With that goal in mind, I joined nine other photographers from Japan to bring you The View From Japan, a new photo blog that goes beyond the typical in an attempt to capture the essence of Japan.   I was recently interviewed on the Japan Podshow about this project and was asked about the Top 10 things to photograph in Japan.  We had a good time chatting about some of the typical and not so typical shots and encourage everyone to get out their camera, explore the county, and capture their own unique view from Japan.

Local Markets

Head out to a local market.  Fish markets vegetable markets, even grocery stores, in Japan are quite different to those found in North America and offer insight into the lives of the Japanese through the food that they eat.  Take advantage of your jet lag and head for the Tsukiji Morning Market to photograph the bounty of the sea in Tokyo – it’s an amazing experience.

Matsuri

Head out to a festival, small or large, well know or obscure, to find revelers strolling about in yukata, mikoshi (portable shrines) paraded about by men in traditional dress, vendors selling all manner of food, and taiko drummers beating out festive tunes.  The bright colors and abundant activity offer limitless opportunities to capture the feeling of summer in Japan.

The City Lights

Go for a stroll in the evening and try to capture the mood of the city through the neon signs that can be found along most major thoroughfares in larger cities.

Traditional & Modern Side by Side

A temple in the foreground with a modern apartment building in the background…or a modern skyscraper hovering alongside a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn).  Try to catch an image that juxtaposes the old and new in Japan.

Temples & Shrines

In the city or the country, the temples and shrines are beautiful unto themselves but try capturing the spirit with images of the ema (prayer boards), purity fountain, torii (gates), and the monks themselves.

The View From the Street

Bring a long lens as the Japanese are notoriously camera shy with strangers. Capture people going about their daily lives, or the scene from the streets and alleyways of a local neighborhood like Kagurazaka or Nippori or even Yakitori Alley.

Transportation

Take a walk with your camera through a busy station and try to capture the hectic pace or visit a smaller station and head to the end of the platform to capture the comings and goings of the trains themselves.  Or why not try to capture other means of transportation like these well used Japanese bikes?

Food

I’ve been known to hold up a dinner party by stopping to take a picture of the food before its touched – just choose you timing wisely on that one…

Gardens & Parks

Japanese Gardens and are usually designed with a path around a central pond and offer a different view from almost any point along the meandering path. Shoot the ponds, bridges, ishidoro (stone lanterns), traditional tea houses and the seasonal foliage and flowers. It’s a beautiful an relaxing way to while away and afternoon with your camera.

Know When to Put Your Camera Away

Make sure that you put your camera down and just take it all in once in a while. You don’t want to spend all you time trying to capture the perfect shot and not enjoy the experience – that would be a bigger shame than losing a shot!

If you are a budding photographer and your traveling companions are not try to find some time to explore by yourself.  There is so much to photograph that much can be overlooked when trying to meet the needs of those with different interests. Set aside some time to explore your hobby independently or set a meeting time with your companion so you are free to roam about without worrying about your companions.

Stop by and visit The View From Japan for some photographic inspiration and take some time to listen to me talk about this list with Joseph on the Japan Podshow this week.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Banryutei Rock Garden

Image Credit: Flickr, Zen garden / Koya San

The Banryutei Rock Garden (pictured above) is one of the largest gardens of its kind in Japan.  Located within the precincts of the  Koyasan Kongobuji in Wakayama prefecture (part of the Kansai Region of Japan) the garden encompasses more that 2,300 square meters of raked sand and strategically placed rocks that when viewed from a certain angle appear to be two dragons flying amongst the clouds.

Visit Welcome to Koyasan for information on the sights of the area as well as walking and audio guides.

Ginshadan – The Sea of Silver Sand

Image Credit: Flickr, Zen Garden

Located in front of the Abbots quarters (hojo) on the grounds of Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto  is an excellent example of a karesansui garden (dry garden) known as Ginshadan or the Sea of Silver Sand.  The Ginshandan consists of a two foot platform of sand that covers 0.71 hectares (1.75 acres) and is said to represent the sea.

Kogetsudai – The Moon Viewing Platform

Image Credit: Flickr, Grounds of Kinkaku-ji

The distinctive cone shaped mound pictured below is also located on the grounds of Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto.  It reflects the light of the moon in the evenings and was meant to sit on while waiting for the moon to rise from the Higashiyama mountains.

Ryoan-ji Temple Rock Garden

Image Credit:  Flickr, Ryouanji Stones (竜安寺の石）

One of the most celebrated rock gardens in Japan, it is relatively small with only fifteen stones sitting within a seas of pristinely rake white sand.  Located in the grounds of the Ryoan-ji Temple (also in Kyoto) the garden is enclosed by earthen walls and it is impossible to see all of the fifteen stones from any vantage point.

Hashin-tei

Image Credit:  Flickr, The zen rock garden at Kodai-ji

Originally a pond garden, Hashin-tei was redesigned as a karesansui dry garden and the undulating border of moss and stone was once its shoreline.  This garden is also located in Kyoto on the grounds of the Kodai-ji Temple.

Myoshin-ji Temple Gardens

Image Credit: Flickr, black sand and pink sakura

Myoshin-ji Temple itself and three other temples in Kyoto (Taizo-in Temple, Keishun-in Temple & Daishin-in Temple) are home to a number of beautiful Zen gardens that are well know throughout Japan.  The Taizo-in Temple is well known for features such as the karetaki (dry waterfall), horai-san (Sacred mountain), kamejima (island shaped like a turtle) and an ishibashi(stone bridge).

Rocks, raked sand and tranquility – it’s a combination that is well known and recognized worldwide as a Zen Garden.

“The best gardens in Japan incorporate aesthetics that are contradictory in nature but somehow complement each other when employed by a skillful designer”

The Art of The Japanese Garden offers further insight into the design features and qualities deemed essential in a well designed garden.  Be sure to include a visit to one or two gardens of different styles when you plan any trip to Japan – you won’t regret it!

If you have any questions about the images in the gallery or would like more information about any of them please leave a comment below.

It is my goal to expand the The Nihon Sun Japan Photo Gallery with new categories and new images on a fairly regular basis but I can only take so many pictures and I need your help to add photos of different places and scenes around Japan.

Do you have a great shot of Japan that you would like to have featured at The Nihon Sun?  If so drop me a line with a link to the image and/or a description (please do not send files unless they are requested).

New additions to the gallery will be announced right here and will feature a description by the photographer and a link back to his or her website.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection