JAPAN PHOTO TOUR 2026
WITH MARK HEMMINGS
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP LOCATIONS – Tokyo, Nagano, Matsumoto, Kamakura, Enoshima, and Kyoto.
International travel photographer and workshop instructor Mark Hemmings is ready for his annual one week Japan photography workshop and tour, scheduled for Wednesday January 21 to Tuesday January 27, 2026. We will also be photographing the world famous Japanese Snow Monkeys in Nagano. Scroll down for pricing information.
Message from professional photographer Mark Hemmings: “The country of Japan is a really important travel destination. I don’t want you to miss out on Japan. What it offers for food, nature, cities, architecture, wildlife, and especially my favorite . . . photography! That’s why I’m inviting you to the Japan trip of a lifetime”.
Since 2005 I’ve been leading photography workshops and tours throughout Japan, and this coming year is no exception. My job is two-fold . . . to teach you photography, AND to introduce you to one of the most intriguing countries and cultures in the world.
What better place to learn street, architecture, and urban photography than Tokyo? It’s hard to beat Nagano for mastering landscape, nature and snow monkey wildlife photography, and where else in the world can you step back in time and witness the unique natural and cultural gems of Kyoto? Shibu Onsen is a very photogenic hot spring town, and Matsumoto has one of the most photographed samurai castles in Japan. Enoshima and Kamakura are rich in history with the added bonus of having a great view of Mount Fuji!
The Japan Photo Tour is meant for photographers of all skill levels and all types of cameras. Whether you’re a beginner or pro, whether you have a ten thousand dollar camera or an iPhone/Android, YOU are well positioned to receive maximum technical and artistic skills by joining the Japan Photo Tour.
But this isn’t just any photo tour that chooses low end hotels and transportation methods . . . The Japan photo Tour is my premium photography workshop that stays in high-end hotels and traditional inns, uses the famously fast Japanese bullet trains to explore the country, and makes full use of Japan’s famous culinary arts.
Japan is a land of mystery and beauty, and I believe it’s now time for you to visit and photograph this magical country. And as I’ve been a photography workshop instructor for so many years now (annually since 2004), I am thrilled to pass along my two decades worth of professional photographic knowledge to you during this trip.
Because I like to keep this photography tour small, there are very limited spaces remaining, so contact me right away to get more sign-up information. I am quite certain that you will LOVE Japan, and come back home with a wealth of amazing photographs, a new passion for photography, and a strange fascination for the most chilled out and relaxed animals on earth . . . the world famous Japanese snow monkeys! Living your entire life soaking in natural hot spring water? Nice!!!
My name is Mark Hemmings, an internationally recognized professional photographer, and I cordially welcome you to the Japan Photo Tour. I hope to see you in Tokyo!”
Please view the Japan Photo Tour & Workshop video below to get an idea of what you may encounter on this photography trip. Also check out the second video that CBS Sunday Morning created featuring Mark and his photo tours to visit the famous Japanese snow monkeys:
JAPAN PHOTO TOUR COSTS
The one-week workshop includes all meals, all subways and taxis, all local and bullet train fares, all accommodations, all teaching time, all admission fees, and airport transportation costs if arriving and departing on the start and end date of the workshop. Exceptions are mid-meals snacks/drinks/alcoholic beverages, and return airfare from your home city to Tokyo Narita or Haneda airport. This all-inclusive full package is $4,950 USD per person for a double occupancy room. For single occupancy, please add $495 USD. Please contact Mark for further details about this workshop: mark@markhemmings.com (FaceTime enabled) or 506-898-0204 (Canadian mobile number).
ITINERARY
Since 2005 Mark Hemmings has been leading photography enthusiasts throughout Japan, taking them on an enlightening tour of a visually and aesthetically rich country. While both itineraries below are based on previous years, there may be alterations of equal or better visual and cultural value based on in-country changes. Mark will lock down the itinerary closer to the departure time. Until then consider the following itineraries as 95% accurate.
DAY 1 TOKYO – WEDNESDAY JANUARY 21:
3:00pm meet as a group in the hotel lobby to check and to have our orientation session. Please have your camera gear with you as we will be out for the entire evening. If your flight arrives today Mark’s associate will arrange to pick you up and take you to the hotel. Your today flight might arrive at around 4pm, and we will get you to the hotel as soon as possible.
4:00pm begin our optional photo walk. Here is a rough list of locations that we will be visiting and photographing: Omoide Yokocho – Nishi Shinjuku bridge (for long exposures) – Kabukicho neon lights – Godzilla Head and more if time allows. Tripods are optional.
6:30pm okonomiyaki dinner.
8pm to 8:30pm optional timelapses of Kabukicho plus other neon lights photography.
DAY 2 TOKYO TO ENOSHIMA – THURSDAY JANUARY 22:
10am from Shinjuku Station to Kamakura Station, leave our luggage at our Kamakura hotel.
11am famous local train to Enoshima. We will be doing a fair amount of walking after our local lunch, but at a relaxed pace, exploring and photographing the beautiful Enoshima Island area. Weather permitting we’ll be photographing Mt. Fuji landscapes.
6pm dinner at a local restaurant, then back to our hotel for the night.
DAY 3 ENOSHIMA TO KYOTO – FRIDAY JANUARY 23:
9am after breakfast depart Kamakura station, arriving at Enoshima Station to get morning Mt. Fuji landscape images. back on the train, we will arrive at Odawara Station at about 11am. After an early lunch we will photograph the spending bullet trains whipping past us, and then board a Shinkansen bullet train bound for Kyoto, arriving at about 2pm.
3pm depart our hotel for our afternoon and evening photo walk. We will explore the Higashiyama side of Kyoto on foot, taking taxis from Kyoto Station. Here is a general list of locations:
Kiyomizu-dera Temple – Sanneizaka – Yasaka (Hokan-ji) Temple – Nineizaka – Nene Street – Yasaka Shrine – Hanamikoji Street in Gion (home of the Geisha) – Tatsumi bridge and shrine – Shirakawa canal – Pontocho Geisha district. Today will have a lot of walking but it will be at a slow pace with plenty of rest stops.
6:30pm we will take taxis back to our hotel.
7pm group dinner at a nearby restaurant.
DAY 4 KYOTO – SATURDAY JANUARY 24:
6:15am depart our hotel lobby, take taxis to Kyoto’s bamboo forest. After a coffee our tea break at a beautiful traditional thatched roof cafe, we’ll take a train and bus to the famous Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion.
10:30am arrive at the Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion for a 1-hour photo walk.
12pm lunch at a local family-run ramen shop, then back to our hotel rooms for a small break.
2:30pm meet in the hotel lobby with camera bag, as we will be out for the rest of the day.
3pm (to whenever) from Kyoto Station and take the local train to Fushimi. This is a mountain path with photogenic red gates. The end time of this hike is dependent on how long you want to explore the mountain. Some participants will see what they want within a half hour, others may want to stay for a few hours. To that end, Mark will be at the bottom of the mountain and will meet each person as they return on their own schedule. If any of you want to return to Kyoto Station for shopping while the others are on the mountain, Mark will lead you to the correct train with full instructions.
5pm we will meet in our hotel lobby and will photograph the stunningly beautiful Ganko restaurant Japanese gardens at dusk, and then enjoy their shabu-shabu dishes.
DAY 5 KYOTO TO MATSUMOTO – SUNDAY JANUARY 25:
10:30am optional architecture tour of Kyoto Station.
12pm depart Kyoto on the bullet train arriving at
Matsumoto Station at about 3pm.
3pm check-in to our hotel rooms. Free time until 4pm.
4 pm meet in the hotel lobby, walk to Matsumoto Station to get taxis to Matsumoto Castle.
4:20pm arrive at Matsumoto castle, get a photographic tour of the castle interior, then capture golden and blue hour photographs of the castle exterior.
5:45pm leisurely walk back to our hotel stopping mid-way to eat at a local restaurant.
7:30pm (approximate) return to our hotel, free time for the rest of the night. Don’t forget to try out the hotel’s natural hot spring baths on the roof!
DAY 6 MATSUMOTO TO SHIBU ONSEN – MONDAY JANUARY 26:
8am depart Matsumoto Station for Yudanaka Station arriving at our traditional inn for about 11am.
11:45am eat lunch at a local restaurant at the base of the mountain.
12:45pm start the mountain hike to photograph the Japanese snow monkeys.
4pm arrive back at our traditional Japanese inn either by walking (all downhill) or taxis, check in to our rooms.
4:45pm meet in the inn’s lobby for an optional photo walk. Sunset is at 5:07pm so tripods are a good idea if you have one.
6:15pm group kaiseki (formal multi-course) dinner.
8pm free time hot spring soaking within the inn, or any of the village hot spring baths.
DAY 7 YUDANAKA TO TOKYO – TUESDAY JANUARY 27:
10am depart Yudanaka Station arriving at Tokyo Station at noon.
12:30pm onwards – Mark leads each guest to their airport train, or for those who are staying in Japan longer, to either their desired Tokyo hotel or train platform to another Japanese city. Thanks for joining us on the Japan Photo Tour!
Please contact Mark with any questions: mark@markhemmings.com or 506-898-0204
FAQ & CONTACT INFO
1. “How long have you been operating the Japan Photo Tour?” Mark Hemmings started the Japan Photo Tour and Workshop in 2005, and operated it annually. He took a break from the workshop during the Covid travel restrictions of 2021 and 2022, but restarted the trip in 2023. Each winter Mark returns to Japan to offer photographers such as yourself a glimpse into one of the most interesting cultures of the world!
2. “Why is the tour in winter? What temperatures will I encounter?” We chose winter for this tour and workshop so we can capitalize on the snowy mountains for great Snow Monkey photos. Also, Japan is one of the most beautiful locations in the world when photographing in the winter. Tokyo will be between 5 and 10 degrees celsius, Nagano will be at about the freezing mark (between plus 2 and minus 2 celcius), and Kyoto will be warmer at about 8 or 15 degrees celsius.
3. “How many times have you been to Japan?” Mark has been to Japan seventeen times, and lived in Nagano Prefecture from 2000-2001. Mark’s desire to always return to Japan speaks well of the country! There’s always a new photo opportunity around every corner.
4. “What kind of food will we be eating on this trip?” Most of the food that we will be eating at restaurants is Japanese food. There is very little Western food available, especially in the traditional inns. If you have a dislike of Japanese food this tour may present some challenges for you.
5. “I am a complete photographic beginner. Will I be the weak link of the workshop?” All of Mark’s workshops and tours are geared for any skill level, from beginners to pros. Each skill level will glean new information and leave the workshop with new inspiration. Don’t ever feel that you will hold others back! Our workshops are geared to be of value to photographers of all skill levels.
6. “What level of health do I need to attend this workshop?” There is a lot of walking on the tour, and some gentle mountain path hiking. Participants of any age are welcomed, but please be prepared for a significant amount of walking, crowded Tokyo subways, and bringing your luggage from one location to another.
7. “What kind of camera do I need to buy for this tour?” Mark can teach participants that come with any type of camera, including mobile phone cameras. The type and cost of a camera is less of an issue than becoming grounded in compositional principles. If you only use a mobile device you will not feel out of place.
8. “How many workshop participants?” We operate this workshop with a maximum of 8 participants.
9. “What is included in the cost of this photo tour? Is it all-inclusive?” Upon meeting Mark Hemmings in Japan and until we depart at the end of the workshop, all meals are included, accommodations, in-country transportation, admission fees, and of course the photographic instruction. What is not included are alcoholic drinks, additional orders of food at the restaurants that we eat at, plus mid-meal snacks and drinks. The tour begins at supper time the first evening, and ends just after breakfast on our last day with our bullet train returning to Tokyo.
10. “Should I get a flight to Tokyo Haneda (HND) or Tokyo Narita (NRT) airports?” Tokyo Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT) are both equally good airports to fly into. We suggest that you make your decision based not on which airport, rather which airport will allow you to arrive in Japan for (at the latest) mid-afternoon on the first day of the tour. Our desire is to all have dinner together on evening #1, so a 3pm arrival in Japan at the latest would be ideal.
11. “Is there any free time on this trip? How busy is the itinerary?” There are breaks during this trip almost every day for you to go off on your own to photograph, edit, or see the sites by yourself. A detailed schedule will be give to each person before the trip.
12. “I want to stay in Japan longer than just one week. Can you help me extend my trip?” Many workshop participants like to stay in Japan longer, and Mark will do his best to help with accommodation and sightseeing options.
13. “What are some potential issues that may keep me from signing up?” There is no baggage forwarding services; you are responsible for transporting your luggage as we go from city to city. Thus, we ask that you only bring one wheel-able suitcase and one backpack. The lighter your luggage is, the easier it will be to move from location to location. Please be aware that while rare, there have been winters in Japan without snow in the mountains where the monkeys live. The photo workshop operators cannot guarantee snow. However we have scheduled the trip to be within the ideal range of historical snowfalls.
14. “How do I know that you are a legit business?” Mark has been a professional photographer from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada since 1997. Please do a Google search for Mark Hemmings Photography to see what the internet has to say about him. His website is www.markhemmings.com and his Instagram is @markhemmings
15. “Do you have a refund policy?” Yes, our policy is part of our contract/application and will be emailed to you upon request. Please ask Mark for a copy for you to review: mark@markhemmings.com
CHECK OUT OUR TOUR PHOTOS!
CHECK OUT MORE TOUR PHOTOS:
JAPAN PHOTO TOUR LEADER MARK HEMMINGS