When our workshop leaders mention 'off the beaten path', what they really mean is away from international tourist pollution. 'On the beaten path' means places that everyone can easily find using the web, internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing or others. Participants on a JapanDreamscapes photo tour will visit places that few westerners ever get to visit. In short, most of Japan’s most ancient and sacred Zen Buddhist gardens temples, Shinto shrines, and authentic Japanese power spots, ryokans, hotels and others are not interested in mass amounts of international tourists; they do just fine with domestic tourism, but they don’t mind JDS groups visiting, as our Japan photo workshop leaders explain Japanese culture and customs to participants before entering. Over 90% of JDS Essence of Autumn and spring photo tours are off the beaten path, as our participants travel cross country through Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gunma, Niigata, and Shizuoka Prefectures, among other prefectures depending on the sakura full bloom or the brilliant autumn maple leaves color change. Every autumn and spring we cover a lot of ground, and our workshop leaders make sure to visit the Snow Monkeys, who are more active in autumn and spring due to the abundance of natural foods in the forest; youngsters can often be viewed swimming and playing for an hour or more as they love playing like human children. We also visit Mt. Fuji while staying clear of the mass of tourists. During JDS workshops, our leaders always make sure to introduce clients to the term juxtaposition, especially alongside Japan maple trees in brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges at spots such as Mt. Fuji, or at ancient Zen garden temples, or Shinto shrines, anything that can show that this photo was taken in Japan, when compared with Maple trees photographed in Europe or North America. Our photography workshop leaders have over 35 years experience as expedition leaders, and they are always there to help participants with camera techniques, settings, and compositions, so when you join a photo tour with JDS, you’re guaranteed to go home with gallery worthy photos.