OPEN SPOTS
OPEN SPOTS
Join David Thompson, Sho Hoshino and Mark Davis for an exclusive journey that takes you off the beaten path, revealing hidden gem locations within Japan few foreigners have ever seen or photographed. Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing beauty of Japan's autumn landscapes, as vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold transform the countryside into a breathtaking canvas.
LED BY: David Thompson, Sho Hoshino & Mark Davis
Date: 20-26 October 2025
David Thompson is bringing his unbelievable nature photography talent to Japan for the first time. As a revered master trainer, he has been instrumental in guiding countless photographers towards the realization of their creative visions, offering invaluable expertise in post-processing techniques, composition finesse, and the use of light as a guide.
Sho Hoshino and Mark Davis both call Japan home and have an intimate understanding of region, this landscape photography tour strikes a perfect balance between expert guidance and personal creative exploration.
Our small group sizes are designed purposely to ensure we are able to get to those epic photography locations that others can’t!
GROUP SIZE: 8 PARTICIPANTS
COST: $6,000
15% Discount Price: $5,100 (Until 31 January 2025)
DEPOSIT: A 50% deposit is required to secure your spot. The second and final payment is due 90 days prior to the tour start date. An invoice will be sent the week of the final payment due date.
PAYMENT METHODS: All major credit cards excepted at checkout. Please contact me via email to discuss alternate payment methods.
AUTUMN PHOTOGRAPHY ITINERARY (OVERVIEW):
Arrival Day: Guests arrive in Nagano, Japan and transported to the hotel by our staff.
Tour Day’s 1-3: Various locations in and around Shiga Kogen, Kayanodaira Kogen
Tour Day’s 4-6: Norikura Kogen area
Tour Day 7: Mount Asama
Departure Day: Participants will depart early in the morning to catch their scheduled outbound flights.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
During our downtime we will conduct photo reviews, and cover post processing methods to bring the most out of your images while here on tour.
A video conference call will be conducted with each participant once the reservation is made to provide in-depth information regarding travel, equipment, and all other general information regarding the tour/workshop.
PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY
Participants should be in good physical health to attend this landscape photography tour and should consult with their medical provider regarding their personal health prior to signing onto this tour. There will be very early mornings starting at around 4:30am and getting back late on some evenings.
Physical difficulty of the photography locations we intend on visiting will be easy to moderately strenuous. Most photography locations will be a short hike from our parking locations however, there is always a possibility for longer hikes and some elevation gain. We will go to where the best conditions are for any given day!
ACCOMMODATIONS
Hotels are included in this workshop through the dates of 20-26 October and are double occupancy rooms with two single/twin beds and a private bathroom. Requests for single occupancy rooms can be arranged with our team upon request and will incur an additional $300.00 fee.
Two eight-passenger vans are provided for daily transportation during the tour dates. Plenty of legroom!
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare to Japan
Transportation to Nagano from arrival airport. (We will give you detailed instructions on how to reach Nagano either by Shinkansen (Bullet Train) or Shinshu-Matsumoto Airport. We will pick you up from either the station or Airport in Matsumoto.
Food and Drinks
Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from Japan and must have a valid passport to do so.
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED you acquire travel insurance!
GENERAL INFORMATION:
We will schedule an individual Skype, Zoom call with each reserved participant to provide a more detailed brief and answer any and all questions regarding gear, travel recommendations, etc.
If you are interested, or have questions regarding this trip and package feel free to contact me at the email listed below.
Please ask our team any and all questions we will be more than happy to assist you in making this a trip of a lifetime!
For information regarding the cancellation policy please refer to the terms & conditions.
CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL PAYMENT METHODS OR QUESTIONS
Changes and Cancellations:
A change fee of $200 will be charged for any changes or cancellations.
Participants who cancel prior to 90 days before the workshop have the following options:
Receive a full refund or credit towards a future workshop, minus the change fee.
Cancellations within 90 days of the workshop cannot be refunded, except in the following circumstance:
If we are able to fill the vacancy. Every effort will be made to do so.
Cancellations within 30 Days:
Any cancellations within 30 days of the workshop, for any reason, will result in forfeiture of the entire registration fee.
In the case of a true emergency arising last minute, we will make an effort to work with the participant and may grant a partial credit towards a future workshop, but this is not guaranteed.
Once again, we strongly recommend participants to have travel insurance in place to mitigate unforeseen circumstances.