What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Excellent day!

  batty777,,Oct 26, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had a lovely time on this tour! Our photographer and guide was TK. He was a good driver and kind soul. The villages of Shirakawago and Gokayama were so charming, they stole our hearts! We are so glad we were able to visit and were blessed with fantastic weather! We highly recommend choosing the beef restaurant for lunch, as it was delicious! We received our photos just 2 days later, and are very happy with the whole experience. Thank you TK!

  

• Magical Tour with TK Photographer

  C8502XIjacquelinec,,Jun 11, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  What a magical tour with TK, passionate and professional photographer (guide and driver!). He picked us up in Kanazawa and drove into the gorgeous, verdant mountains and to UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, Shirakawago and Gokayama. TK guided us through the historical villages (and knew residents personally!) and treated us to fun photoshoots! We felt pampered being professionally photographed and not having to worry about taking our own photos. Between the two villages, TK took us to a non-touristy restaurant featuring food we requested. We are thrilled with TK's photos of our visit and especially enjoyed spending time with TK, a very calm, personable and knowledgeable person. I would definitely do this again! TK is highly recommended!

• A must see to walk into the past of Japan with TK.

  Adventurer622981,,Jun 11, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  Gokayama & Shirakawago are beautiful and amazing. So peaceful. TK's knowledge of these sites helped us image life in their heyday. And the photoshoot was fun and made us feel important.

• Wonderful Shirakawago tour with professional photos!

  Adventurer310309,,Jun 9, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Wow, what a fun day touring Shirakawago and Gokayama with TK! He picked us up at our ryokan in Takayama right on time in his spotlessly clean and comfortable minivan. The two-hour round trip drive was scenic and pleasant. Of course, the whole point was to see the best sights of Shirakawago and Gokayama and TK really delivered, aided in part by his timing of the itinerary to avoid the biggest crowds. While you might get that with any guide, what makes this tour special is TK's friendly personality and outstanding photography. He absolutely knew the best vantage points, shooting angles, and he composed wonderful photographs of us in the most beautiful, iconic Japanese village settings. Icing on the cake was the great restaurant he picked out for lunch. All in all, a superb day with TK. I highly recommend him.

• Unforgettable Photo Tour of Shirakawa-go & Gokayama – Highly Recommend TK Photography!

  I6151BEwinniel,,Jun 2, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I highly recommend booking a tour with TK Photography if you're planning a trip to Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. Since private tours weren’t available on the days I was in Kanazawa, I decided to book with TK—and I’m so glad I did! Hiring a private driver for the day would have cost about the same, so I figured why not get a free photography session included? The booking process was seamless. TK responded promptly to all my questions and even shared his WhatsApp to ensure smooth communication. He picked us up directly from the airport, and the drive through the mountains was absolutely stunning—winding roads with breathtaking lake views along the way. One of the biggest perks of this tour was avoiding the crowds you'd typically encounter on big group bus tours. TK shared interesting stories and background information about the traditional gassho-zukuri houses, which made the experience even more meaningful. My husband is an avid photography enthusiast, and TK took the time to point out the best photo spots and lighting angles. For lunch, he brought us to a small local soba shop—simple, delicious, and authentic. TK’s photography was fantastic. He captured beautiful moments with stunning scenery in the background—far better than anything I could have managed with selfies. We now have keepsake photos that really reflect the magic of the place. TK also offers flexible options if you want to be picked up from Kanazawa and dropped off in a different nearby town, which is great if you're planning to explore the region more extensively. After this experience, I’m already thinking of coming back with my kids to take family portraits in this beautiful part of Japan. Truly a memorable and worthwhile tour!

• Perfect Experience

  185ravic,,May 5, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had an absolutely wonderful experience on our family photography tour of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. Our photographer TK was not only incredibly talented-capturing stunning images of our family in these picturesque UNESCO World Heritage villages-but also deeply knowledgeable about the history and culture of each location, which made the day even more memorable. Traveling with an 18-month-old can be challenging, but TK went above and beyond to accommodate our needs, making sure we felt comfortable throughout the day. He was patient, flexible with our requests, and even helped us with some simple poses, ensuring we got the best possible photos while keeping things relaxed and fun for our little one. The private vehicle was spacious and comfortable, making the journey between locations smooth and enjoyable. We appreciated the thoughtful touches, like the child seat provided and the attention to our comfort during the drive. Overall, we highly recommend this tour for families or anyone looking to capture beautiful memories in Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. The combination of expert photography, local insight, and warm hospitality made this an unforgettable highlight of our trip!

• Memorable day in quaint old style Gassho Zukuri homes in Japan Alps

  RobinRick,,Apr 16, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Visited magnificent, old gassho zukuri houses in the Japanese Alps near Takayama with professional photographer, TK Kurakawa. Photos quite spectacular and the day stands out for us during our month long journey to Japan. First rate!

  

• Great family day trip

  Freedom04974744530,,Jan 31, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  This tour was very nice. Takatoshi-san is friendly, the car is comfortable - the carseat provided for my son was a very handy, included option. The photos came out great as well!

  

  

• A trip back in time to a snowy mountain village.

  G3377UMalexanderv,,Jan 16, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Would you like to visit a traditional snowy mountain village in Japan before absolutely everyone else does? Well, just over an hour or so from Kanazawa you can discover the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Shirakawago and Gokayama which contain plenty of authentic Gassho-style houses made with thatched roofs. When we found we could arrange a private visit to the mountains with a professional photographer as a guide, we jumped at the opportunity! In under seven hours, TK Photography transported us from our hotel in Kanazawa back in time to these two mountain villages for an unforgettable experience. Our morning was spent in the larger village of Shirakawago which has become increasingly popular with travellers. TK knew all the angles and composed all the shots, whilst taking our particular preferences into consideration. He showed us the iconic view from the lookout, allowed us some free time to wander round and took us to a delicious place for an authentic Japanese lunch. We then travelled to the nearby village of Gokayama for a comparison and whilst the houses were similar, the villages were quite different. Situated in a larger, wider valley, Shirakawago contains many more traditional houses, souvenir shops and Instagram opportunities. However, we’re afraid it’s already in danger of becoming increasingly loved to death by everyone. Meanwhile, Gokayama was nestled in a steep, narrow valley and in our opinion, exuded a more intimate and secluded atmosphere. It was a small, quiet village with far less tourist activity and perhaps a little less to see. And although you approach it by walking down a hill, you’d never believe there was actually an elevator to take you back up again if you’re feeling tired! So, given the choice, which village might you prefer to visit? If you only need images of thatched roofs dripping in snow (or even without snow), either village will do the job. However, if you can, you might try to see both, because we think they offer different advantages whilst complementing each other. And with TK Photography, you can visit both villages on the same day. We would definitely recommend this tour as we had a most enjoyable day. We wanted snow and we got lots of it. Our own pictures were wonderful but TK’s were awesome! If you’d like to have a great day out with fantastic photos guaranteed, you might give TK Photography a go. You sure won’t be disappointed… Alex and Sophia, Brisbane, Australia

• Great trip, great guide!

  oliverjohaness,,Jan 16, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Shirakawago in winter were amazing, TK took a lot of great photos of us! He also took us to taste hida beef. We really enjoy the trip.

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