The power of a visual image to show the incredible people, places and things in our world never ceases to amaze me. Instagram has shown us how powerful images and videos can be in inspiring our wanderlust. And I certainly try to do that in my own photography, too. I’m using the power of photos to help plan a Japan trip. One that highlights the incredible beauty, nature and architecture of the land of the rising sun.
Planning a Japan Trip inspired by amazing photos
When people think of Japan, many things might come to mind. Mount Fuji of course, the bustling capital city of Tokyo, temples in Kyoto, winter ice castles in Hokkaido. And sushi bars, there HAS to be sushi.
These amazing highlights are just the beginning of a long list of places I hope to experience. Photographs of Japan in social media and on travel blogs have ignited my Japanese wanderlust for years. These are the ways that photography locations are inspiring my Japan travel plans.
Photos for discovery
As a traveler, I love to discover sites and attractions in countries I’m keen to visit. Japan is not nearly as big as my home country of Canada. But, it’s jam-packed with incredible and awe-inspiring places to see and visit in every season. And in the photos I’ve seen, Japan looks incredible at any time of year.
Many visitors are partial to visit in spring during the gorgeous cherry blossom season, though it can get extremely busy during that time. Autumn also appeals for hiking in nature and to visit temples and gardens in Kyoto.
And for animal appreciation, planning a family trip to hang out with the bathing Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani would be pretty unforgettable.
Photos for Planning
Discovering new places is exciting, and so is figuring out which one to see first. Mapping a trip plan is really important so you can determine how long you’d like to stay in a place, and how much time it’ll take to get to the next one.
Apps like Google show me the distance between Tokyo and Osaka or Kyoto, and also highlight what lies in-between and around those cities.
Incredible places like the famous 5,000 torii (gates) at Fushimi-Inari, a must-see site in Kyoto. Brilliant photographs of these orange gates, built in honor of the god of rice, sold me at first glance before I even knew what they were.
Create and curate your itinerary with apps
I use Google to pin and save locations to build a trip itinerary. Instagram’s Save feature also allows you to save photos to curated Collections, to remember a favorite attraction or restaurant.
Pinning relevant and useful pins to Pinterest boards is a fantastic travel planning tool, one that’s perhaps under-appreciated. Pinterest is a great place to research and source information, tips and even detailed trip itineraries.
Photos Build Trip Anticipation
Studies have shown that planning trips and holidays creates joy and happiness in humans. It’s all about the anticipation. I’m big into travel planning, and always feel excited when I’m working on a trip and sightseeing schedule.
When I see photographs of the Ghibli Museum, celebrating the incredible animation and creative mind of master Hayao Miyazaki, I cannot wait to book my tickets to enter that storybook world of Totoro and Spirited Away.
Photos to share and inspire others
I’m looking forward to discovering and photographing the landscape, architecture and natural beauty of Japan. As a writer and blogger, I’ll be sharing those photos – including a few selfies – on my site and social media channels.
Photo Credits: Pixabay
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