Photography Tour Japan

Wildlife & Nature Photography Tour Japan

Photography Tour Japan hosted by Ade Photography with Guest Professional Photographer Anette Mossbacher

The Registration and Detailed Program for the Japan Hokkaido Winter Photo Tour in February 2024 is now open. Reserve Your Spot.

Come along with us on this winter nature and wildlife photography tour in Japan. Improve your photography skills with us! What will await you in a winter wonderland? We will travel on this nature and wildlife photography tour through some of the most amazing natural worlds of Japan. This will give you stunning opportunities to photograph pure nature; beautiful landscape and awesome wildlife in the wintertime of Japan. Snow will be present as well as the snow monkeys. Their faces are full of character while warming themselves in the geothermal pools.

Japan Photo Tour 2024

Majestic Red-crowned cranes & Steller's Eagles

Majestic Red-Crowned Cranes presenting us their love dance ballet on the stage of snow. The audience of the cranes, the foxes, have a closer look at them! We also will visit the Stellar’s Sea Eagles and get the chance to photography White-Tailed Eagles. The acrobats of the sky. Masters from flight diving and clutching fish in their talons. The graceful Whooper Swans, surrounded by the unique winter beauty of landscape and encounters with the Ezo Deers.

The winter nature and wildlife photography tour Japan. Tailored to provide you a maximum for your awesome photographic returns. We will be a small group of 6-8 guests with 2 professional photographers onboard; Ade Photography and myself. Small groups on photography tours are more flexible. We all know something catches our interest. The photo tour group decides to stay longer. This can happen pretty fast. With a small photography tour group, we are flexible to do so. Details of the Winter Photo Tour Japan February 11th – 23rd 2024.

Snow monkey having a bath in the thermal spring in Nagano.

About Wildlife Photographer Ade

Ade photography is based in Tokyo and a very successful wildlife photographer. He is specialized and travels extensively in the northern part of Japan the island Hokkaido. His experience and knowledge about this region are of great advantage. Nevertheless, Ade photography travels all over the globe for his photography with passion and patience for wildlife. What he says about Japan; the beauty of the Japanese natural world, its wonderful landscapes, and awesome wildlife always amaze him every time again and again.

Whooper swan in flight. Captured on the island Hokkaido where hot springs flow into the lake.

Wildlife Photography Tour Japan

Please, do arrive a day earlier in Tokyo. Your Hotel room at Narita international airport will be ready for you to sleep off any jet lag and tiredness from your travels. The room is included in your photography tour price. (excluded meals and beverages)

In the evening we will meet all the guests in the hotel in Tokyo/Narita airport. We will discuss the photography tour, exposure settings in snow, compositions to give you a good startup for the next day and tour. Every evening on this photography tour we will do a briefing of the day’s photography. Reviewing photographs, AF points selections, shutter speeds, answering questions and more that you get the most out of your photography tour Japan.

Detailed Photo Tour Program

Day 1: Early morning traveling in a private bus to Nagano the snow monkeys. Full day photographing the snow monkeys. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD (BLD > Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner included)

Day 2: Full day photographing the snow monkeys while they enjoy and warm up in the geotherm pool. In the evening we are heading back to Tokyo. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD

Day 3: Early morning domestic flight to Kushiro in the northern part of Japan. Arrival day and the following 2 days we will be heading out to Akan and Kushiro areas to photograph the majestic Red-Crowned Cranes, the aerobatics White-Tailed Eagles, foxes in snow, and Ezo Deers. If the roads are not blocked to the Kushiro-shitsugen National Park due to heavy snowfall, we will head over to this beautiful park as well. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD

day three Red-Crowned Cranes

Whooper swans flying in formation over the lake. In the background, you see a beautiful mountain range covered in snow going along the lake.

Day 4 & 5: Full days photographing the Red-Crowned Cranes, White-Tailed Eagles, and more great wildlife in the area of Akan and Kushiro as we head over to Lake Kussharo. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD

Day 6: Full day photographing the Whooper Swans, if conditions permit we will be visiting several locations that have breathtaking landscapes surround the lake and animals. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD

day seven photographing whopper swans

White-Tailed eagle coming down to the sea to fetch a fish. It is incredible how these large birds can navigate in flight while trying to catch a fish.

Day 7: Early morning photographing the Whooper Swans till mid-morning. We will head over to the Shiretoko Peninsula to the fishing town Rausu. We will have a short visit around the lovely town and might get already our first glimpse of Seller’s Sea Eagles, White-Tailed Eagles, and more. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD

Day 8 & 9: 3 days early morning wake up calls, boarding the morning boat cruise to find the magnificent Seller’s Sea Eagles and White-Tailed Eagles between a fantastic frozen ice world, which gives us some great photographic opportunities. One day we will head over to the Shiretoko National Park. The beautiful landscape and Ezo Deers will give us plenty of opportunities to photograph the beauty of Japan’s nature. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD

Stellar Eagle shortly before attacking a White-Tailed eagle on the ground to steal a fish. Captured early morning at sunrise in Rausu on the island Hokkaido, Japan.

Day 10: Early wake-up call, again, sorry. You will have another chance to capture the aerobatics of the Steller’s Sea Eagles and White-Tailed Eagles in a stunning landscape scenery of ice. Evening – briefing of the day’s photography with photo reviews and more. BLD

Day 11: This day is reserved for our back up plan! Maybe due to bad weather on a previous day, the Steller’s Sea Eagles and White-Tailed Eagles had to be canceled, and then we head out that morning again. We will head back to Tokyo in the afternoon to Tokyo Haneda Airport. This day only breakfast is included in your photography tour. Breakfast only

The photography tour ends in Haneda domestic terminal connected with monorail to the Haneda international terminal. Please, keep this in mind for your flight arrangements for your home flight!

Duration of the photography tour

Difficulty Level: Easy to moderate

Climate: Cold to freezing cold!

Payment: Paypal payment invoice will be sent upon completing the booking form. There is no need to have a Paypal account. Paypal accepts all major credit cards. Please see the Booking Information and Cancellation Fees.

Reserve your spot for this fantastic photography tour Japan, accompanied by two professional nature and wildlife photographers. After your confirmed booking, a full detailed list will be sent to you with all the information you need. Please, do not hesitate to contact us for any inquiries you may have.

Scheduling your arrival: Please, do make sure that you arrive a day before your photography tour of Japan starts. If you arrive a few days earlier we are able to help you with accommodation.

What do you need to bring along on your Nature and Wildlife Photography Tour Japan

Passion for wildlife and love to travel. We welcome all levels of photography. You will improve your skills in photography, therefore be open to learning new skills and tricks. Don’t forget to bring your camera gear and be ready for the amazing Japanese wildlife and landscapes.

For your photography

Bring Along For Your Photography:

  • Passion for wildlife and love to travel – Photography levels – all levels welcome – Newbies or Photography Gurus
  • Lenses for your camera bodies in the range from 16 – 600mm. The minimum lens requires 300mm. If you do not own a lens, there is no need to buy one. There are shops that rent lenses and bodies for reasonable prices.
  • Camera body (film or digital) 2 bodies are highly suggested
  • Hyperdrive or Laptop, external hard drives for photographic files storage

Cloth & Accessories:

  • Thermal clothes, gloves, and boots, it will be very cold. The average temperature in Hokkaido will be in single digits to the low 10’s and below freezing. Early mornings and evenings will be very chilly when we are out photographing!
  • Ice cleats bott grips are not a must, but they can be very handy in some places.

*Please note, a full detailed list will be sent to you with your confirmed booking.

 

 

What is included and what not in your Nature and Wildlife photography Tour Japan 2016

Included in your photography tour price Japan:

  • All accommodation and meals during the tour from day 1 -10. Day 11 breakfast will be included.
  • Domestic flights  – Tokyo Haneda to Hokkaido and return.
  • Charter bus for transfers within Hokkaido and Nagano for the entire trip. There is ample space for all.
  • All admission fees/boat fees.

Your accommodations on your photography tour Japan:

  • Western-style hotels, comfy Japanese hotels, and inns.
  • accommodation twin sharing, single supplement upon request (additional costs will apply, see booking form).
  • Please, do keep us informed of any dietary needs in the booking form when filling out. Thank you.

Exclusions on your photography tour price:

  • Your international flight/transportation to and from Narita / Haneda International Airport
  • Hotel costs prior to the start and after the photography tour Japan
  • Your travel and medical insurance, hospitalization if necessary
  • Visa fees, if applicable, costs for passport
  • Items of personal nature, like phone calls, internet use (some places offer free wifi), laundry…etc.
  • Tips & gratuities, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, any kind of drinks, snacks, souvenirs.

What insurance you should have for your photography tour Japan:

  • Please, make sure to have insurance for your medical coverage over the full time for your photography tour of Japan.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Camera equipment insurance.

Information for personal care:

  • On this photography tour, we will be traveling to rural Japan. Please, bring enough of any of your medication along you need
  • If you suffer from any breathing difficulties or health issues in extremely cold environments, please seek medical advice before booking
  • Please, check that all your vaccinations are up to date
  • Motion sickness and seasickness medication, if needed! We do not want that your great photography tour Japan will be spoilt!

Group size: 6-8 guests, we will have a small group to be flexible. We never know if something captures our interest and we decide to stay longer on location!

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