Great Gardens of Japan: A Photographic and Botanical Journey with Harold Davis
Monday, November 9 to Saturday, November 21, 2026 — 13 days and 12 nights
Click here for a detailed Itinerary, and here for the Reservation Form.
Overview: Gardens and gardening have been an important part of Japanese culture for more than one thousand years. In this exciting tour, noted photographer Harold Davis (author of Creative Garden Photography) and Japanese cultural ambassador Kana Hattori will lead us to explore the great gardens of Japan with our cameras. While this is primarily a photography tour, we will also learn about related Japanese horticultural traditions, including flower arranging (ikebana), growing bonsai, and visit the flower districts and plant nurseries that Japanese gardeners frequent.
Details: For the first few days we will be based in an elegant Tokyo hotel and explore gardens including Koshikawa Korakuen and the East Gardens of the Imperial Court. From Tokyo, we will travel to Saitama, with a stop at Ozaki Flower Park (Tokyo’s most beloved garden center) along the way. In Saitama, we will visit Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa shrine with its iconic approach through a long row of trees, and spend the night at a serene traditional ryokan.
The next morning we will visit Bonsai Village, dedicated to the centuries-old art of miniature tree cultivation (bring your macro lens!). In the afternoon, we’ll transfer to Kanzawa, and visit the reflective pools of the D.T. Suzuki museum and the intimate Shofukaku Garden. The next day in Kanazawa sees us at Kanazawa Castle, a traditional samurai house, and Kenrokuen Garden (one of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan”). In the evening, we’ll practice hands-on sushi making in the Kanazawa-style, then eat our art for dinner!
Following an early morning return visit to Kenrokuen Garden, we’ll transfer to Okayama, where we’ll photograph Korakuen Garden, another of the Three Great Gardens, known for its winding paths beside elegant ponds and serene lawns. After the night in Okayama, we’ll return for a morning session to Korakuen, then transfer to Takamatsu, where we will photograph Ritsurin Garden, the only Michelin 3-star rated garden in Japan. The next morning we’ll re-visit Ritsurin Garden, followed by a visit to the elegant Hiunkaku Garden, and then transfer to Kyoto, where the group will spend the next four nights.
Our garden visits in Kyoto will include the grounds of the Heian Shrine, Murinan, Yusai-tei in the Arishiyama District, the Jizo-in “Bamboo Temple”, and Nanzen-ji. Experiences in Kyoto will include tradional rice cooking, and Ikebana, where we will craft and photograph our own flower arrangements
using traditional principles.
Please consider joining us on this very special trip that will emphasize photography of Japanese gardens, and the incredible culture that has grown up around horticulture in Japan over the ages.
You are advised to refer to the Itinerary for more detailed information. Note that the Itinerary includes extensive links to all accommodations and most of the gardens that we will be photographing.
Group Size: This is an exclusive, small photo workshop (gardeners and non-photographer significant others are also welcome) with very limited space availability. The minimum group size is six and the maximum is twelve.
How to Register: Please send Harold an email expressing interest right away; a completed registration requires a $1000 deposit, the trip Reservation Form, and a copy of your currently valid passport page. Please see Inclusions and Exclusions (Itinerary, page XX) and Terms and Conditions (Itinerary, page YY).
For more information or to express interest, please refer to the complete Itinerary and/or call Harold at his studio: 510.528.9977 or email him: harold@digitalfieldguide.com
Cost: $9,950 per person (single supplement $1,680, see related note). See the Reservation Form for payment schedule, and please also see the Terms and Conditions (page XX) in the Itinerary.
Please contact us with any questions. I hope you will consider joining me in Japan.
Click here for detailed Itinerary, and here for the Reservation Form.
