Mt. Myoko and its surrounding area create the foundation for an all-inclusive Niigata, Japan Photo Tour.  Niigata prefecture, one of the largest in Japan is home to Mt. Myoko.  The mountain is an active strato-volcano, but during the winter, most hints of the magma roiling underneath the surface disappear as the snow coats and caps it, transforming into its winter incarnation.  However, care must always be given when dealing with forces of nature.

Winter is an amazing season to visit Mt. Myoko, but being in the top 10 snowiest locations on the earth, traveling in the area during that time means strictly following the tour leader, and he will take you on paths that are cleared.  During blizzards, going out is still possible, but for safety’s sake, everyone is tied together.  Your Japan Dreamscapes (JDS) Photography Workshop Leader recommends visiting the Myoko area during spring to see the lovely sakura that bloom all over Takada Park.  Mt. Myoko is included in the Top 10 must-see mountains in Japan, and being included in the beauty that is cherry blossoms season.  If you’re curious about joining us during spring, summer, or fall for your private group tour, please click this link to find out more: JDS Private Photo Tour

While on a Japan Photo Tour with JDS, you will have access to perfectly composed natural scenery with the still waters framed with scintillating Japanese Maples in red, yellow, and orange await you, and, to further perplex your vision, you will gaze upon the Japanese Purple Maple.  The next morning will include a trip to the spectacular rice terraces for a photographic encounter during the blue into the golden hour sunrise.  Hoshitouge Tanada is one of the five most beautiful rice terraces in all of Japan.  In span of one hour, from blue hour to sunrise, your view of the rice terraces will dramatically change.  The sky will slowly brighten from a dark blue to brilliant orange, but the mountains, forests, and the terraces themselves will remain shrouded in fog banks.  As the sunlight reaches the valley, the fog slowly dissipates, and the radiance of the sun dispels the magic of the valley of dragons, and the trappings of humanity reappear.  Myoko Kogen (Highlands in Japanese) is famous all across Japan for its breathtaking natural landscape photo tours during fall.  If a fall photo tour is more what interests you, there are still a few spots left for the 2020 JDS Autumn Photo Tour: Essence Of Autumn - Japan Tour

Your JDS Photo Workshop Leader knows the most photogenic spots among the vast open plains.  Several ponds, waterfalls, and other awe inspiring locations all await you in the Myoko area.  And while exploring all these picturesque locations, your JDS Photo Tour Leader always have safety in mind.  Checking with local safety authorities and taking all the necessary precautions is a must while on a Japan Photo Tour.  You will have numerous once in a lifetime photos, and you will arrive back home safely as well.

All-inclusive Japan Photo Tours during spring and autumn have the added bonus of the Tsubame Onsen.  The heavy snowfall during winter closes the path leading to the famous local hot springs.  Our JDS veteran workshop guide has attempted to talk his way onto the path during closure times, but it simply is not safe.  Two seasons open for use are enough to satisfy any visitor, we assure you.  And because this onsen is an off the beaten path location, there is mainly Japanese for guidance.  Your JDS Photography Workshop Guide has spent more than 20 years exploring the Myoko Highlands and is happy to lead you down the narrow path to the hot springs as well give you support on what bathing equipment you need to bring with you prior to taking the dip.

Traveling to the hot springs is an adventure in and of itself.  The path is surrounded by a lush forest so you can enjoy ‘Forest Therapy’ or and release of stress and tension due to being immersed in nature.  You may want to photograph on the path leading to the onsen, but we recommend leaving everything behind except for your towel and swimsuit (if you’re feeling modest).  Two famous baths, Kawara no Yu and Ougon no Yu await you at the end of the path.  The schedule while on your Japan Photo Tour will allow for you to give your camera a rest as you enter a near meditative state in the milky-white, mineral rich waters of the respected as healing and regenerating since the age of the samurai and reaching even further back into history of Japan.

Both of the hot springs are havens for rejuvenation, but some small differences may govern the onsen you choose.  Ougon no Yu has designated sections for both males and females with a small barrier between the two regions of the bath.  Kawara no Yu is a mixed gender onsen experience, so if you’re of an adventurous spirit, then Kawara no Yu is the onsen for you to enjoy.  Both baths are reputed to help with joint pain, fatigue, and skin ailments.  The hot springs represent the perfect way to finish a day of photographic adventure with JDS.