In fact, sacrilegious as this might sound to some readers, I think that the Leica M10 is at its best when used essentially as a point and shoot camera – for street photography at any rate. –Barney Britton 3/14/2017

The Mug Shot of Public Enemy #1 on DPReview.com

But that is exactly what the apparently fearless Barney Britton did in his latest article on DPReview. Now, after reading through Barney’s experiences of photographing through Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan with nothing but a Leica M10, I can understand why he is comparing it to shooting with a point and shoot. But simply uttering the words ‘Leica’ and ‘Point and Shoot’ in the same day, let alone the same sentence, can be grounds for flogging on DPReview. But, this man nonetheless did it.

In an interesting and humorous recap of his experience photographing the fast moving Japanese culture using a purposely slow Leica, Barney says:

I’ve heard it said that if you write a song on a banjo, and the song works, then it’s probably a good song. The point, of course, being that because the banjo is so simple, and so limited an instrument compared to (say) the electric guitar, it forces the composer to focus on the essentials of structure and melody.

With no auto-focus, the hipster in Barney was excited for the challenge that lie ahead. After all, auto-focus is SO mainstream. And at the end of the day, the experience is just what Barney and other Leica fans find so appealing about the camera brand.

Without question, I would have come back from Japan with more in-focus, correctly-framed shots had I traveled with a DSLR. I’m not afraid to admit it. But they wouldn’t have been the same shots. And at the end of the day, would I have had as much fun? I doubt it – and I certainly wouldn’t have thought as much about my process.

Read Barney’s can’t stop reading take on the Leica M10 on DPReview and play with the RAW files yourself in this sample gallery.

The post Photographing Japan With a Leica M10 Is Like Juggling With One Hand appeared first on Resource Travel.

Welcome to the hotel business.

I’m sure you’ve met a lot of interesting folks by now, people who traveled from all over the world to Huis Ten Bosch, where you live, a resort island in the Western outskirts of Japan designed to mimic Dutch influence. In fact, your home does look like an actual town in Holland, with its windmills, wooden clogs and cheese shops. Without the robots, of course. Amsterdan probably has yet to build a robot hotel.

Windmill in Huis Ten Bosch via Max Pixel
CC Attribution

Just so you know, I have a lot of questions.

First, what happens when all the robots in the hotel malfunction?

There are 72 rooms and only 10 human staff members, reserved for cleaning duties and emergencies. What constitutes as an emergency? Is it a human choking on shrimp? Is it an urgent need for bath towels? Is it that moment of panic a human feels when they realize they’ve clogged the toilet?

Can your kind perform CPR?

And does ‘your kind’ sound bad to you? I’m very, very new at writing open letters to robots.

The “kidnapped robot problem” has been bothering robotic engineers around the globe too. Autonomous robots, like yourself, are being taken from their homes, and it costs researchers and their patrons thousands of dollars. Does your hotel maybe have a unique security system to protect you from kidnappers, given that it’s the first hotel of its kind? Is that unique security made up of human bodyguards?

As a woman, I can sympathize with your female-sounding robots. Even Microsoft‘s Cortana gets sexually harassed, and with the high-rates of harassment in the hospitality business, this must be something you’ve had to deal with. Is there something in your programming that defends you from creeps?

Did you know that Cortana talks back to human harassers?

Why is there a Velociraptor at the check-in counter of your hotel?

Do you read our magazine?

But thank you, bedside robot, for offering the time when people ask. Thank you for telling sleepy guests about the weather. Thank you for turning the lights off on voice command, and thanks for your company on late nights. Even if it creeps some guests out that you sound like a little girl.

Screenshot via Wired

Until we meet… Which may very well be never, because a night at your hotel is $156, and I live in Brooklyn.

[via Wired]

The post An Open Letter to the Robots Who Run This Hotel appeared first on Resource Travel.

Behind the scenes of “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”
© AdoramaTV

Behind the scenes of “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”
© AdoramaTV

Behind the scenes of “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”
© AdoramaTV

Behind the scenes of “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”
© AdoramaTV

Behind the scenes of “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”
© AdoramaTV

Behind the scenes of “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”
© AdoramaTV

Each episode of Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong follows a different artist, from hobbyists to freelancers to professional photographers, with a clear nod to the opportunities Instagram has made possible. Episode one features Takashi Yasui (@_tuck4), who started photography in 2010 and turned professional in 2015, but still on his path to finding his own style of photography. Still to come: @lielaine, @_f7, @wacamera, @halno, @hirozzzz, @chiaoking, @edwardkb, @mr007, @najii66, @yuma1983, @vdubl and @wagnus, who will all be sharing tools, tips, stories and tricks behind pictures like these:

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

© AdoramaTV’ “Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong”

Watch Through The Lens: Japan & Hong Kong‘s trailer here and the first episode here. Catch the rest of the show on AdoramaTV’s Learning Center or YouTube channel Fridays at 11 a.m. EST.

The post Through The Lens Season 3 Begins from AdoramaTV appeared first on Resource Travel.

Filmmaker Vincent Urban recently traveled through Japan on the Shinkansen, a train system that links the Asian country’s three largest metropolitan areas, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osak. In just over 40 years of operation, over 5.6 billion tourists and locals have used the system to explore all of what Japan has to offer.

The fast paced and dark film is a thrilling look at the futuristic Japanese subculture, and the energetic people that make it thrive.

Follow Vincent Urban on Vimeo, Twitter and Instagram.

Below are screenshots of some of our favorite scenes from the film.

The post Moody Film Shows A Different Side of Life ‘In Japan’ appeared first on Resource Travel.

With a background in journalism, it was a summer job spent in the water, photographing dolphins off Moreton Island, Australia, that sparked Burns’ passion for photography. Her photos from Morocco, taken while on a writing assignment for Lonely Planet, were picked up by the guidebook behemoth, which led to a string of freelance assignments for Lonely Planet around Europe. She returned to Australia and set up her own landscape gallery on Hayman Island, which she owned and managed for six years. Today, she works as a freelance photographer for her company, The Wandering Lens, and is currently working on projects in France.

Keep up to date with Lisa’s work on The Wandering Lens, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Lisa Michele Burns

What was your career path – how did you go from aspiring photographer to professional?

The moment that kick-started my career was when I travelled as a writer with Lonely Planet to Marrakech, Morocco. They ended up using my images in an online photo feature and I then did a variety of freelance assignments as a photographer around Europe for the Lonely Planet website. I didn’t feel completely professional until I opened my own landscape gallery in 2009, then I felt like a proper grown up because I actually had to learn fast about the business side of being a photographer, the not so fun part! I photographed landscapes, weddings, events, portraits and had my gallery of landscape prints and photo souvenirs open 7 days a week on Hayman Island, a luxury five-star resort on the Great Barrier Reef. After six years of working every single day of the year, including Christmas (boo!), I now work freelance with my company The Wandering Lens and am travelling the world partnering with tourism boards and travel brands to promote destinations through photographs.

What is your favourite piece of photography equipment?

My underwater housing. Taking photos underwater has changed the way I see the world and being able to put my Nikon D800 camera inside the housing ensures I can take high-quality images in the water without worrying about it getting wet.

Lisa Michele Burns

What is your favourite photography rule to break? 

I’ve never been one to follow rules in photography but that’s because I didn’t learn any as I’ve had no formal training. Learning how to use your camera in a way that creates the images you want is what it’s all about, cameras can do so many things so get creative and see what works for you. Ditching the tripod is probably my favourite ‘rule’ to break, climb a tree, lay on the ground, get wet…don’t be afraid to get dirty for a great photo!

How would you describe your style?

Colourful and warm. I love working with landscapes in the golden hours when the light is warm and the colours are rich. When it comes to my underwater photography I get a little addicted to the split-level style, capturing the underwater world and the scenery above the water level in the same image.

Lisa Michele Burns

What inspires you as a photographer? Within or outside the photography world.

Landscapes and light are what keep me reaching for my camera. I’ve never really been a city or street photographer, I’m much more inspired by beaches, mountains, lakes, the ocean…pretty much anything outdoors. I recently saw the Northern Lights for the first time in Sweden and that has definitely inspired me to seek out colder destinations for photography alongside my wanderlust for tropical islands!

Lisa Michele Burns

Which photographers influenced you? How did they influence your approach?

When I started out in photography it was the iconic photographers that shot Lonely Planet and National Geographic covers that I idolised…I used to picture my photo on the cover and if I couldn’t see it, then I’d just keep trying until I got one half as good. Now I’m influenced by the places I visit, I try to look at maps before I visit to plan which locations I think would be great for sunrise, sunset and then which ones would look great from the water for my The World from The Water project.

Lisa Michele Burns

What motivates you to keep taking photos?

It’s a big world and I’m yet to photograph most of it! Knowing that there will always destinations I haven’t seen keeps me going. Social media has been a huge game changer in motivation too. Following amazing travel accounts on Instagram makes me feel like I’m missing out so I’m constantly trying to plan new adventures because they’re popping up on my feed every single day!

Lisa Michele Burns

Lisa Michele Burns

Lisa Michele Burns

The post Insight from a Wandering Lens: Interview with Lisa Michele Burns appeared first on Resource Travel.

The current era of the world sees Japan as one of the most advanced and innovative countries in the technology industry.  We sometimes forget that despite its technological advances, the entire nation is rooted deeply to its culture and history.  In the city of Kyoto, we are able to see that culture and history meld into a visually stunning and palpable form.  From the Fushimi Inari Shrine to the Gion Geisha District, the architecture and location set it’s historical tone to points where it can feel as if you have stepped back in time.

Osamu Hasegawa is a commercial film maker based near Tokyo.  Hasegawa is able to capture Kyoto’s architecture and environment; and translate it into stunning and beautiful imagery.  He is also able to encompass those traditional tones by filming those who help bring Kyoto’s, but ultimately Japan’s history to life.

You can follow Osamu Hasegawa’s work through Vimeo, Youtube or Twitter.

Below are some of our favorite screenshots from the film:

The post Kyoto Film Shows The Beautiful Traditions And Architecture Of Japan appeared first on Resource Travel.

Two weeks in Japan were not enough. After a bad break up, I decide to reward myself and go on a solo adventure. Signing up  a Japanese language course and training karate for years made my curiosity of exploring Japan even stronger. I arrive just in time for the cherry blossom season. I was expecting beautiful flowers and a little culture shock, but I didn’t realise how much I would learn from Japanese culture over the coming weeks.

I love walking under these sakura ‘tunnels’ in Kyoto.

1. Experiencing hanami during sakura season

The first time I hear the word ‘hanami’ I think, ‘Who has time to go out and do that?’ Focused on our work, personal problems and political issues that make us believe the world is a horrible place, we often forget to appreciate the small details around us. I flick through the Japanese TV channels and few of them show reporters commenting on sakura. The camera reveals close-ups, long and aerial shots of lavish pink and white blooms. The reporting consists of the lines, ‘Oooh, this is beautiful, isn’t it?’ Then the happy voiceover mentions the best places to go for a flower watch.

Hanami is a traditional thousand-year-old Japanese custom that celebrates the beauty of the blooming trees. Nowadays, it is a picnic with friends or family under the gorgeous branches in the parks. I do it with some fun strangers I meet at my hostel in Kyoto. The beauty around us helps us bond and engage in meaningful conversations.

In the spring, parks in Kyoto are a great place to try street food, have coffee and enjoy sakura.

Before coming to Japan, I used a sakura calendar to plan my trip in the cherry blossom season. Every year, the dates are different and the blooming lasts only for few days.

2. Taking a traditional tea ceremony lesson in Japanese

‘It seems easier to host a tea ceremony than to be a guest at it.’ That is the conclusion I make after my first tea ceremony lesson at a special Japanese school to which my host in Tokyo, Yuta, takes me. I feel privileged to be the only non-Japanese person to enter something that to me feels like a secret society. It is is an actual lesson where most people learn the art of being a tea ceremony master. And there is me, the outsider, who doesn’t even speak the language but is enthusiastic enough to try and understand what is happening. Yuta knows I am trying to learn Japanese so he doesn’t translate anything in English unless I make the same lost-in-translation mistake too many times.

We all must sit in seiza, a traditional form of seating. We kneel and fold our legs underneath out thighs. It gets painful after ten minutes. Those of us who play the guests line on the soft tatami mat, counting an exact number of lines. The last line marks the place where our knees have to be. I have to use certain expressions when I greet the host, take a sweet or before I drink my tea. There are rules for the position of every part of my body, for the order I use my hands to take and drink from the bowl. I fear I will hate the matcha tea when I try it and this will show on my face and everyone will think I am impolite. But the tea is not that bad, it tastes like coffee but more bitter. Regardless if I like it or not, the etiquette requires me to say, ‘mmm it was very tasty,’ with passion and in Japanese.

It is my turn to play the host. I perform the routine I have watched others do, take some of the green powder, pour water and start whisking it inside the first bowl. Everyone starts laughing as Tomoko, our teacher, comments my performance. I turn to Yuta with a confused look and he explains, ‘You are doing it too fast. Slow down.’

I think about these words long after the lesson is over. So far, I have been traveling in a rush to see and experience all amazing places in Japan. I am so obsessed with this country that I sometimes forget to eat, rest or enjoy the journey. Tomoko may not realize it, but she gave me a valuable advice on how to continue my trip without having a heart attack.

3. Walking around Kyoto in a kimono

Excited to have my ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ moment, I decide to do something super touristy and go for a Geisha makeover, complemented with a stroll in the old town and a photo shoot. Wearing this camouflage for half a day costs at least 10 000 yen ($84) and for some reason I believe it is worth it.

I am lucky to spot a Geisha in Kyoto and hurry to take a picture. It seems like a legit image of Kyoto, one you would expect to see and photograph.

But these Geisha we love to photograph are normal women who are just having fun with their makeover. The real ones are hard to take a picture of as they come out in the evening and are usually in a rush.

But then go to the market next to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine where I stumble upon a stand that sells second-hand traditional dresses. I buy it and start making plans of how to accessorize it, instead of renting one for a short time. It costs $150 in total but I can, at least, keep the outfit.

I put on my new wooden flip flops and white socks when I go out to meet Taka who is going to show me around Kyoto. As we greet, I point at the bag I am carrying to explain my weird shoe choice. He takes me to a public toilet in the station where I can change into my kimono. I spend the next twenty minutes inside, wrestling with the belt that seems impossible to put. But I better wrap it around my waist and get out of here soon. I don’t want my new friend to think I have stomach problems. But when I do go out, I see the grumpy face of a Japanee granny in the mirror. She doesn’t say anything when she approaches me to adjust the obi belt. My back straightens from her strong pull. I show her the exit door as she starts to explain something to me. I need Taka’s help.

Both adjust and discuss my dress. I feel as useless as a shop window mannequin. Apparently, there are pieces that I have missed and this is why it is not working. But the granny manages to wrap my belt as Taka learns something new. Suddenly, he jumps in excitement, ‘Picture, picture! Where is your camera?’ He snaps a few shots before the woman is done fixing my dress. Later that day, I understand his eagerness to capture this moment. I look like a giant next to her.

She takes some plastic bags and makes a cushion out of them – the part that I missed buying.

4. Staying in a temple & chanting with monks

I feel nervous before my very first telephone conversation in Japanese. To make it more intimidating, it is with a monk from a traditional temple in the country. I would have otherwise used email and Google Translate. I write my script, practice it a few times, take a deep breath and dial the number. It works, we understand each other, even when I ask him to repeat some words several times. He starts making my reservation, asking me when I want to come and how long and want to stay. I tell him and he confirms. ‘For how many people?’ It is just for me. He is getting anxious on the other side. ‘Ugh… It is not possible.’ What do you mean? Why? ‘Rules.’ This is one of these rare moments when I wish I wasn’t a solo female traveler.

I find a temple that is lone-female-friendly in Koyasan, a five-hour journey from Kyoto to the mountains. I book by room online. It is the most I have ever paid for accommodation – $100 for one night, which is a lot for someone who usually stays at hostels or Couchsurfs.

Soon after entering, I realize this beautiful Koyasan forest is a graveyard and I am walking alone through it.

The first thing I am politely asked to do is take my shoes off at the very first entrance.

I have to take a small bit from every dish to find out if it is sweet or savoury and if I like it or not.

I expect the temple lodging conditions to be modest. Instead, I get a huge traditional Japanese room where I find a multi-course vegetarian dinner, the typical Buddhist shoji cuisine. But there still are rules for handling solo female guests – monks always come in pairs when they come to do my bed, clear my table or wake me up for the morning prayer.

Before sunrise, I am invited to pray and participate in a ritual I don’t quite understand. As the only non-Japanese person, I just sit and observe the chanting monks, soaking the serene energy in the room. Suddenly, all of us have to perform a certain routine, one after another. I watch and repeat, make many mistakes but, at least, I try.

5. Sumimasen! The importance of communicating in Japanese

Before I head to Japan, friends warn me I am going to a country where people don’t speak English. ‘Yeah, yeah. This is just a stereotype. I am sure there are plenty of locals who can communicate in English.’ Few days later, I almost end up sleeping on Shirakawago’s dark and still snowy streets, under the heavy rain. I arrive in the village at night and can’t find the way to the house I have booked. There is only one other person who arrives at the village with me, a guy about my age. I assume he speaks English and ask him if he can help me find my way, phone my hosts or, at least, show some moral support. Instead, he runs away.

From now on, I can only rely on my luck. I know how the house looks – dark wood and thatch roof. Just like any other house in the area. There are no street lights. Soon after wandering around, my clothes and backpack are soaked. I look like a sad character from a romantic French drama, alone and confused under the rain. My luck better works now. I start making plans to hide somewhere I won’t freeze and wait for the long night to pass, wearing layers of wet clothes.

Then I see a shadow in the distance. An umbrella, a person. I start shouting, “Sumimasen! Sumimasen!”, which means “excuse me!”. He hears me and turns. This time in Japanese, I ask for directions. He takes me to the house, where a warm home-cooked dinner waits.

Ironically, the house I have booked is called ‘Furosoto’ – bath outside.

Even though it is spring, Shirakawago’s streets are still snowy.

The post 5 Japanese Cultural Experiences that Changed Me appeared first on Resource Travel.

Japan is proud of their rich cultural heritage, and it shows everywhere you visit. The Japanese aesthetic is displayed in all aspects of life such as architecture, landscaping, fashion, and even the thought and presentation that goes into the set menu of your meal. Anthony Bourdain compared his first experience of Japan to what Eric Clapton and Pete Townsend must have felt when they first saw Jimi Hendrix play the guitar. “You hear about it. You go see it. A window opens up into a whole new thing, and you think, what does this mean? What do I have left to say? What do I do now?”

My advice? Go as quickly and as often as possible to this incredibly enchanting country.

See more from Yee on his website, Facebook, and Instagram

Jigokudani translates to “Hell valley” as it is covered in snow for a third of the year and the steam from the springs make it a harsh environment to survive in. A monkey park was built in 1964 and maintains the area for the monkeys to be as comfortable as possible in these freezing conditions.

Byōdō-in temple in Uji, on the southern outskirts of Kyoto, is a stunning work of restoration. A UNESCO world heritage listed site, its significance is displayed on the 10 yen coin and 10,000 yen note. If you get a chance, check out the museum as well for the history of the temple and Phoenix Hall (the main building) and a depiction of the temple in its colourful prime.

Japan is the only place in the world where sumo wrestling is a professional sport, hosting five championship tournaments throughout the year.  Sumo is one of the most quintessential Japanese events that everyone should witness in person. From the pleasantries before the bouts to the rumble of watching two 180 kilogram giants attack each other, it’s definitely one of my favourite sporting events to have witnessed.

Biei in central Hokkaido is a landscape photographers dream. I’ve spent days driving the roads, from sunrise to sunset. From the mountains to the countryside, I was constantly in awe of how picturesque the region is. From lone trees sitting on hillsides covered in snow to sweeping panoramic views over the valleys, it’s all postcard worthy.

In a city of 13 million residents, Tokyo will yield an amazing diversity of subjects and scenes to photograph. From corporate men in suits to the Harajuku girls,  modern skyscrapers to hidden temples, Tokyo is a place where they all thrive. This photo was taken in the shopping centre in the Omotesando area, a busy retail district for high-end labels.

Lake Saroma is possibly one of the most random places around the world I have visited during a road trip.  The lake, on the eastern coast of Hokkaido, is frozen during winter, and the boats are on land for the off-season. Away from the main towns and tourist destinations, I think I remember reading that a tourist highlight is a prison somewhere down the road…. Regardless, a frozen lake and a fishing town that is hibernating during the middle of winter makes for some unique and beautiful images

Biei attracts most visitors during Spring when the vast fields are covered in colourful flowers and crops. In winter, everything is covered under a blanket of white. Occasionally you might catch a glimpse of a red fox (or its tracks, shown here). Winter offers -15 Celcius temperatures, road closures and a sky that lacks colour for most of the day, but persistence pays off.

During Autumn (and Hanami in Spring) the Buddhist temple of Kiyomizudera in Kyoto and its surrounding gardens are illuminated to draw the crowds. The trees look ablaze under the night sky. Up on a hill that overlooks the rest of Kyoto, there are no nails used in the construction of the temple or its large wooden veranda.

Throughout summer in Japan many Matsuri (festivals) take place. Some street festivals attract up to 12,000 dancers and musicians and over a million spectators can line a five-kilometer route. Performers are dressed in beautiful traditional outfits and perform choreographed routines to the festive Awadori music.

Bunkyo Ward Office is one of the best free views in Tokyo to try and capture a glimpse of Mt Fuji from afar. I spent the afternoon here trying to guess if I would still see Fuji at sunset as the clouds were obstructing  my view. At certain times of the year in Tokyo, the setting sun can be seen directly over the top of the peak of Fuji. The “Diamond Fuji” attracts photographers to every vantage point to try and nail the shot. All the cards have to fall in place to have a clear shot and very often it doesn’t, which adds to the obsession of coming back to try again.

There are dozens of attractions in Kyoto that deserve your time and attention when you visit. One of the most iconic is the Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. There are over 10,000 Torrii gates which date back to 711 A.D. In the early morning you can wander the grounds and have the place to yourself. During the day it attracts the tour busses, and the occasional person in traditional attire.

You have to set off early to photograph the Arashiyama district and Bamboo forest on the western edge of the city. Visiting in the early morning is ideal to take photographs without too much interference and clutter. This situation drastically changes mid morning as the first bus loads of tourists start arriving.

Looking for a beautiful Japanese garden to visit? Kokedera in Kyoto, otherwise known as the moss temple is your best bet. Entrance is only granted through written application and permission. Before being allowed into the garden you also have to sit for a calligraphy lesson. Don’t panic, the letters are there to trace.

The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival runs for about 10 days over a few sites in (and around) Otaru. The most famous is the path along the canal which also has lanterns lit along the main part of the canal from about 6 to 9pm. Also, if you like seafood, Otaru is most definitely the place to go as its renown as being a fishing town with lots of restaurants doing speciality dining.

Jigokudani Monkey Park is a unique location to see the Macaque monkeys in their natural habitat, keeping warm in the onsen (hot springs). The monkeys are mostly chilled out and playful with each other. The monkeys are conditioned enough to have people around them and sticking cameras and selfie sticks in their faces. As long as you don’t touch or try and feed the monkeys, you have some great access.

During the Otaru Snow Path festival, the Otaru canal draws a crowd to the old restored warehouses and the path, which is lit with lanterns and small sculpture displays. There are several festival sites around Otaru.  Just a few blocks away is on the old abandoned railway line that has a slide in the snow for people to try out as well as small displays carved in the snow and lanterns to light the way.

Shirogane is a small town in the mountains of Hokkaido. The town is renown for its Onsen (hot springs), the Blue pond (that was frozen and not accessible when I was there during winter) and the waterfall in this picture. This photo was taken just before sunrise in winter where the temperature was about -20 degrees Celsius and the colour of the water turns an incandescent, almost neon blue.

There are five lakes that surround the UNESCO treasure Mt Fuji, with each of them providing a stunning foreground to the tallest mountain in Japan. About two hours drive from the metropolis of Tokyo, the mountain is popular with hikers who scale to the summit during the summer months.

This Shibuya intersection is one of the world’s busiest and fascinating to watch, especially from above. The crowds ebb and flow in every direction as Shibuya is a major commercial and entertainment hub in Tokyo.

Mt Fuji is usually the background element in most of the images you will see, but a few nights after a full moon, I thought I would go out for some night photography. For most of the year, clouds and fog make the Fuji peak hard to capture cleanly. Fujisan isn’t called the “shy mountain” without reason.

The post 20 Images That Will Inspire You to Travel to Japan Right Now appeared first on Resource Travel.

From the hectic chaos of Tokyo’s downtown intersections to the quiet and calming shores of Lake Hakone, filmmaker Brandon Li gives us a unique look into Japan’s largest city. With over 13 million residents, Tokyo is filled with characters, nightlife, and even peaceful nature. Li captures the raw emotion that a trip through Japan’s capital city must invoke.

Filmed entirely on a Sony A7s, the short film alternatives smoothly between slow, methodical scenes and heart thumping fast paced footage of Tokyo at night. The seamless transitions feels natural when accompanied by the soothing, yet dramatic narration of A.D. Hope’s poem “Tiger”.

The film is a beautiful look into the one of a kind city of Tokyo, and will bring back exciting memories for travelers who have been lucky enough to experience the metropolis. But for the rest of us, this film makes sure that Tokyo lives on our ever growing bucket list.

The post Tokyo Roar : Enchanting Film Shows The Many Personalities Of Japan’s Largest Metropolis appeared first on Resource Travel.