Come and Enjoy a private Dreamscapes Aomori, Morioka, Niigata and Tohoku Japan Photo Tour! 

Tohoku is Huge. During the Edo Period, then called Michinoku, Japan, it was the economic center, connecting Hokkaido, Tokyo, Kyoto, Yokohama, Kanazawa, and Osaka. The prefecture was a site of constant samurai activity with the accompanying cultural mores such as: sumo, geisha, and festivals - festivals that have been handed down from generation to generation to present day. Not only does it maintain its festivals, it preserves its Conservative Japanese value system that Kyoto and Tokyo are trying to reclaim. If you want to experience authentic Japan, then the Niigata photography tour - workshop is right for you. You probably will be the only westerners visiting some of these off the beaten path locations. Our clients from Maryland, USA, Gary & Nikki Kohn, commented, “Wow, we haven’t seen any westerners for days! We weren’t expecting this. It’s refreshing and rejuvenating.”

There are 47 prefectures across Japan, Niigata and the prefectures of Tohoku are all ranked in the top in size, and over 75% of Japan is unpopulated mountainous wilderness, so be ready for the Shinrin yoku (Forest bathing) experience of a lifetime!  

The Tohoku region is known as “Snow Country” as Yasunari Kawabata wrote, but the coastline of Niigata only has snow for about two months of each year, and the mountainous regions qualify as “Snow Country.” The Tohoku region of Japan has attractions and ancient pilgrimage routes that span the entire prefecture, and there is something for every photographer to enjoy. If you're a birder, there’s no other place like Niigata and the Tohoku region because countless birds migrate from China, Korea, and Russia and nest or pass through on their seasonal migratory route. Autumn and spring are the high seasons in the Tohoku for birders.

Highlights of this Tohoku birding tour photo workshop can include: only birding, plus Tokamachi, Rice Terraces, especially during golden and blue hour, Northern Culture Museum known locally as the Gono Manor House, Tsubame Sanjo Craftsman and Artisan factory tours, Swans at Lake Hyoko, the Yahiko Shrine or the famous Yahiko Autumn Leaves, Fukushimagata, Niigata Soh-Odori Festival, or the Niigata Furusato-mura, traditional crafts and arts display center, Iwamuro Onsen, the museum of wildlife, Lake Tazawa, Kamakura festival, Godzilla rock, Nyuto Onsen, Hirosaki castle, the Nebuta Museum in Aomori, and other picturesque surrounding areas. 

From $1,067 per day per person all inclusive based on 3-4 participants, 2 participants from $1,358 per day per person; single from $2,037 per day. 

Why Choose This Photography Tour/Workshop?

• All levels of photographers are welcome.
• Any type of camera is welcome: digital, pocket camera, scoping with an iPhone, large format, and others.
• Professional Photo Instruction available when requested (included in tour cost).
• Opportunity to photograph cultural and architectural masterpieces.
• Activity level varying from leisurely to moderate.
• Provided transportation: Sports Utility Vehicle with Business Class Seating.
• Small group size (minimum two people; maximum eight) means quality, in-depth time with your workshop leader.
• All questions are welcome and encouraged throughout your JDS adventure!
• During each morning and evening meal, your JDS photo workshop leader will discuss with you and the group the best shooting options with weather conditions in mind so each tour member will be well prepared to take spectacular photos. 
• No precious moments are wasted in needless seminars
• 2024 is the 27th year that your workshop photography instructors have lead workshops & tours throughout Japan.

The Perfect photography vacation adventure awaits! To start your adventure, all interested parties should fill out the contact form below to begin to process for a personalized cultural photography Japan adventure. Please include in your message your desired dates of travel.  The number of participants.  A few keywords of what you would like to see and experience while in Niigata, such as rice terraces, autumn leaves, Yahiko, an onsen experience, Japanese cuisine, Niigata Festival, or Iwamuro.  

Perhaps you want to try a tour that JDS is already leading but with a more personal focus? Please let us know!

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