Congratulations to Gregg B. for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 5 votes - View Previous Winners
I was recently visiting Japan, for the first time. I arrived at the perfect time for cherry blossom season, and everywhere I turned felt worth capturing. Yes, some of the locations in my images are well-known and photographed countless times, but when you’re in Tokyo or Kyoto, they’re simply too iconic to miss.
Many of these shots weren’t easy to get. The constant flow of people moving in and out of the frame made it challenging, but with a bit of patience, I managed to capture those rare, clean moments. A few images were taken very late at night, when the crowds finally disappeared and the scenes became calm and almost surreal.
Japan is stunning, despite the crowds (and yes, I was one of them). The food is incredible, the people are welcoming, and the level of respect embedded in the culture is something truly special. While Japan is known for its technological advancement, what stood out to me even more is how far ahead it feels as a society - how people treat one another, and how they extend that respect to visitors. I’m already planning my next trip possibly this fall, or winter in Hokkaido.
In a mean time here are a few of my images from beginning of April.
Stunning images. I am impressed particularly by your Arashiyama Bamboo Grove shot - this is very challenging to do nowadays without any tourists running into the frame.
About your observation: Japan has indeed a very civilized and peaceful society. Like almost any other country - there are of course issues, some of them fairly serious, even though they might not be too obvious during a short visit. Regardless, it is a good place to be and I am glad you enjoyed your stay.
DistantPlaces wrote:
Stunning images. I am impressed particularly by your Arashiyama Bamboo Grove shot - this is very challenging to do nowadays without any tourists running into the frame.
About your observation: Japan has indeed a very civilized and peaceful society. Like almost any other country - there are of course issues, some of them fairly serious, even though they might not be too obvious during a short visit. Regardless, it is a good place to be and I am glad you enjoyed your stay.
I’m sure they have their issues but the place is safe (practically no crime) and everyone seem to be very polite and respectful. Anyway the bamboo forest image was taken very early in the morning. I drove at night around maybe 4:30am or so. Arrived and there were few French photographers already there. But we were able to start shooting without blocking each other’s way…
Gregg B. wrote:
I’m sure they have their issues but the place is safe (practically no crime) and everyone seem to be very polite and respectful. Anyway the bamboo forest image was taken very early in the morning. I drove at night around maybe 4:30am or so. Arrived and there were few French photographers already there. But we were able to start shooting without blocking each other’s way…
Check out my watermark. I’ve built that photography platform. Check it out!
I just had a quick look at the platform - fantastic images! Will revisit once I have more time this week.
Beautiful set, with a well earned win! I haven't been to Japan in about 50 years, but it's hard to visualize it without crowds. You've shown it's possible.
I love this work, and your sentiment about the Japanese culture matched my impression as well. I went to Hokkaido in 2024, and am returning for 3 weeks from January into February. You will enjoy Hokkaido, but it is almost like a frontier in comparison to Kyoto and Tokyo.
