If you choose to visit Japan for a Photography Workshop/Tour, all our workshop leaders agree that Mt. Fuji is a must see location.  It has inspired many poets from ancient Japan to the modern day.  One poet Yamabe no Akahito, a poet of the Nara Period was active from 700 - 736 and was inspired by Japan’s iconic peak to write: 

Heaven and earth:

Since the time they parted,

Of manifest divinity,

Reaching the heights of awe,

In Suruga stands

The high peak of Fuji;

When out exploring Fuji-san, your first reaction will be the impressive outline of Mt. Fuji against the vast natural landscapes that frame Fuji-san and even further highlight its 3776 m height.  Your Japan Dreamscapes (JDS) Photo Workshop leader will introduce you to the beauty that inspired poets and artists for centuries.  You will become one more artist whose spark to create will be fueled by Mt. Fuji’s unparalleled majesty.

Yamabe no Akahito continued his plaint about Mt. Fuji’s greatness:

The coursing sun

Light is blocked and

The shining moon

Light goes unseen;

Knowingly or unknowingly, Yamabe was gesturing to the phenomenon called ‘diamond Mt. Fuji’, an occurrence that photographers know very well.  During the golden hour, sunlight grazes the top of Mt. Fuji and sits atop its peak as a glistening crown.  This creates an unforgettable photography experience as you create photographic art one click of the shutter at a time.  Again, your JDS Mt. Fuji Photo Tour/Workshop Leader has more than two decades experience chasing the light at Mt. Fuji and will make sure that you are taking the most amazing photos even before you have breakfast.

Speaking of the The Fuji Five Lakes, they are comprised of Yamanakako, Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Shojiko, and Motosu lakes. Over 95% of Japanese have never visited all the fuji five lakes, but you could be one of the elite 5%.  As you stroll the shore, you could see glorious Mt. Fuji reflected in Kawaguchiko, the most famous of the Fuji Five Lakes and immortalize that moment in your photographs.  The other lakes are not as accessible by public transportation making them more off the beaten path attractions, but if an up close and personal interaction with all of the Fuji Five Lakes is what you are interested in, then allow your JDS Japan Photo Tour Leader to provide that experience for you.  Private transportation in SUVs means that you can experience each lake and turning each one into a mini Mt. Fuji photo workshop.

The Fujigoko (Fuji Five Lakes) were created by Mt. Fuji’s lava flows long ago, and their beauty is unparalleled, but perhaps you are interested in a slightly different vantage point for your photography tour?  There are Lake Kawaguchiko pleasure cruises only minutes from the city center, so you can enjoy Mt. Fuji and Kawaguchiko while feeling the brisk embrace of the winter winds as you take spectacular photos.  The natural landscapes surrounding Mt. Fuji include the amazing Chureito Pagoda which by itself is worthy of a photo postcard.  However, when you can compose the perfect shot of the pagoda in the foreground and Mt. Fuji in the background, you will begin to understand the magic of Japan in the autumn.

Yamabe closed his poem by referencing another amazing part of the Mt. Fuji Photo Tour experience:  

The white clouds, too,

Shrink from passing by as

Ceaselessly

Snow falls:

From mouth to mouth will pass the word,

Travelling and speaking

Of the peak of Fuji.

When the weather is just right, and the clouds swirl around Mt. Fuji and create a seemingly form-fitted cap created completely of feathery clouds.  On a recent Mt. Fuji Photo Tour our photo tour leader and his participants were graced with exactly this type of happening, and everyone was talking about how amazing the experience was as part of their Japan Photo Tour adventure.

Why not join a JDS Japan Photo Tour and create your own adventure?