New Photos: Winter in Japan 2026

February in Japan has quietly become a bit of a tradition for me. I keep telling myself I’ll skip a year, and somehow I end up back there again with a camera in hand. The snow monkeys are the main reason. Watching them soak in steaming hot springs while snow falls around them is one of those scenes that never loses its appeal. Pink faces, white snow, and rising steam create images that practically compose themselves. The monkeys are wonderfully expressive and endlessly entertaining to photograph.

From there we head north to Hokkaido. In Kushiro Shitsugen National Park the red crowned cranes gather across the winter fields and wetlands. At sunrise they bow, leap, and call to one another in slow, deliberate movements. Mist and soft golden light fill the landscape and every moment feels carefully choreographed. It is quiet, beautiful, and incredibly rewarding for photographers.

Nearby we spend time with whooper swans drifting across icy lakes and wetlands. Their bright white feathers and long necks create elegant shapes on the water, and the reflections can be spectacular in calm conditions. It is one of those locations where every direction offers a new composition.

Then we travel to the Shiretoko Peninsula where the drift ice brings in one of the most impressive birds in the world, the Steller’s sea eagle. These birds are enormous, powerful, and unforgettable to watch in flight. From the boat we photograph them soaring, circling, and diving down to the ice to grab fish. It is dramatic wildlife photography at its finest.

Japan is an incredibly welcoming and beautiful country to explore, and it is a place I return to again and again. This November I will be leading another journey in Kyoto during the height of autumn color. Temples, gardens, and vibrant foliage make it one of the most visually stunning seasons in Japan and a wonderful place to explore with a camera.