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Nothing says "Japan" like Mt. Fuji, and there's no better time to explore the area than cherry blossom season! This spring, you can join professional photographer Leslie Taylor on the shores of Fuji's five lakes, taking in the world-famous views while the blossoms bloom all around. Throughout the adventure, Leslie will be there to guide and help you take the best images possible. More Info Below...

When: Monday, Apr. 15 – Friday, Apr. 19
Where: Japan
Size: Maximum 10 participants
Cost: ¥350000+ / person [USD Conversion]

Fuji Spring Photo Adventure

About The Mt. Fuji Spring Photography Adventure

Mt. Fuji has long served as a symbol for the unique beauty of Japan. At 12,389 feet tall (3,776 meters), it is the tallest mountain in the country. Additionally, in 2013, it became an official World Heritage site, marking its significance not only for Japan, but for the entire world. In this five-day photography adventure, you’ll experience that significance firsthand as you join professional photographer Les Taylor, along with nine other photographers, exploring all that the Fuji Five Lakes area has to offer. Sunrises, sunsets, sakura (cherry blossoms), and stars are just some of the scenic views we’ll take in as we travel around. Additionally, you’ll have the chance to interact with Les during several post-processing sessions throughout the week, as he shows you how to edit your images to take them to the next level. But this adventure is about more than just photography—that’s why it’s called a photography adventure! During our journey, we’ll stay in a classic Japanese inn (equipped with a private natural hot spring bath), visit an ancient mountainside temple, enjoy delicious local and seasonal foods, and much more—all included in the price of the tour. (See the cost section below for more details.) This is where the expertise of Japan Travel will especially be felt, as they make sure we get to experience it all in style! This is truly a one-of-a-kind trip, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience and photograph the majesty of Mt. Fuji.

About Leslie

Les Taylor is an American photographer with abundant experience photographing both cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji. Aside from selling prints and licensing of his images, he has also done many photographic assignments for Japan Travel, and his work has appeared in publications like National Geographic Traveler Magazine and Jetstar Magazine. In addition to his experience leading photo tours in the country, Les also has nearly 10 years of experience as a resident of Japan—so not only does he know the country well, but he also speaks Japanese, making him the perfect guide for a photography adventure like this. Mt. Fuji is one of Leslie’s favorite locations in Japan, and he looks forward to sharing this unique and memorable experience with you!

Dates & General Schedule

Since almost all of this photography adventure will be take place in the Fuji Five Lakes area, we will have lots of flexibility built into our schedule. This will allow us to visit locations in the best possible conditions. Keeping in mind that this is likely to change based on the weather, here is a tentative schedule:

  • Sunday, April 15 || Meet in Tokyo at 12pm, travel by bus to Fuji-Kawaguchiko. Settle in at the inn, followed by sunset session.
  • Monday, April 16 || Photography from sunrise to sunset around the Fuji Five Lakes area. Evening post-processing session.
  • Tuesday, April 17 || Slightly more restful day, still with lots of photography and a special group dinner.
  • Wednesday, April 18 || Photography from sunrise to sunset around the Fuji Five Lakes area. Evening post-processing session.
  • Thursday, April 19 || Sunrise session and morning post-processing session, plus image critiques. Group adventure ends at noon.

Cost

The total cost for this 5-day photography adventure is ¥330000+ (~$2910 USD) per person.

This cost covers: all travel during the adventure (including Tokyo to Fuji and back), all lodging during the adventure, four special meals, guidance and photography instruction by Les Taylor, any necessary entrance fees (e.g. to parks, etc.).

This cost does not cover: travel to and from Japan, Daily meals (though we will typically eat together and some may be covered by the hotel stays), souvenirs, unscheduled travel, travel insurance, etc.

Mt Fuji & Cherry Blossom Disclaimer

It is important to realize that both Mt. Fuji and the cherry blossoms are strongly affected by weather conditions. A cloudy day can completely obscure visibility of the mountain, and temperatures leading up to cherry blossom season can significantly speed up or delay the blossoms. The planned dates and schedule flexibility give us the best possible chance to see everything. However, that is the great part about having Les as a guide—he knows the area well, and will use his experience and knowledge to make sure that, regardless of conditions, the adventure group has optimal opportunities for photography.

Click Here To Register On Japan Travel

About The Mt. Fuji Springtime Photography Adventure

Mt. Fuji has long served as a symbol for the unique beauty of Japan. At 12,389 feet tall (3,776 meters), it is the tallest mountain in the country. In 2013, it became an official World Heritage site, marking its significance for both Japan and the entire world. In this 5-day photography adventure, you’ll experience that significance firsthand as you join professional photographer Les Taylor in exploring all that the Fuji Five Lakes area has to offer. Sunrises, sunsets, sakura (cherry blossoms), and stars are just some of the scenic views we’ll enjoy on this adventure. Additionally, you’ll have the chance to interact with Les during several post-processing sessions throughout the week, as he shows you how to edit your images to take them to the next level. But this adventure is about more than just photography - that’s why it’s called an adventure! During our journey, we’ll stay in a classic Japanese inn (equipped with a private natural hot spring bath), visit an ancient mountainside temple, enjoy delicious local and seasonal foods, and much more - all included in the price of the tour. (See the cost section below for more details.) This is where the expertise of Japan Travel will especially be felt, as they make sure we get to experience it all in style! This is a uniqe trip, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience and photograph the majesty of Mt. Fuji.

About Les Taylor

Les Taylor is an American photographer with abundant experience photographing Japan. Along with selling prints and licensing of his images, he has also done many photography assignments for Japan Travel, and his work has appeared in publications like National Geographic Traveler Magazine and Jetstar Magazine. In addition to his experience leading photo tours in the country, Les has nearly 10 years of experience as a resident of Japan - so not only does he know the country well, but he also speaks Japanese, making him the perfect guide for this photo adventure. Japan is one of Leslie’s favorite locations in the world, and he looks forward to sharing this unique and memorable experience with you!

Dates & Schedule

We will be flexible with weather conditions, so it’s difficult to say exactly where we’ll go on each individual day. However, with that in mind, here’s a basic outline of what we’ll be doing during this 5-day photography adventure:

Monday, April 15 || Meet in Tokyo at 12pm, after which we will travel by bus to the Fuji-Kawaguchiko area. We'll settle into our inn, followed by a sunset session and dinner together.

Tuesday, April 16|| Photography from sunrise to sunset, including a trip to a mountainside temple with beautiful views of Mt. Fuji. We'll also enjoy the cherry blossom festival along Lake Kawaguchiko. Following dinner together, we'll have a post-processing session.

Wednesday, April 17 || Out shooting all day, taking in scenes along some of Fuji's beautiful lakes. We'll also visit several watefalls, and enjoy the delicious food in the Fuji Five-Lakes area. We'll enjoy another post-processing session in the evening after dinner.

Thursday, April 18 || Out shooting all day, including a trip to Fuji's 5th station. At 2300 meters up (over 7500 ft) this area offers amazing views over the Fuji Five Lakes region, as well as easy hiking along the side of the mountain. We'll close the day with an image share & critique session.

Friday, April 19 || A final morning of photography and brunch together. The group adventure ends at noon. We will part ways from Kawaguchiko station.

Cost

The total cost for this 5-day photography adventure is ¥350000+ per person. [Click Here For Conversion To USD]

This cost covers:
• All travel during the adventure
• All lodging during the adventure
• All group meals*
• Guidance and photography instruction by Les Taylor
• Preparation by Japan Travel
• All entrance fees (e.g. to parks, etc.)

This cost does not cover:
• Travel to and from Japan
• Tips & gratuities
• Alcoholic beverages
• Snacks & souvenirs
• Unscheduled travel
• Travel insurance

*Most meals will be covered during the adventure, however we may eat at e.g. food stalls at a cherry blossom festival, in which case participants will need to cover their own food costs

*Photography Adventure Disclaimer*
Both Mt. Fuji and Japan's cherry blossom season are greatly impacted by weather conditions. A cloudy day may obscure visibility of the Mt. Fuji, and temperatures may speed up or delay the blossoms. The planned dates and schedule flexibility give us the best possible chance to see everything. However, that is the great part about having Les as a guide - he knows the area well, and will use his experience and knowledge to make sure that, regardless of conditions, the adventure group has optimal opportunities for photography.

Deposit & Cancellation Policy

A minimum of 3 participants is required for the tour to run.

A deposit of 30% of the tour price is required for securing your spot.

For details regarding booking and payment contact Japan Travel directly.

 

Cancellation policy:

Days prior to tour - Cancellation fee (% of the tour price)

60 to 31 days - 30%

30 to 11 days - 50%

10 to 6 days - 70 %

5 days to departure day - 100%

Questions? Please Contact Me Below:

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