It’s no surprise that Japan’s our favourite country – having had multiple trips there already and still wanting to go back for more. Seriously though, what’s not to love, amazing food, unique history and architecture, technological marvels and iconic landscapes – Mt. Fuji I’m looking at you!
Despite the rapid growth of Japans economy and technology, it’s still a place that values its history and traditions above all else. Japan’s also a place that celebrates the seasons and holds a deep connection to nature – these are some of the details I try to photograph during our trips.
Kyoto has a ridiculous amount of history, temples, shrines and pagodas. The city itself is full of concrete buildings, and tower-blocks, but don’t be fooled by this ugly facade, as beyond this lies plenty of old Kyoto charm!
The Higashiyama district is a great place to experience old Kyoto, it’s full of traditional buildings, shrines and temples. It’s also a great place for your camera and the Yasaka Pagoda makes for an interesting focal point when photographing the surrounding streets.
Kyoto is also a place where the elusive geisha can be seen commuting between appointments, a traditional form of entertainment that dates back centuries. “Omotenashi”, the philosophy behind Japanese hospitality can be experienced throughout Kyoto, and you may see waiters or sometimes even the chefs escorting guests outside and bowing to them on departure.
The streets of Kyoto are our favourite place to meander around after dark. There’s so much to explore and the old-style buildings, restaurants and bars are teeming with activity throughout the night.
Venture just outside of Kyoto and you’ll be surrounded by a wealth of history and some amazing structures to photograph.
One of my personal favourite temples is Kinkaku-ji Temple. The main pavilion is covered in gold-leaf and is great to photograph, however a trip here in winter with a covering of snow would top it off nicely! I recommend visiting as soon as the temple opens as it can become very crowded during the day, it’s also worth noting that tripods aren’t allowed here.
Mt Fuji is the most prominent landscape across all of Japan and surely on every photographers itinerary! We always spend time around the Fuji Five Lakes, but I especially like the area during autumn, this is when the whole area comes to life with the vibrant colours of the Japanese Maple Tree.
Lake Kawaguchi is a great place to base yourself, however I recommend hiring a car and visiting some of the other areas and viewpoints to scout for good photography locations. One of our favourite areas around Mt Fuji is Lake Shoji, and if the conditions are right in the early morning you’ll be able to capture some great shots.
Tokyo is our favourite city in the world, no doubt! Sushi, sumo, geisha and a vending machine for pretty much anything you can imagine, what’s not to like!?
It’s also an interesting place for photography. Whether you like landscape or street/urban, you’ll find plenty to occupy your time with here. I recommend checking out some of the side-streets such as Omoide Yokocho and the Golden Gai for photography, then stay for the food and nightlife, you’ll have a blast!
Osaka is one of our favourite cities in Japan and we always try to squeeze a few days in here. We come here for the tasty street food and stay for the atmosphere – think of Osaka as a more fun version of Tokyo! Head to Dotonbori at night and don’t forget to bring your camera as the streets and quirky buildings are great to photograph.
Osaka Castle is definitely a main focal point of the city and is a top spot to photograph. The surrounding park is also a great place to chill out during the day. During the cherry blossom season this whole area becomes a place for celebration, and picnics.
Tokyo is a huge sprawling metropolis and you could spend months just exploring the city and its surrounding suburbs. Tokyo also has great links to areas such as Nikko, Yokohama and Kamakura, all of which are great places to shoot and explore. So you could literally base an itinerary just around Tokyo if you’re short on time!
A prominent feature of the Minato district in Tokyo is the replica Eiffel Tower. If you’re not short on time I recommend a visit to the area as there are some interesting sights and temples – one of which you may have seen in the Wolverine film!
The tower and the city skyline is best photographed from the Roppongi Hills viewing deck, however it’s worth noting that they don’t allow tripods.
On our last trip to Japan we visited Mt. Koyasan, and some other areas in the Wakayama Prefecture. Mount Koya is a sacred pilgrimage route for an important sect of Buddhism in Japan. It’s a great place to experience a temple-stay and to learn more about Buddhism.
The Okunoin Cemetery is the largest graveyard in Japan and holds great historical importance. I highly recommend booking a night tour to the cemetery as this was one of the most atmospheric and fascinating experiences we had during the trip!
We also visited the cemetery at dusk with one of the local monks who explained about the area in more detail and posed for a few pictures.
The Rainbow Bridge is a great feature to photograph in the Minato area of Tokyo, however we just enjoy escaping the bustle of the city, whilst grabbing a few beers and watching the sunset from the coast nearby.
Arashiyama is an area just outside of Kyoto and is probably one of the most picturesque places to visit during the autumn season. There are some unique temples and gardens to explore, and you can also take a relaxing boat ride down the river to enjoy the fall colours.
Another famous spot here is the bamboo forest, however this has become increasingly busy over the past years. For photography purposes you will have to arrive here early morning if you want crowd-free pictures.
4 Comments
As always, your photos are phenomenal. I was surprised how different Kinkakuji Temple temple looks when the sun is not shining on it. When we were there in broad daylight, the golden facade shone bright yellow-gold, while in your photo it looks orange-brownish. Amazing how big the difference is.
Seriously stunning photos!
I love Japan too (I feel like you two would like to live there a while so you could really integrate with a local area /be involved in festivals and take more gorgeous photos.) Your pictures really make me miss it. You have captured the beauty so perfectly. If you ever want advice for more off-beat/less obvious places to take photos, please let me know. I have loads of ideas. 🙂
p.s Goodness you got lucky so many times with people walking past in yukata or kimono just as you were taking photos! I LOVE the image of Arashimaya’s bamboo grove.
Your images are phenomenal and really capture the essence and culture of Japan. It is so interesting looking at the images of the cities compared to the natural beauty of the country. I love the images of Mt. Fuji, definitely a sight to see!
Wow all the amazing places and shots!! Am so confused which one to choose as the best haha! Osaka, Kinkaku-ji, bamboo forests, Mt Fuji, Arashiyama are a breath to behold. So inspiring!!