OLIVIER ROBERT PHOTO

The tours are led by Osaka-based professional landscape photographer Olivier Robert, with logistical support from Hisayo Takatsuka, a travel Japanese specialist. The team is fluent in Japanese, English, and French, ensuring a smooth and seamless experience for international guests.

Although our tours are available year-round (except in July and August), we highly recommend booking yours as early as possible. Our calendar fills up quickly, and we are regularly fully booked more than 6 months in advance. Typically, most of our clients book their tours from 6 months to a year ahead to secure a slot in our schedule. Please feel free to reach out to us to check our current availability.

Our photo tours are considered private tours, as we do not organize mixed groups. We typically welcome individual photographers or couples, but we can also accommodate small groups of up to 3 people who already know each other (such as friends or colleagues). This approach allows us to ensure smooth communication among participants and maintain creative harmony during our photo sessions.

As mentioned in the previous answer, we primarily welcome individual photographers for private tours, as well as groups of up to 3 people who already know each other. This approach allows us to guarantee personalized, continuous attention for our clients by tailoring the programme to their expectations, technical skill level, and physical abilities.

From the beginning, Japan Photo Tour has specialized in creating private, bespoke photography journeys. We are dedicated to providing you with one-on-one guidance and continuous, attentive support throughout your tour.To stay true to this philosophy, we intentionally focus on intimate experiences rather than large-group photo tourism (6-8 people or more). By strictly limiting our tours to a maximum of 3 participants per journey, we ensure that every guest receives our full, undivided attention.A small number of participants allows us to travel exclusively by private vehicle—rather than by tour bus or shuttle van. This creates the perfect space for us to share engaging conversations about photography and local culture along the way. This private setup also gives us the absolute flexibility to adapt our daily itinerary on the fly, tailoring the route entirely to your immediate creative wishes.

The tours featured on our program page can be combined to visit two or more regions during your trip, extending your experience of Japan. In this case, the itinerary will be tailor-made and the budget calculated according to the new requirements (such as domestic flights, updated vehicle logistics, etc.).

It is absolutely possible (and actually quite common) for a photographer to be accompanied by a non-photographer. In our experience, these trips are always rewarding for everyone, and a diversity of perspectives always enriches the conversations. Since our tours also place a strong emphasis on Japanese culture and traditions, they are equally engaging for non-photographers. Our quotes are adjusted accordingly to reflect shared expenses (such as hotel rooms, transportation, and flights).

Our Photo Tours can be organized across all 47 of Japan's prefectures, drawing from our extensive firsthand exploration of the entire country. Our itineraries are mainly designed to explore landscapes, sacred sites, and lesser-known locations across different regions. While we have specialized in Western and Southern Japan for many years, we can also organize tailor-made tours in other regions.

Traveling in Japan requires a thorough understanding of its unique social and cultural norms to ensure a respectful experience. Familiarizing yourself with these customs will help you avoid awkward or unintentionally disrespectful situations during our tour. While our support is always available to inform, assist, and address any questions you may have before and during the tour, we recommend reading our article, "Japan Etiquette: A Complete Guide to Travel Respectfully”, prior to your arrival.

We make every effort to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, provided you inform us well in advance during the planning phase. While Japanese cuisine can sometimes be challenging for vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free diets due to hidden ingredients, we will arrange suitable alternatives whenever possible. Please explicitly list any medical allergies or dietary requirements when booking so we can plan the logistics accordingly. We also assist you in translating ingredient lists. However, despite our best efforts to assist you, we cannot be held responsible or liable for any health incidents or medical issues related to your dietary restrictions.