
Wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park
Search out the top places to visit in Japan, and you’ll often find Ashikaga Flower Park on the list. For about one month each year, this park blooms with some of Japan’s most spectacular wisteria, a hanging flower that comes in various colors, most famously a violet pink. I had seen some wisteria in smaller parks before, but nothing that came close to this, each tree stunningly curated.

Koinobori Under Tokyo Tower
Koinobori, or carp streamers, are hung each year at the beginning of May, leading up to Children’s Day, the final holiday on the Monday after Golden Week. They are a symbol of strength and perseverance, able to withstand the wind, but also act as a decoration of the season. Add in the backdrop of the iconic Tokyo Tower, and you’ve got something special.

Cherry Blossoms in Odawara
Japan’s cherry blossom trees, also known as sakura, tend to bloom right around the beginning of April each year. This makes for a tourist rush as everyone, from locals to international visitors, try to catch the magical time before it fades. Finding places that are off the beaten path in smaller cities can make the season much more manageable. Odawara is just such a place.

Tian Tan Buddha
Religious sites often have an air of history. They evoke a period when monuments were constructed to honor Gods, rather than to glorify capitalism. Yet, Hong Kong and its surrounding islands are actually quite young. This Big Buddha, perched on a hill beside scenic Ngong Ping Village, was only constructed from 1990 to 1993, making it a much more contemporary destination.

Hong Kong’s Skyline
New York, Chicago, London, all major metropolitan cities that spring to mind when you think of iconic skyscraper silhouettes. Hong Kong also deserves to be a part of that list, making its mark with Hollywood glory in films like The Dark Knight. For a traveler looking to experience this in person, Hong Kong provides an abundance of photogenic lookout points to take in the view.

Ruins of St. Paul’s, Macau
Although Macau may now be known for its casinos and luxury shopping, the old town pays homage to its Portuguese roots. This historic facade known as the Ruins of St. Paul’s was once one of the largest Catholic churches in Asia. It now sits restored and preserved in the center of this modern city, a relic of a time when Christianity was still expanding to new territory.

Nikon Z9 - Notes After 1 Year
Last year I upgraded my camera equipment from the Canon EF system to the newer, mirrorless Nikon Z system, specifically the Z9. Change is hard, and moving from something that I knew well to a different sensor, different controls/ergonomics, and different lenses has been an interesting learning curve. Read more to see what has stood out in the 12 months since making that switch.

Tokyo Auto Salon 2025
For the second year in a row I had the privilege of attending the Tokyo Auto Salon. The 2025 exhibition was not only a bigger, bolder experience than 2024’s, it also proved to be a return to form for many Japanese tuning houses. The halls were jam packed with new demo cars, new innovations, and some seriously cool concepts.

Nikon HQ Museum
Having recently become a Nikon user earlier in 2024, I felt it was only natural to pay a visit to Nikon’s newly opened headquarters and museum. Although I did not own a Nikon camera growing up, I have always had great respect for their technology and craftsmanship. Seeing their lineage first hand was pretty cool, and shows how far things have evolved over more than 100 years.

Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre
Making a site dedicated to the history and lore of Mt. Fuji would be enough in itself. Yet, the architects of this World Heritage Centre decided to go a step further. The building happens to be a beautiful, modern masterpiece, paying tribute to the adjacent mountain while also providing an excellent viewing platform, unobstructed by skyscrapers or crowds.

NISMO Festival 2024
Fan service. It’s a term that has been diluted by movies and video games catering to only what the hardcore audience is looking for. At its core though, doing something for a brand’s most passionate crowd is an act of love. A way to give back to those who have been loyal and faithful. Enter Nissan’s NISMO Festival, an annual gathering all for the fans.

Nissan Heritage Collection
Bucket list meet agenda planner. Yes, this was real, and it was a visit that I had been waiting a long time to experience. Mercedes, Lamborghini have public buildings dedicated to their history as museums. In the land of the Rising Sun, things are a bit more exclusive. Nissan’s collection is a by-appointment affair, and the two hours I got was something to be treasured.

Lotte World Tower
Another trip, another tower with an observation deck. Seoul is a vast city spread across more than 600 square kilometers (or 234 square miles for us Americans) so naturally a view from above felt like a great way to get my bearings. Lotte’s jewel, which would easily fit in among Dubai’s modern skyline, looks oval in nature at the base, but tapers to a circle at the top.

Seoul’s Starfield Library
As you may be able to tell from the content here, I’m a big fan of seeing form and function coming together. Reading is fundamental, and having books displayed as the centerpiece of their own artistic space was inspiring in many ways. Mix in a touch of holiday spirit, and you’ve got a recipe that will bring in the masses.

Kiyotsu Gorge and Tunnel of Light
Waterfalls, valleys, mountain ranges and rock formations are all natural points of beauty. By themselves they are worth visiting and appreciating. However, when you add modern art to the picture, the attraction’s value goes up exponentially. Kiyotsu Gorge’s tunnel was renovated in 2018, with four decorative installations throughout that interact with, or complement the landscape.

Nikko’s Kegon Waterfalls
From the parking lot at the top, the view of the falls was totally obstructed by the haze of humid, rainy air. However, I trusted the process of this journey. An elevator ride down and a short tunnel walk later, and the real majesty of this scenic location came into focus. The true lower viewing point was lush, with cliff walls made up of beautiful rock formations, well worth the trip to experience one of Nikko’s main attractions.

Biei Shirogane Blue Pond
Another one of Japan’s mysteries formed in or around a hot spring town, the Blue Pond’s water contains sulfur and aluminum from the rivers that feed it. Yet, what makes it blue isn’t the minerals themselves, it is the way the light refracts against those minerals and our eye catches the color. This difference between the human eye, and a camera’s sensor was fascinating.

Shikisai-no-oka Flower Gardens
Sometimes ‘for the gram’ isn’t so bad. The flower parks that have been meticulously planted and cultivated in otherwise remote parts of Hokkaido don’t have to exist. They are a different type of tourist destination - not one of culture, or history, or of the Earth’s own making. Human hands arranged these fields, and the result is still absolutely gorgeous.

Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley
Otherworldly is the best term to describe the Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley, otherwise known as “Hell Valley.” The hillside walls look straight out of the Martian landscape, while the valley floor is a mixture of turbulent steam, sulfur, and other pale or charred rocks. This site is preserved, a spiritual feeder for the surrounding villages’ hot spring baths.

Nebuta Festival Museum
There are parade floats, and then there are Japanese parade floats. Held annually at the beginning of August, Aomori’s Nebuta Matsuri is a grand celebration of myths and legends. What if you aren’t able to be there for the festival itself though? Aomori has you covered with a museum dedicated to showcasing the wonderful works of art that are emblematic of the city’s culture.