need merino layers, puffer jacket, hat, gloves, warm comfortable hiking boots and possibly gumboots

• Umbrella, rain poncho and waterproof camera sleeve

• The full workshop fee is $6,250 USD

• A deposit of $1,000 USD is required to secure your place

• Remaining workshop tuition amount will be due 90 days before workshop. A reminder invoice will be sent out 120 days before the workshop commencement

Click on the link to view Terms and Conditions.