Step into a world where ancient temples, timeless landscapes, and fleeting petals converge. Join Daniel Kordan on an unforgettable spring journey across Japan, designed to capture the delicate poetry of cherry blossom season at its absolute peak. This carefully curated 10-day photo tour leads you through a stunning visual narrative—beginning in the Edo-era charm of Kawagoe, winding through the sacred island of Miyajima and the spiritual heartlands of Nara and Mount Yoshino, before culminating at the iconic lakes and reflections beneath Mount Fuji.
Each location has been handpicked not only for its legendary beauty, but for its photographic potential: misty canals framed by falling petals, weeping cherry trees over thousand-year-old temples, deer wandering beneath sakura in ancient parks, and mirror-still lakes offering perfect reflections of Mount Fuji wrapped in pink.
This is more than just a cherry blossom trip—it’s a deep dive into Japanese culture, composition, light, and storytelling. You’ll photograph iconic scenes like the vermilion torii of Miyajima at low tide, the layered sakura terraces of Yoshino mountain, and Fuji’s majestic silhouette rising behind blossom-covered shores. Between the shoots, you’ll unwind in traditional ryokans, enjoy regional cuisine, and immerse yourself in Japan’s serenity.
Daniel will guide you through each shoot with his signature blend of technical mastery and artistic insight—helping you slow down, find your frame, and chase the perfect light. Whether you’re capturing long exposures of reflective lakes, telephoto compressions of cascading hillsides, or atmospheric moments beneath paper lanterns, this journey will elevate both your portfolio and your creative vision.
This is Japan in its most ephemeral and magical season!
Day 1 – March 30: Arrival in Tokyo & Kawagoe’s “Little Edo”
Touch down at Narita or Haneda and take a train/taxi ride directly to Tobu Hotel Kawagoe. Enjoy the rest after long flight and meet the group for the first welcome dinner together at 7 pm. You can arrive to hotel anytime between 2 pm and 6 pm – our first hotel name is Tobu Hotel Kawagoe and it is located just next to the station. It takes around 2 h to get from Narita airport by train (with tranfers) or 1:30 h from Haneda, or 1:10 h by Haneda-Airport Limousine Bus.
Day 2 – March 31: Lanterned Lanes, River Tunnels & Hillside Blooms
Breakfast at the hotel. Mid‑morning, explore the Shingashi Sakura Channel, a quieter waterway lined end‑to‑end with cherry trees; crouch low to include rippling petals against mossy embankments. Just after visitng dreamy channels when boats start navigating the river – visit Taisho Roman Yume-dori – old street of Kawagoe, and have free time to roam around and have lunch in one of delicious food local restaurants.
In the afternoon visit Motoara River Cherry Blossom Avenue and Sakitama Kofun Ancient Tomb Park – a hill with beautiful sakura trees on top. These places are absolutely wonderful sakura spots away from Tokyo crowds. This will help us to enjoy the blossom without crowds.
Overnight at Tobu Hotel Kawagoe.
Day 3 – April 1: Candy Alley Textures & Journey to Miyajima
After your included breakfast, check out and board the local train and then shinkansen to Himeji, the beautiful iconic white castle of Japan! Alternatively we can visit Himeji on the way back from Miyajima to Nara / Kyoto in a couple of days – depends on the bloom!
After visitng Himeji we continue on shinkansen to Hiroshima, then the ferry to Miyajima island.
Arriving mid‑afternoon, check in at our Ryokan on the island itself and rest. As the tide ebbs, position yourself on the beach for the iconic O‑Torii gate shot: slot a 6‑stop ND filter onto your lens for a 2–3 s exposure that renders the sea silky around the gate’s pillars, cherry branches framing the scene. Stay through golden hour, then return to ryokan and explore amazing small and cozy, family owned seafood restaurants here on the island.
Day 4 – April 2: Iwakuni’s Kintai‑kyo & Miyajima’s Lanterned Paths
After an early breakfast, explore the island before the ferries with first tourists arrive. Meet the cute deer in the park and enjoy the sakura trees and temples in the morning solitude.
In the afternoon we take ferry back to Miyajimaguchi and catch the JR train to Iwakuni (≈ 1 h total). We head first to the Kintai‑kyo Bridge, whose five wooden arches and reflection pond are bordered by riverside sakura. Use a 16–35 mm lens at f/11 to keep both blossoms and bridge in sharp relief, then switch to a 1 s exposure for a gentle water blur. Sample local delicacies beneath the cherry trees, then return to Miyajima after the sunset and blue hour with lanterns. Back at our Japanese style hotel on Miyajima island, optional walk up to Daisho‑in Temple at dusk—hand‑hold your camera (ISO 800–1600) to capture lantern‑lit stone stairways winding through blossoms, creating intimate, moody compositions. Overnight at Miyajima island hotel.
Day 5 – April 3: Final Dawn on Miyajima & Transit to Nara
Steal one last pre‑dawn torii silhouette. Return to our hotel for breakfast, then check‑out and travel via Hiroshima and Shin‑Osaka to Nara (≈ 4 h). We have an optional stop at Kurashiki (via Okayama shinkansen station) to photograph afternoon light here. Kurashiki is a city on Japan’s Seto Inland Sea. It’s known for the centuries-old buildings and shops of the Bikan Historical Quarter. The Ohara Museum of Art has works by European masters such as El Greco and Monet. Nearby, Japan Rural Toy Museum displays toys from the 1600s to the 1980s. The Archaeological Museum has artifacts from the region’s ancient cultures. Boats cruise the district’s narrow central canal.
Continue to Nara. Check in at Candeo Hotels Nara Kashihara.
Day 6 – April 4: Hasedera, Tsubosaka‑dera & Matabei Zakura
Depart before sunrise for Nara Park to meet cute deer. Spend your morning photographing deer nibbling petals under low‑hanging boughs—use a 70–200 mm lens to compress deer, blossoms, and temple rooftops into emotive portraits.
Return to our hotel for breakfast.
Some of the spots around Nara will include (disclaimer: spots may change depends on the actual bloom conditions and weather!) Hasedera Temple in Sakurai (≈ 30 min drive). Wander terraced gardens cradled by ancient cherries: at f/2.8, isolate individual blossoms against moss‑clad Buddhas, then step back for wider perspectives that include temple rooftops peeking through petals. Pause for a picnic beneath the trees, tasting sakura‑flavored mochi. Next, continue to Tsubosaka‑dera, where a pagoda rises through dense cherry clusters—walk the hilltop and shoot downward into the pink sea, experimenting with vertical panoramas. On your way back to Nara, pause at the Matabei Zakura, an 800‑year‑old weeping cherry: backlit against the fading sky, its twisted trunk and cascading flowers become a sculptural silhouette. Return to Candeo for the onsen soak and dinner.
Day 7 – April 5: Mount Yoshino’s Layered Cherry Terraces & Kyoto South
Depart Nara at dawn for Mount Yoshino (≈ 1 h). Arrive before sunrise to photograph empty pathways lined with tiered cherry groves. Start at Kami‑Senbon (upper slopes): with a 200 mm lens, compress rows of blossoms into pastel ribbons; Descend to Naka‑Senbon (middle groves) for a revisit of the Matabei Zakura among its peers—focus on close‑ups of drooping branches against valley vistas. Return to Nara for a break and lunch (today we might skip breakfast as we want to explore more Yoshino area) – but worry not you can find delicious Japanese snacks and vending coffee machines at every corner!
In the afternoon visit Kyoto – South Kyoto for ancient quarters with traditional boats navigating river (Fushimi Jikkoku-bune Boats) and old castles on the hill nearby (Fushimi-Momoyama-jō Castle). Please note that we do not visit Kyoto extensively on this trip as it gets extremely crowded – instead we focus on smaller places for better experience. You can plan more days in Kyoto after we finish the trip to explore obvious tourist spots or go shopping.
Day 8 – April 6: Shinkansen to Fuji & Kawaguchiko’s Cherry Quay
After breakfast, check out and board the shinkansen to Shizuoka, then transfer to Kyukamura Fuji by the Lake Tanuki (≈ 3 h total). Drop your bags and head straight to the “Cherry Quay” on the lake’s northern shore. Plant your tripod low to include foreground petals, framing Mt. Fuji in the background. As the late‑afternoon sun skims the water, backlight overhanging blossoms in soft pink. Stay through golden hour, then enjoy the resort dinner and prepare for tomorrow’s multi‑lake itinerary.
Day 9 – April 7: Tanuki Reflections, Arakurayama & Saiko Village
Begin before dawn at Lake Tanuki for sunrise and then continue to Ryugabuchi to photograph Fuju and beautiful river on the foreground (40 min drive), where a small sakura trees groove—use a 1 s exposure (ND filter, f/11, ISO 100) to smooth the water surface and capture pastel skies. Return for breakfast at hotel, then explore spots around Fujisan by bus, explore Saiko Iyashi‑no‑Sato Nemba, a reconstructed thatched‑roof village on Lake Saiko surrounded by orchards—shoot tight architectural details and sweeping village panoramas beneath blossom‑draped eaves. For sunset, choose either Sakura Wanitsuka (1h 20 min from our hotel) or Kawaguchiko’s south shore for one last mirror‑lake shot beneath overhanging blossoms, or explore lake Yamanashi with swans. Exact spots we choose will depend on bloom conditions – also please note we will likely skip the iconic view of the pagoda as it gets insanely crowded last years with lines up to several hours just to get to the view. There are plenty of empty spots we visit to enjoy sakura bloom and calm nature.
Day 10 – April 8: Farewell
We can meet sunrise at lake Tanuki with magnificient views to Mt Fujisan. After the buffet breakfast at hotel we depart to Tokyo. The tour will be finished at Tokyo station around 1-2 pm.
Price: 8900 USD
Single supplement 1500 USD
Where do we stay
March 30 – April 9, 2026 (11 days / 10 nights)
・March 30 – April 1, 2 nights Saitama, Kawagoe Tobu Hotel
・April 1 – 3, 2 nights Miyajima, Iwaso
・April 3 – 6, 3 nights Nara, Candeo Hotels Nara Kashihara
・April 6 – 8, 2 nights Shizuoka, Kyukamura Fuji
Photography Level
- Beginners and advanced photographers
- DSLR / mirrorless / drone support in some areas
Tour Include
- Comfortable vehicle logistics along the route and shinkansen trains tickets
- Expert local guides and official local tour company support
- A photographer – English speaking guide accompanying you throughout the journey, expert in the area
- Hotel stay twin rooms (single is possible with single supplement)
- Breakfasts
Tour Exclude
- International flights
- Entry visa if applicable
- Travel insurance private
- Alcoholic beverages, personal expenses, tips
- Meals except breakfast, snacks
Cancellation and Refund Policy
We strongly recommend you to get a Trip Cancellation & Travel Insurance after booking your trip. If you cancel and the Workshop is otherwise filled, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $300 service charge. If you cancel and the Workshop does not fill, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop:
Greater than 90 days from the start date of the Workshop:
full refund minus $300 service fee.
75 days or more :75% refund 60 days or more: 50% refund
Less than 60 days: no refund Refunds will be paid by the same method that the original payment was made.
What to bring
the list will be provided to the guests
