2015 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan | Maiko Portrait Session

May 07 | Evan | Comments Off |

Before evening returning from the the 2015 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan, I received a few inquiries about the 2016 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan! If you are looking for that information, the details of the 2016 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan can be found here.

I already shared with you about Kyoto and some of the special experiences we had there, but one other special experience in Kyoto that I saved a post for itself was our portrait session with a maiko in Kyoto. If you have been to Japan Photo Guide before, perhaps you have seen the portrait session with the two maiko from the 2014 cherry blossom tour of Japan, also in Kyoto! If so, you might recognize this maiko as she is in those portraits as well. Can you spot what has changed about her appearance since last yet?

Of course she is a year older but now she has lipstick on both the bottom and top lips, not just a style thing, but as they advance in their training, different things like hair style and make up changes as well! This time we first met at her tea house in Gion Kyoto, had a short tea ceremony and played a game before heading out to Kyoto Botanical Gardens to take portraits of her.

Taking portraits of a real maiko is always a unique and special experience itself, but also, just having sometime to talk with her was very interesting for the group visiting Japan as talking with a maiko is so rare, especially for foreign visitors. Catching a glimpse into the world of geiko (geisha is actually geiko in Kyoto and maiko in Kyoto is a geiko in training) is a special experience that everyone enjoyed, including a couple that was taking their wedding portraits that really wanted to take a portrait with her!

Want to see more photos from the 2015 Cherry Blossom Photography Tour of Japan? The group tour also went to Tokyo, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji Castle and some of us to The Fuji Five Lakes close to Mt. Fuji. Stay tuned for more photos from the escorted tour of Japan!

2015 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan | Arashiyama

May 04 | Evan | Comments Off |

I already shared with you photos from the group’s tour in Kyoto, but wanted to have another post just for Arashiyama! Arashiyama is just west of Kyoto and is a great place to visit, walk around and take photos. Arashiyama is also where the famous bamboo grove you see so many photos of is! If you have been to Japan Photo Guide blog in the past, you have surely seen photos taken in Arashiyama’s bamboo grove but thought this time I would set aside an entire post for it. Actually, there is much more to see in Arashiyama than we went to this time, but our time was limited to see the bamboo grove and a little bit of Kameyama Park
. If you can, I highly recommend visiting Arashiyama in the Fall, though it’s great anytime of the year. Also, a note about the bamboo grove, if you want photos without other visitors, you really have to come around sunrise! Other than that, good luck trying to get photos like what you see here on this post not only because of the quality of light, but it will be CROWDED!

2015 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan | Kyoto

Apr 29 | Evan | Comments Off |

I’ve said it many times before, Kyoto is my favorite city in Japan and possibly the world! The mix of modern and traditional influences is combine for a spectacular place to visit, explore and take photos in Japan. There is never enough time to fit in all the places I want to share in Kyoto, but with this group tour of Japan, we certainly tried!

In addition to visiting places like Nanzenji, the Path of Philosophy, Silver Pavilion, Gion, Higashiyama, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Golden Pavilion, Ninnaji and Arashiyama, I had also arranged for some special experiences and cultural lessons. The group got to spend time with a maiko in a tea house, as well as have a portrait session with her around Gion and the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. Also, Some members of the group tour of Japan participated in an ikebana lesson (flower arrangement) and others in a Japanese calligraphy class. Everyone also learned about and participated in a tea ceremony. There will be more on all these experiences in Kyoto coming soon!

Even though the weather and cherry blossoms weren’t fully cooperating with us, Kyoto has many great photo opportunities during all times of the year! Also, there are many varieties of cherry blossoms, so while some were too early, we had great timing for later blooming species like those at Ninnaji and Heian Shrine.

First 2015 Cherry Blossom Forecast for Japan Released

Jan 24 | Evan | No Comments |

iStock_000032609814_Small Cherry blossom season is probably my favorite time of year to experience Japan but it’s not always exactly the dates for year to year. The first cherry blossom forecast for 2015 of Japan’s cherry blossom season has been released by weathermap.jp! As with all forecasts, they are best guesses and will certainly be updated from now until the start of the 2015 cherry blossom season. Cherry blossoms, or sakura in Japanese, are particular fragile and even if the opening date is correct, weather, hard rain or strong winds can reduce the peak period or full bloom time that is best to view the cherry blossoms.

It is still early, but right now, the general forecast is slightly ahead of the average first bloom and full bloom dates for the 2015 cherry blossom season. For more information on the average blooming dates of cherry blossom trees in Japan and best places to view cherry blossoms, take a look at japan-guide.com or JNTO.

Here are the current estimates for the opening blooms of cherry blossom trees in Japan for 2015, with full bloom expected to be around a week or so after:

Updated February 4th, 2015 as the Japan Weather Association has released their first cherry blossom forecast for 2015 Spring season.

Updated February 19th, 2015 as Sakura Map has updated their cherry blossom forecast for 2015 sakura season. Just a reminder that these dates are the estimated opening date for cherry blossoms and full bloom should be around a week or so after.