“Autumn Leaves & Onsen” Kyoto & Tohoku October 2019
DATES
from October 20 to 29, 2019
TOUR’S HIGHLIGHTS
- Temples with autumn leaves and lighted up Japanese gardens with autumn leaves in Kyoto
- Bamboo forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto
- Fushimi Inari shrine and zen garden in Kyoto
- Hot springs villages in Tohoku
- Buddhist temple hanged on an autumn colorful mountain
- Picturesque autumn colorful gorge
- Cable car over an autumn colorful mountain
- Magical swamp surrounded by autumn trees
- Stay overnight in a Buddhist temple in one of the three most spiritual mountains in Japan
- Towada Art Center
- Stroll along the beautiful mountain stream with breathtaking nature with autumn leaves
- Autumn colorful mountain with waterfalls
- Breathtaking crater lake
ITINERARY
Day 0 // October 20: Arrival at Kyoto
In the evening, around 8pm, we will all meet in the lobby at our hotel in Kyoto to make sure everyone has arrived. This will be a free night.
Day 1 // October 21: Arashiyama, temples and Pontocho
We will start the first day visiting the bamboo forest in the Arashiyama neighborhood. Then we will head to three Kyoto temples where the leaves begin to change their color. In the evening we will walk along the Kamo River and will have dinner at the famous Pontocho street.
Bamboo forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto. ©Akashi Photos
Day 2 // October 22: Fushimi Inari, Gion, and illuminated autumn leaves at night
We will get up early to visit the Fushimi Inari shrine, thus avoiding the crowds that visit the place. Later we will visit one of the best Zen temples in Kyoto,quite unknown and very quiet. From there we will go to the neighborhood of Gion where we might have a chance to photograph geisha on the street. Then we walk to the neighborhood of Kiyomizu, where we will walk through its cobbled streets and photograph its wooden houses, looking for charming spots. At night we will capture the beauty of the gardens of the temples illuminated at night.
Thousands of torii in Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto. ©Akashi Photos
Day 3 // October 23: Arrival to Tohoku, cable car and rustic ryokan
We will leave the city of Kyoto and catch a flight towards Tohoku, to Aomori town, the northern end of the island of Honshu. Once there, we will take a cable car to enjoy the breathtaking views of the landscape covered with a carpet of autumn leaves. In the afternoon we will arrive at our traditional rustic ryokan with centuries-old wooden thermal baths. A balm for the senses.
Hot spring bath of a traditional rustic ryokan in Tohoku ©Akashi Photos
Day 4 // October 24: Magical pond and mountain river with autumn leaves
We will get up at dawn to get to photograph the sunrise in a magical pond. Afterwards, we will visit a mountain river of great beauty to enjoy the impressive landscape. Those who are passionate about nature photography will find themselves in paradise. We will walk along the river to enjoy the smell, colors and sounds of nature. At lunch time, we will go up to the lake where we will eat. In the evening, we will arrive at Hirosaki city.
Autumn leaves ©Akashi Photos
Day 5 // October 25: Autumn leaves forest and spiritual Buddhist temple
In the morning we will discover a beautiful forest with autumnal leaves near Hirosaki. Then we will drive a long way to head towards the Shimokita peninsula, the northernmost peninsula of the main island of Japan, where we will find a mountain, a mysterious place that Japanese folklore describes as the boundary between this world and beyond. The mountain is considered one of the three most spiritual mountains in Japan along with Mount Koya (Koyasan) and Mount Hiei. The almost lunar rocky landscape, its blue caldera lake, the sulfur vapor that comes out of the gray soil and hundreds of stone statues of jizos (protectors of children and travelers) create a surreal atmosphere and turn this remote place into a paradise for photographers. Tonight we will sleep in a Buddhist temple in this mountain. We will eat Japanese vegetarian dishes, the same food as the monks of the temple eat. At night we can relax in the temple’s thermal bath.
Spiritual temple in Tohoku. ©Akashi Photos
Day 6 // October 26: Spiritual temple and Towada Art Center
We will get up early to start the day with the first prayer in the Buddhist temple. After the Japanese vegetarian breakfast, we will take more pictures of the mountain. Then, we will head to Towada, a small city where we will enjoy an impressive museum of modern art, as well as works exhibited in the open air.
Standing woman, by Ron Mueck. Towada Art Center. ©Akashi Photos
Day 7 // October 27: Gorges in autumn leaves and hot spring village
In the morning we will take the high speed train to move towards the central area of Tohoku. From there we will approach some gorges full of golden and reddish trees, to photograph the stunning landscape. We will walk through the woods until sunset. We will spend the night in an old thermal town with a pretty retro look.
Bandai, reception of Sento, at a local hot spring public bath in a termal village in Tohoku. ©Akashi Photos
Day 8 // October 28: Hanged Temple in the mountain, volcano and hot spring village
In the morning, we will visit an impressive temple hanged on a mountain that offers incredible views over the valley and a walking path with many wooden temples over 1000 years old. The path has more than 1000 stone steps that lead to the top of the mountain little by little. It’s easy to walk to the top and perfect for taking pictures along the way. After lunch, we will head to another thermal town famous for its nearby volcano. We will go up to photograph the impressive crater and after sunset we will enjoy the hot spring bath in our hotel.
Okama, volcanic lake in the crater. ©Akashi Photos
Day 9 // October 29: Panoramic road with autumn leaves
The last day of the tour we will drive from the small and hidden thermal town to Sendai, stopping at different points of interest along a beautiful mountain road. Waterfalls and valleys, once again with their ocher and reddish colors, will be the objective of our cameras. After lunch we will take the high-speed train to Tokyo, where we will arrive at around 3 o’clock in the afternoon and where our tour will end, at the JR de Ueno station.
TOHOKU
The tour we propose for this fall combines the beautiful city of Kyoto with the north of Honshu, specifically the Tohoku area, and will take place during the second half of October.
Without any doubts, the best seasons to visit Japan are spring and fall. It is not only because of the pleasant temperatures, but also of the spectacular natural phenomenon that offers in the both seasons: cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. And Tohoku is one of the best places to enjoy them without crowded tourists like in Tokyo or Kyoto.
Moreover, Tohoku, a region far from the big cities and located in the northern part of the country, also gives us a chance to get to know rural and authentic Japan that we cannot find in big cities. Tohoku is surely deep Japan that welcomes us with the unique and impressive nature, hidden hot springs in the magical enclaves, and traditional handicrafts that keep alive quietly in the valleys.
Although you can easily reach some of the towns of Tohoku by bullet train from Tokyo, it is quite difficult to explore deep inside Tohoku because of the numerous mountains, rivers and volcanoes. But these are the very places where you can find real treasure of Tohoku and Japan. We will take you there.
Toru Morimoto and Tina Bagué, both professional photographers, have organized a dream trip to Tohoku to enjoy the beauty of autumn leaves in traditional villages and relaxing and healing hot springs that spread all over Tohoku. Sleeping in handpicked hotels and ryokan, enjoying Japanese authentic dinner, kaiseki, as well as delicious local food, travelling by a private bus, and visiting placing off the beaten tracks are some of the elements that make this tour more special.
This photo tour to Japan is not just a trip for photographers, but also for everyone how wants to have unique and unforgettable experiences.
MORE INFO & RESERVATION
For more information and book your place for the tour, please visit AKASHI TRAVEL.
