Where/what to shoot in Japan in November

I'm travelling to Japan during the second half of November and am trying to work out some sort of itinerary for landscape/cityscape photography, particularly given that it's the prime season for autumn colours.

Has anyone been there? Any ideas on what/where to shoot, and how to get around if you don't speak any Japanese? Obviously you can find autumn leaves anywhere, but you also need some sort of interesting vista to go with it.

What are you mainly interested in? Cities, temples, nature, etc? Autumn and Kyoto are great but very crowded.
Also, where are you staying? That will have an impact on travel time and money.

Check out my Flickr in my sig for recent pix. I'm also going end of November into December.

rezcar wrote in post #17745632
What are you mainly interested in? Cities, temples, nature, etc? Autumn and Kyoto are great but very crowded.
Also, where are you staying? That will have an impact on travel time and money.

Check out my Flickr in my sig for recent pix. I'm also going end of November into December.

Several different things:

- Cityscape locations around Tokyo (looks like the Fuji TV building's observation deck will give you a fantastic sunset view over Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline, but I can't find out whether they allow tripods)
- Nocturnal streetscapes and other night photography in Tokyo
- Landscapes (often with a cultural/human component, since this is Japan) outside of Tokyo
- Nature anywhere I can find it (probably a bit early and too far south for monkeys in the snow, but there's always next time)

At the moment, locations I have lined up include:
- Fuji and autumn foliage from the Five Lakes area (how easy is it to hire a car and drive around this area?)
- Miyajima island near Hiroshima (hoping for a great sunset view over the torii gate at high tide on 21/11)
- Arashiyama near Kyoto

I will be there around Nov 18-Nov 28 - looks like I can easily catch the autumn foliage in Tokyo and Kyoto, but will it be too late for autumn leaves in the Five Lakes area?

Haven't worked out where I'm staying and how to get around yet - what's the best way to do it?

That's a lot to cover in 10 days but doable. You're leaving just as I'm arriving. See below for my thoughts.

Shadowblade wrote in post #17745640
Several different things:

- Cityscape locations around Tokyo (looks like the Fuji TV building's observation deck will give you a fantastic sunset view over Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline, but I can't find out whether they allow tripods)
***Not exactly Fuji TV's observation ball, but right at the same spot is Odaiba where tripods are allowed.
Some shots here. https://www.flickr.com …/albums/7215764​8504074868

- Nocturnal streetscapes and other night photography in Tokyo
***I suggest Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Akihabara.
- Landscapes (often with a cultural/human component, since this is Japan) outside of Tokyo
***Close by is Kamakura/Enoshima, Nikko, Hon-Kawagoe, Kurazukuri, Asakusa (Tokyo)
- Nature anywhere I can find it (probably a bit early and too far south for monkeys in the snow, but there's always next time)
***Nikko, Chichibu, Okutama, Hakone
At the moment, locations I have lined up include:
- Fuji and autumn foliage from the Five Lakes area (how easy is it to hire a car and drive around this area?)
***Shouldn't be a problem, take a train to Fuji Highland and rent a car there?
- Miyajima island near Hiroshima (hoping for a great sunset view over the torii gate at high tide on 21/11)
***Sunset was difficult for me, angle of the sun or something....but great spot nonetheless. Hiroshima is close.
- Arashiyama near Kyoto
***And central Kyoto, Gion, Kiyomizu Dera, Nara and Fushimi Inari Taisha. Plan on two full days.
https://www.flickr.com …/albums/7215763​9522410774


I will be there around Nov 18-Nov 28 - looks like I can easily catch the autumn foliage in Tokyo and Kyoto, but will it be too late for autumn leaves in the Five Lakes area?
***Should be ok, but major crowds.

Haven't worked out where I'm staying and how to get around yet - what's the best way to do it?
***Get a JR railpass. Trains are your best bet, and buses. For lodging, AirB&B? Youth hostel? Onsen resort? Easiest are internet cafes, some even have showers. Try a capsule hotel too!

If your cityscapes can be cities other than Tokyo, then Osaka and Hiroshima are big cities as well. Close to Kyoto and Miyajima.

Also, Matsue, Izumo, Tsuwano, Hagi, and Tokushima are also beautiful but further away.

rezcar wrote in post #17747216
That's a lot to cover in 10 days but doable. You're leaving just as I'm arriving. See below for my thoughts.

If your cityscapes can be cities other than Tokyo, then Osaka and Hiroshima are big cities as well. Close to Kyoto and Miyajima.

Thanks - will have to dedicate a trip to it next time - I'm spending the first half of November shooting mountains in Yunnan, China.

- Cityscape locations around Tokyo (looks like the Fuji TV building's observation deck will give you a fantastic sunset view over Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline, but I can't find out whether they allow tripods) ***Not exactly Fuji TV's observation ball, but right at the same spot is Odaiba where tripods are allowed. Some shots here. https://www.flickr.com .../albums/72157648504​074868 (external link)

Can you get around the no-tripod thing by using a beanbag mount or Gorillapod, or simply putting the pan-tilt head directly on the ground? Or will the 'lip' in front of the window get in the way? My C1 Cube is pretty stable even without a tripod... I'm guessing you can kill reflections using a polariser or simply a jacket blocking out the lights.

Planning to stay in Shinjuku, since it's right by a few interesting places (Shinjuku Gyoen park, etc.). Hoping for some rain at night for the reflections and umbrellas. How hard is it to get from Shinjuku to the Tokyo Shinkansen station? I'm guessing taxi drivers won't speak English...

I'm planning to go to Hakone, for a sunrise and sunset shot of Fuji over the lake from Daikanzan. What else is there to see/do there? Is one night enough?

The sun won't be setting over the gate that day, but I'm just after the brilliant colours in the sky. Hoping for no cloud.

I was planning on staying 2 nights in Kyoto, on 22/11 and 23/11, but looks like it's all booked out and the cheapest accommodation I can find would buy me a new lens for two night's worth... Any alternatives for accommodation?

I figured I would be using trains a lot. What's the best way to get from a train station to a hotel or other attraction, while lugging around a 30kg pack and lots of camera gear?

How do you pre-book onsen resorts/ryokans? Not sure where to find them online, especially at a reasonable price - not every room in Japan can cost upwards of $250 a night!

Do you (can you) prebook accommodation at internet cafes or capsule hotels? Is there room to leave heavy equipment while exploring the town? How can you safely stow camera equipment in communal accommodation?

Shadowblade wrote in post #17747476
Thanks - will have to dedicate a trip to it next time - I'm spending the first half of November shooting mountains in Yunnan, China.

Can you get around the no-tripod thing by using a beanbag mount or Gorillapod, or simply putting the pan-tilt head directly on the ground? Or will the 'lip' in front of the window get in the way? My C1 Cube is pretty stable even without a tripod... I'm guessing you can kill reflections using a polariser or simply a jacket blocking out the lights.

I'm not sure of what you want, do you want to shoot from the FujiTV ball no matter what? I think they close pretty early. Or do you just want a good spot to shoot the bridge, etc. from? A bean bag might help inside, but i don't remember how close the tables were to the windows. Outside, there are all kinds of places to shoot from, at the water's edge to the top of the parking structure.

Really easy, and faster by train. Traffic is bad in Tokyo and you waste a lot of time and money sitting in it. They should be competent enough to take you to Tokyo station tho.

Been a while, but the surrounding towns are very cultural and photogenic. I think one night is enough.

The sun won't be setting over the gate that day, but I'm just after the brilliant colours in the sky. Hoping for no cloud.

You tried everywhere in Kyoto? Are you willing to stay in a nearby city/town? Look for a business hotel about 30 min to 1 hour away and it will be real cheap, Osaka is like 30 min away and has better night life.

I have the Think Tank Airport Express "bag", it's a rolling suitcase and turns into a backpack when you need it. Do research on where you're going, most temples don't allow tripods. Stash as much as you can in a coin locker (pay locker) at the train station and take what you need to the attraction. If I'm staying somewhere safe overnight like a hotel, I will transfer stuff to a backpack and roam around. Take care, some lockers have a time period, but most are max 3 days etc.

I know there are deals, try Tokyo Walker magazine, they may have a website. There's also Kyoto Walker, Yokohama Walker, etc. Also look at the city's home page, Miyajima had an English section and was informational. If you know the name of a resort, they may also have a webpage.

The nicer ones you can book ahead of time, and the nicer ones usually have secure lockers. Otherwise, use a coin locker outside or pay more for a hotel. Some capsule hotels let you check in bags at the desk too. I would like to try Air B&B one day, but hotels are usually more convenient in being close to train stations.

You should also rent a smart phone if you can, unless yours works in Japan. It's about $100 for two weeks? Comes in handy for reservations, looking up train schedules, etc.

This was taken from Fuji TV, no ledge on this window and luckily it was day time for a short exposure. Down below are the decks, walkways, etc. that you can use tripods. That horse shoe area lower left is the most popular spot, but you can go down to the beach and walk parallel to the bridge too.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/j1Fb​UX

rezcar wrote in post #17748784
I'm not sure of what you want, do you want to shoot from the FujiTV ball no matter what? I think they close pretty early. Or do you just want a good spot to shoot the bridge, etc. from? A bean bag might help inside, but i don't remember how close the tables were to the windows. Outside, there are all kinds of places to shoot from, at the water's edge to the top of the parking structure.

I'll probably end up shooting from both, but really want the elevated view from above the level of the bridge.

Sure. Or to Shinjuku station.

What's the weather like in November? As in, what are the odds of having clear skies over both Hakone and Fuji around sunset (and, potentially, sunrise)? Is it easy enough to point out locations on a map and have a taxi driver take me there, since going to a photo location isn't as simple as 'take me to the airport' or 'take me to the Shinkansen station'?

I was thinking of being in Arashiyama around sunset, so staying in Kyoto would be more convenient from that point of view. On the other hand, if Osaka is only 30 mins away...

Do they still allow you to take tripods with you, just not use them? It would be very inconvenient to travel from Osaka to Kyoto, do some tripod shooting, then have to go back to Osaka to drop off the tripod before coming back to shoot a temple!

Does it apply to gorillapods and bean bag pods as well, or just full-size tripods?

Mine should work with international roaming and travel data packs.

rezcar wrote in post #17748787
This was taken from Fuji TV, no ledge on this window and luckily it was day time for a short exposure. Down below are the decks, walkways, etc. that you can use tripods. That horse shoe area lower left is the most popular spot, but you can go down to the beach and walk parallel to the bridge too.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/j1Fb​UX IMG_1145_stitch a by owen yano, on Flickr

Yep, that's the sort of elevated view I'm after. Although around sunset (closing time of Fuji TV is 6pm, which is well after sunset in November) and more zoomed in on the bridge.

You'll have to research somewhere but from my memory, odds are good.

If you have a map and the driver isn't a moron, it should be no problem. Cab drivers in Japan are usually experts in their areas.

You'll probably be in the area from early on, so much to shoot in Kyoto!

Most places made me check the tripod if they had a desk like that, otherwise I had to find a locker. You won't have to go all the way back to Osaka unless it's super crowded.

Those are fine, I used one at Sky Tree. Finding a spot to use it is always hard, people leaning on and kicking the railing etc. I have seen people who snuck normal tripods in and were fine, must be the time and place I guess. My Benro Travel Flat tripod is slightly tall when collapsed, so might get a MeFoto that fits in my backpack. I hate having duplicate equipment like that tho.

Looking forward to seeing the shots from FujiTV!

rezcar wrote in post #17749187
You'll have to research somewhere but from my memory, odds are good.

If you have a map and the driver isn't a moron, it should be no problem. Cab drivers in Japan are usually experts in their areas.

You'll probably be in the area from early on, so much to shoot in Kyoto!

Yep, expecting that to be the case. The good thing about forests is that 'ideal lighting' can happen at any time of the day, not just around sunrise and sunset.

What about large camera bags/backpacks? Can you take those up, or do you also have to check in your bag full of lenses?

That's why I was asking about ledges in front of the windows - if there are none and the windows are right at the outer edge of the wall, you can put a Gorillapod or beanbag at floor level and still shoot over the edge.

How big are the coin lockers? Can they handle a large suitcase or hiking pack (since I'll need that while travelling in China, and also to get my tripod home in on the flight home)?

Shadowblade wrote in post #17749625
What about large camera bags/backpacks? Can you take those up, or do you also have to check in your bag full of lenses?

Should not be a problem, I have a Flipside AW400 which is pretty bulky but it was fine.

If you are lucky, you can find one big enough to fit the roller case I was talking about. Each location usually has one or two, but they might be being used.


This is one random search I did. Check out #11. You can tell it's outside from the map.
http://coinlockersearc​h.com/kyoto.html
I hope this copy and paste of the Japanese text works
キャリーバッグ可 -carrier bag/med backpack
スーツケース可-suitcase
ゴルフバッグ可-golf bag
現金 のみ-cash only (coins)
24 時間-24 hour use

Others say,
始発から終電まで-from first train to last

Occasionally, you will come across people who stow their stuff and leave without paying/locking. Either they're too cheap or just stupid, but if I need that locker, I take their stuff out, put mine in, and lock it. It's like people taking metered parking spots and not paying, when I really need that spot!

Check out the link within this page
http://www.japan-guide.com …ereadisplay.htm​l?0+101412

Also, try to research the status of places you're going. I went to a temple in Kyoto and it was partially under construction. Had to do a lot of photoshopping to remove the crane.
Something like this page, I was planning to go here in November.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3100.html