PHOTO TOUR JAPAN: Shikoku

August 10 to 20, 2017.  €3,990

 

SHIKOKU

Shikoku is probably the least known island of the four main islands that make up Japan. However, it is where one can discover the true spirit of the Japanese country away from the most touristic crowded areas. The mixture of culture, religion, landscape and rural atmospheres far from the big cities gives photographers infinite opportunities to unleash their creativities. Akashi Photo Tours will take you to inaccessible corners with public transportation and will take you to discover all the charms that the Shikoku region offers to photographer.

 

Discover Japan with the authoers of the photo book “Japan/日本”

Summer is the ideal time to visit Shikoku, as the Awaodori is celebrated here, one of the most famous summer festivals in the country. The interior of Shikoku surrounded by deep forests, with terraced rice fields in intese green, and with one of the most beautiful rivers in all of Japan, offers beautiful images of rural Japan and traditional life. It is here where we find few tourists and even fewer foreigners, and where we can capture the essence of the Japanese country.

Most of the time we will travel with a private minibus with a professional driver, so we can concentrate on finding the best photographs in the best environments. In addition, we will also visit two small islands of Setouchi, Inland Sea of ​​Japan, that practially turned into open air museums from the sleepy depopulated islands where now a modern art festival is celebrated every three years attracting the art lovers from all over the world.

We will visit the all four prefectures of Shikoku. We will stay in some luxury ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) as well as in western hotels. In ryokan, we will enjoy the famous kaiseki, artistic Japanese cuisine, and soak ourselves in hot springs to relax our bodies and minds. This is not a trip just for photographers, but also for those who want to enjoy good food and wonderful cultural experiences as well!

 

Kagawa, Shikoku ©Tina Bagué/Akashi Photos

MAIN TOPICS TO PHOTOGRAPH

  • Awaodori, One of the most famous summer festivals in Japan
  • Joruri, traditional Japanese puppet theater
  • Route Ohenro: beautiful buddhist temples and Japanese buddhist pilgrims
  • Isolated islands with contemporary art in Inland Sea of ​​Japan
  • Ukai, fishing with birds on the river, and dinner on a traditional Japanese boat
  • The Largest Firework festival in Shikoku
  • Spectacular scenery of the Inland Sea of ​​Japan
  • Hidden picturesque villages of the region

TOUR ORGANIZERS AND GUIDES

Toru Morimoto and Tina Bagué are both professional photographers with more than 20 years of experience behind them. Both have been traveling together in Japan since 2002. Their photo project, The Japan Photo Project, has started in 2010 when they decided to leave everything behinde in Spain and spend a whole year of their life (365 days) photographing Japan from the northernmost island of Japan (Hokkaido) to the tropical islands of Okinawa, with a motorhome. As a result of this road trip, they published their first co-authored book “Japan/日本”.

The fact that Toru Morimoto is Japanese and has lived half of his life in Japan and the other half abroad, and that Tina Bagué is Spanish and has traveled countless times to Japan makes them the perfect couple to guide and lead a small group of amateur or semi-professional photographers to create a unique and unforgettable trip with full of top-notch photographic opportunities during the 11 days of this adventure.

WHY TRAVEL WITH AKASHI PHOTO TOURS?

  • WITH BEST PHOTGRAPHERS: Toru Morimoto and Tina Bagué have traveled together all over Japan for the last 15 years, photographing the Japanese people, cultures, cities, from north to south and from east to west. They know Japan deeply with the point of oview of photographers.
  • NO HUSTLE: Participants do not have to worry about anything other than enjoying and photographing. Transportations, foods, accommodations, tickets, and everything is organized.
  • HIGH CLASS ACCOMODATIONS: Most of the accommodations are high class and some of them are mid-high class. They are not extremely expensive high-end class hotels , but well-known good hotels that guarantee good meals and good sleep to continue our journey.
  • GOOD FOODS: Foods play a very important role in Akashi Photo Tour. Good meals throughout the tour are organized, which does not mean that we eat expensive all the time, but we eat well, sometimes we enjoy luxurious kaiseki and other times authentic local food.
  • PRIVATE BUS & CHAUFFEUR: Private bus and driver are hired for most of the days during the tour, so that we do not lose time unnecessarily or any unexpected photo opportunities.
  • TWO MENTOR PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR A SMALL GROUP OF 8 to 10 PERTICIPANTS: Two professional photographers, one Japanese and another Spanish, for 8 to 10 people, will resolve doubts and give advice throughout the trip.
  • MULTILINGUAGES:  We speak Japanese, English, Spanish, and Catalan. Toru Morimoto was born in Japan, and Tina Bagué was born in Spain. The both have lived and worked in the United States, and traveled to photograph all over the world.
  • PRIVATE PHOTO REVIEW & SLIDESHOW: During the tour, there will be two sessions of personal photo review per participant. And we will have a “slideshow night” at the end of the trip with the projection of the best photos of each participant.

 

Uchiko, Shikoku ©Tina Bagué/Akashi Photos

ITINERARY

Once the reservation is made the, participants will receive a dossier with the complete information of the tour. For now this is a small introduction day by day of the tour.

DAY 1. The meeting point to start the route will be the city of Takamatsu, where we will meet all in the evening. For those who want to travel with us to Takamatsu by bus, we can meet in Sannomiya, Kobe. The bus fees is not included.

DAY 2.  We will take a small ferry to visit two nearby islands, small treasures in the middle of the Inland Sea of ​​Japan, with narrow alleys and traditional houses on a hill. We will photograph the quiet life of the islands as well as the open air contemporary art works exhibited in the islands. Breakfast-Lunch

DAY 3. We leave Takamatsu by a private minibus to Tokushima, where we visit one of the main temples of the route Ohenro to understand and to capture the essence of this route of Japanese Buddhist pilgrimage. After lunch we will witness a traditional Japanese puppet theater of the area. And from the evening to night, we will spend photographing one of Japan’s most famous summer festivals, the Awaodori of Tokushima. It will be two intense hours of photo shooting at night, with lots of color, music and rhythm. Breakfast-Lunch

DAY 4. We will visit the island of Naoshima, the center of the triennial modern art festival that is celebrated in islands of the Inland Sea of Japan. We will tour the island on foot and on local buses. In the afternoon, we will return to Takamatsu, where we will find another traditional summer festival with the biggest fireworks of Shikoku. Breakfast-Lunch

DAY 5. From this day we will start the photographic trip by a private minibus. We will get up early to avoid the crowds, and visit the famous Japanese garden in Takamatsu to have breakfast and later, we will visit a Shintoist temple on top of the mountain from where we will see an incredible landscape. We will spend the night in a ryokan, to live in the own skin the experience of kaiseki dinner, artistic traditional Japanese cuisine. Tonight we will review the photographs of each participant one by one. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

DAY 6. The first stop will be one of the most mystical temples of the route Ohenro, lost in a corner of a mountain. In the afternoon we will visit Shimanami Highway, bridges that connects several tiny islands of the Inland Sea of ​​Japan. We will capture the picturesque landscape there at sunset. Breakfast

DAY 7. We will begin the day in Matsuyama where we will photograph its famous public hot springs bath, one of the oldes ones in Japan. In the afternoon we will visit a small town famous for ukai, fishing in the river on a boat with birds. We will dine on a private boat from which we will also photograph the fishermen working. We will test the high sensitivities of our cameras to take night shots without a tripod. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

DAY 8. This morning will be dedicated to photographing the surroundings and the ancient streets of Uchiko, with traditional architecture of the Edo period very well preserved (s.XVII-XIX). In the afternoon we will travel to one of the most important rivers of Japan. The beauty of the landscape is overwhelming. We will have a photo review session with each participant one by one. Lunch

DAY 9. We will drive to the town of Kochi. There we will visit an interesting food stands market of ​​the city where we can witness how tataki of bonito is prepared with burning straw. We can photograph the cooks in action and taste the famous bonito of Kochi. In the afternoon we will drive to the Iya valley, in the inner heart of Shikoku, with its forests and mountains of incredible beauty. It is known as one of the three least explored areas of Japan. We will spend the night in a nice ryokan of the area to enjoy an elaborate kaiseki as well as its outdoor hot springs baths. Breakfast-Dinner

DAY 10. We will continue the adventure through the Iya valley passing through different gorges, we will visit a suspension bridge in the middle of nature and we will stay in small Japanese rural houses of a remote village hidden in the mountains of the interior of Shikoku. This will be the last night and we will have a farewell dinner in one of the traditional houses, where we will eat typical food of the area. This last night we will screen a selection of photographs of each participant. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

DAY 11. In the last morning, on our way to Tokushima, we will stop in the village of Wakimachi to photograph its imposing houses of traders of the Meiji era (s.XIX). We will eat there and return to Takamatsu. Breakfast

 

Wakimachi, Shikoku ©Tina Bagué/Akashi Photos

ACCOMODATIONS AND MEALS

Eating and sleeping in Japan is not a mere process, quite the opposite. Traditional food and accommodation is a very important part of the Japanese experience, as well as the photographic work.

We will combine nights in ryokans with nights in western hotels. Ryokan, traditional Japanese style inn, with tatami room, kaiseki food and thermal baths, offers a myriad of photographic opportunities, from the beauty of the dishes to the minimalist aesthetics of the rooms.

Whether they are traditional Japanese inns or western hotels, they are all medium-high and high class, and some of them have thermal baths in their facilities to relax at the end of the day.

Meals are included except for 1 breakfast, 3 lunches, and 6 dinners.

If anybody has allergy or food intolerance problems, or is a vegetarian, we will try to make the necessary changes in the menus when it is possible.

The rooms will be singles room for the first four nights, then will be twin rooms (with two beds) later, so participants who come alone will share a room with another single participant. If you wish to stay in a single room for the whole trip, you must pay a supplement. And in the case of this trip, single room might not be available in some of the accommodations.

 

Naoshima, Shikoku ©Tina Bagué/Akashi Photos

WHO IS THIS TOUR FOR?

  • ANYONE INTERESTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY WITH ANY KIND OF CAMERA: This is a photographic trip that is suitable for all kinds of audiences. From amateur photographers whose only tool is a smartphone, to amateur photographers with compact cameras and even semi-professional or professional photographers with reflex cameras and multiple lenses in search of good photographic opportunities to unleash their creativity
  • COMPANIONS: In spite of being a trip for photographers, it is also suitable for companions, since in the end what we are trying to do is to help the participants discovering a different and personal Japan on their own eyes and perspectives. Our tour is interesting not only for photographers but also for people who loves to travel, eat well, and enjoy life, immersing themselves in Japanese culture away from stereotypes.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THIS TOUR?

  • Private minibus, as well as gas, tolls and professional driver
  • All tickets for all activities
  • All accommodations of 10 nights
  • Meals except 1 breakfast, 3 lunches, and 6 dinners
  • Photographic support throughout the trip by the two photographers. Throughout the trip we will be at the disposal of all photographers to resolve any photographic doubts that may arise. We will not do theoretical classes, however we will talk about technique, composition, lenses and any photographic aspect daily. The journey itself becomes a practical workshop on the move. Depending on the needs of the participants, more emphasis will be placed on one theme or another.
  • Two personal sessions of photo review.
  • Slideshow

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THIS TOUR?

  • International flights from and to the country of origin of each participant
  • Costs of the trip to the meeting point in Takamatsu.
  • Hotels before or after the tour
  • 1 breakfast, 3 lunches, 6 dinners
  • Drinks of all meals
  • Snacks, souvenirs or any extra purchases

GUIDE OF THE TRIP

  • Once the participant has registered and made the deposit of € 1,000, the participant will receive a dossier with all the details of the route, maps, names and addresses of all accommodations, as well as a guide of advice as to clothing and photographic equipment.

Inland Sea, Shikoku ©Tina Bagué/Akashi Photos

PRICE AND RESERVATIONS

  • The total price of this trip is € 3,990 per person in accommodation in a double room (four nights in a single room). In case you want to stay in a single room for the whole trip, the additional fees will be €500.
  • To make the reservation it is necessary to make a payment the deposit of €1,000. Payment can be made by bank transfer, credit card or paypal.
  • For the trip to be carried out, there must be 8 participants. For this reason it is recommended to consult the occupation of the trip before buying the international flight if the flight ticket requires cancellation fees.
  • Payment of the total cost of the trip must be made 2 months before the starting date.

CANCELATIONS AND COSTS

In case of cancellation once the first payment of the deposit has been made, these are the conditions of return of the deposit, €1,000:

  • If you wish to cancel the reservation with more than 2 months in advance, the payment will be returned in full as long as the place is filled with another participant. If the cancellation is after 2 months it will not be refunded either partially or fully.

In case of cancellation once the full payment has been made, these are the return conditions of the remaining € 2,990:

  • If the cancellation occurs 45 days before the start of the trip, the € 2,990 will be refunded in full.
  • If the cancellation occurs between 44 and 22 days before the start of the trip, the cancellation will cost 25% of the € 2,990.
  • If the cancellation occurs between 21 and 8 days before the start of the trip, the cancellation will cost 50% of the € 2,990.
  • If the cancellation occurs between 7 and 4 days before the start of the trip, the cancellation will cost 75% of the € 2,990.
  • If the cancellation occurs less than 3 days before the start of the trip, nothing will be returned.

DETAILS REGARDING TO CANCELLATION 

  • All transfer charges related to cancellations will be deducted from the amount to be refunded.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

  • It is recommended to get a travel insurance before embarking on the trip, in order to have any hospitalization expenses covered if necessary, loss of luggage, etc.
  • It is also interesting to assess the need for insurance for the photographic equipment.

MORE QUESTIONS

  • If you have more doubts about any topic related to the tour, send us an email to: tour@akashiphotos.com

 

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“Discover Shikoku with Toru Morimoto and Tina Bagué, both professional photographers specializing in Japan. An adventure away from the crowds and tourist areas. Capture the true spirit of Japan!”
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PRICE: €3,990
DAYS: 11 DAYS (from the 10th to the 20th of August 2017)

SEATS: 8 to 10 participants
STATE: open to sign up

RESERVATION: send email to tour@akashiphotos.com
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