In collaboration with:

Join photographer Les Taylor on a 12-day photography adventure exploring the beauty of Japan's cherry blossom season! You'll visit some of Japan's best locations, ride the shinkansen (bullet train), try delicious Japanese food, and see the beautiful cherry blossom trees. As you take in the sights, Les will be there to guide you, and to offer professional photography instruction to help you create the best possible images. More details below.

When: Sunday, Mar. 31 – Friday, Apr. 12
Where: Japan
Size: Maximum 10 participants
Cost: ¥475000+ / person [USD Conversion]

Cherry Blossom Photo Adventure

About The Cherry Blossom Photography Adventure

The overall theme of this photography adventure is cherry blossoms. We will be traveling through several prefectures, visiting locations like Tokyo, Kurashiki, Himeji, and more, primarily to see beautiful cherry blossom spots in these areas. However, since there’s much more to see than just the blossoms, we’ll also be visiting other locations that offer great views and opportunities for photography. 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 week-long journey, we’ll travel by shinkansen (bullet train), stay in great hotels, 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 really is a one-of-a-kind trip, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone who loves photography and travel.

About Leslie

Les Taylor is an American photographer with multiple seasons of experience photographing cherry blossoms. Aside from selling prints and licensing many of his images of the sakura, he has also done cherry blossom-based assignments for Japan Travel, and his work has been published in National Geographic Traveler Magazine and Jetstar Magazine. Aside from 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. This is one of Leslie’s favorite times of year to take photos, and he looks forward to sharing this unique experience with you!

Dates & General Schedule

  • Sunday, April 1 || Arrive, meet & greet.
  • Monday, April 2 || Out shooting in Tokyo all day, including some of Leslie’s favorite secret spots. Evening post-processing session.
  • Tuesday, April 3 || Morning shooting in Tokyo, travel to Okayama by shinkansen (bullet train), sunset shooting in Kurashiki.
  • Wednesday, April 4 || Morning shooting in Okayama, afternoon and sunset at special locations. Evening post-processing session.
  • Thursday, April 5 || Sunrise shooting in Okayama, shinkansen to Himeji, afternoon and evening at Himeji Castle.
  • Friday, April 6 || Shinkansen to Tokyo, spend day shooting around Tokyo. Evening post-processing session.
  • Saturday, April 7 || Morning shooting, group adventure ends at noon

Cost

The total cost for this 7-day photography adventure is ¥429000+ (~$3800 USD) per person.

This cost covers: all travel during the adventure, 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.

Cherry Blossom Disclaimer

It is important to recognize that cherry blossom season is strongly affected by the weather. Although the planned dates for this photography adventure give us the best chance to see the trees at full bloom, it is impossible to guarantee when they will reach full bloom or how long the blossoms will last each year. However, that is the great part about having Leslie as a guide—he knows the areas well, and even without blossoms, the planned locations have great spots to visit and photograph. Leslie will do his absolute best to make sure the adventure group has optimal opportunities for great photos, regardless of the conditions.

Click Here To Register On Japan Travel

About The Cherry Blossom Photography Adventure

Cherry blossom season is one of the most magical times in Japan, and during this photography adventure we'll take in some of the best of it! The adventure group will see the blooming sakura (cherry blossoms) in places like Tokyo, Kyoto, Matsumoto, and more. We'll also visit beautiful temples and ancient castles. Additionally, you’ll have the chance to interact with Les during several post-processing sessions throughout the adventure, where he'll show you how to take your images to the next level. But this trip is about more than just photography - that’s why it’s called an adventure! During our 12-day journey, we’ll travel by shinkansen (bullet train), enjoy Japanese onsen (natural hot spring bath), stay in great hotels, enjoy delicious local and seasonal foods like sushi and udon, and much more - all included in the price! (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 one-of-a-kind trip, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone who loves photography and travel.

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 12-day photography adventure:

March 31 - April 2 || Meet at our Tokyo hotel at 2pm, and spend our first few days exploring this amazing city together as we get to know each other. Our time in Tokyo will include everything from famous spots like the Tokyo Tower to hidden locations few foreigners experience. We'll have a post-processing session after a group dinner on April 2nd.

April 3 - April 5 || Travel to the Kansai region, visiting ancient castles and temples, enjoying the beauty of cherry blossom season at every turn. During this part of the trip we'll take part in a Japanese tea ceremony, and again have time to cover post-processing to help make our images really shine.

April 6 - April 8 || Travel back to the Kanto region, where we'll visit unique locations in Chiba and Saitama Prefectures. We'll take in seasonal festivals and foods, soaking in the beauty of the blossoms everywhere we go. We'll also make sure to visit any locations in Tokyo that we didn't get to see the first time around, and have more time for post-processing.

April 9 - April 11 || Travel to Nagano Prefecture, where we'll see another amazing castle, along with the beauty of the surrounding Japanese Alps. We'll soak in the beauty of Matsumoto metaphorically through our cameras, and literally as we pay a visit to an onsen (natural hot spring bath). On the evening of April 11, we'll have an image share & critique session after our final dinner together.

April 12 || Return to Tokyo in the morning. The group adventure ends after our arrival in Tokyo.

Cost

The total cost for this 12-day photography adventure is ¥475000+ per person. [Click Here For USD Exchange Rate]

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 some festivals, in which case participants will need to cover their own food costs

*Cherry Blossom Disclaimer*
The planned dates for this adventure give us the best chance to see the trees at full bloom, but we can't guarantee when they will reach full bloom or how long the blossoms will last. However, Les knows the areas well, and so can easily flex according to conditions. He will do his absolute best to make sure the adventure group has optimal opportunities for photography and adventure!