Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, has it all:  snow-capped mountains, rugged coastlines, unique cultural traditions, hot springs and wonderful food.  We went there in February 2025 for the sparse winter landscapes and were not disappointed.  Japanese photographers are famous for minimalist winter landscapes and we were fortunate to have one of the most well known, Toshiki Nakanishi, to guide us to his favorite locations. 

I traveled with Michael Frye  on a trip with Visionary Wild and we spent 11 days, often in snowy and overcast, (but very photogenic conditions), creating wonderful images.  We were a small group of like minded and very eager photographers who took full advantage of the scenery, the food and the culture;  led by our awesome guide and translator, Riki Nishimura, who kept  us organized and on time, which must have seemed like herding cats.