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November 16–23, 2026: Passionate Japan, Exploring Northern Kyushu

An 8-Day Journey Through Northern Kyushu: Fukuoka • Kumamoto • Nagasaki; Optional 2-Day Tokyo Add-On

DatesNov 16 – Nov 23, 2026

LocationFukuoka • Kumamoto • Nagasaki, Japan

GenreStreet • Urban • Travel

Group sizeMax. 8

Skill levelAll Levels

Tuition$8,000.00 USD

Deposit$500.00 USD

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Workshop overview

Northern Kyushu offers a different view of Japan—one that many photographers rarely experience. Port cities, lively street markets, quiet neighborhoods, and dramatic volcanic landscapes all exist within a relatively small region that rewards careful observation.

A highlight of our time in Fukuoka will be the November Grand Sumo Tournament. Tickets are hard to secure, but we’ve secured them for our group. For photographers, the anticipation, gesture and sudden bursts of movement offer a very different challenge from the streets.

Over eight days we’ll photograph three distinctive cities—Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Nagasaki—each with its own visual rhythm and cultural character. From neon-lit night streets and riverside food stalls to castle towns and island harbors, Kyushu offers an incredible range of photographic opportunities.

What makes this workshop special is the balance between variety and depth. Travel distances are short, allowing us to spend meaningful time in each place—working the scene, refining our approach, and building stronger photographs rather than rushing from one location to the next.

Japan has been one of my favorite places to photograph for many years. Together with my longtime collaborator Soichi Hayashi, who loves exploring Kyushu with his camera, we’ve designed this workshop to take you beyond the obvious and into the everyday life and visual richness of this fascinating region.

Steve and Soichi have shaped an itinerary that balances access, insight, and adventure. You’ll leave with a strong, cohesive portfolio—and with experiences that bring you closer to the heart of Japan in a way only a small, dedicated workshop can offer.

Japan reveals itself slowly. The deeper you go, the more interesting it becomes.

Northern Kyushu workshop route through Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Nagasaki

After many successful workshops in Tokyo and Kyoto, we’re excited to introduce a new chapter of our Japan experiences — Northern Kyushu. This region offers a rich mix of urban life, history, port culture, and volcanic landscape. It’s visually diverse yet compact enough that we can move efficiently and spend meaningful time photographing rather than traveling.

Kyushu offers contrast without distraction. It’s Japan, but not over-photographed Japan. That matters for photographers. It encourages observation rather than imitation. Most importantly, it allows us to build a body of work across several locations that still feel connected—port, rail, market, commuter, ritual.

Kyushu feels like Japan turned slightly away from the spotlight. The pace is a little slower, the streets a little quieter, and the everyday life of the city unfolds more openly. Ports, tram lines, markets, ferry crossings, castle towns, and the presence of an active volcano all exist within a relatively small region. For photographers, that mix creates something special. You’re not chasing iconic scenes that everyone has already photographed—you’re observing moments as they reveal themselves. Kyushu rewards patience. Stay with a place long enough and the layers begin to show.

Before and After the Workshop

Our pre-workshop online group meeting and lecture will help you prepare for Japan, with time to discuss your equipment, photographic goals and the week ahead. After the workshop, we’ll meet again online for a critique and a chance to present a refined sequence from the photographs you make in Northern Kyushu.

A photograph from the Japan workshop collection

The route

Where we'll photograph

A photograph retained from the Japan workshop listing

Fukuoka — Urban Energy & Night Streets

3 nights

Fukuoka is Kyushu’s largest city and a vibrant gateway to the island. It has the energy of Tokyo but on a more human scale.

We’ll photograph lively street scenes, markets, temples and atmospheric night streets. Fukuoka is also famous for its yatai, small open-air food stalls that line the river and side streets after dark.

Photographic opportunities include:

• Street life in Tenjin and Kawabata districts

• Shrines near Dazaifu and everyday life in Ohori Park

• Night photography at the riverside yatai food stalls

• The November Grand Sumo Tournament, with tickets secured for our group

And of course we’ll sample the city’s famous tonkotsu ramen, which originated here.

Our hotel base near Hakata Station gives us easy access to trains and shooting locations, with time to explore the city on foot.

Kumamoto — Castle Town & Volcanic Landscape

2 nights

Kumamoto offers a slower pace and a deep sense of history.

The city is anchored by Kumamoto Castle, with small shops, arcades and quiet streets nearby. We’ll photograph the castle and surrounding streets from sunset into evening, watching how people move through the historic setting.

Photographic opportunities include:

• Everyday life among the small shops and arcades

• Gesture, light and layered compositions on quieter streets

• The castle town as daylight gives way to evening

• A possible change of scale in the volcanic landscape around Mt. Aso

Our second day gives us time to explore further. Depending on weather and conditions, we may head toward Mt. Aso and the surrounding rural areas or continue working within Kumamoto itself.

This contrast with Fukuoka will help us build a varied but connected body of work.

Nagasaki — Port City with a Unique History

2 nights

Nagasaki’s port connects Japan with the outside world. Trade, cultural exchange and post-war memory shape the city we’ll photograph.

We’ll photograph the waterfront, hillside streets and coast, looking at how people’s daily lives unfold within these different settings.

Photographic opportunities include:

• Harbor life and waterfront neighborhoods

• Narrow hillside streets overlooking the port

• Island landscapes and coastal scenes

• Local food culture, including champon noodles and Goto udon

A private vehicle with a driver will help us reach places beyond public transport. Our journey includes a car ferry crossing, with harbor views and opportunities to photograph along the way.

Moving between the streets and the coast gives us a change of pace and perspective as we continue building our body of work.

Day by day

Itinerary

The schedule will remain flexible so we can respond to weather, light, local events and unexpected photographic opportunities.

Nov 16 — Arrival in Fukuoka
After arrival in Fukuoka, we gather for our orientation meeting before heading out for a sunset shoot. Our welcome dinner gives us time to get to know one another and prepare for the week ahead.
Nov 17 — Fukuoka
A full day of street photography takes us through Fukuoka’s markets, parks, shrines and everyday street life. Possible locations include the Tenjin and Kawabata districts, with time to observe, work a scene and follow what interests you.
After dark, we turn to the city’s night streets and yatai food stalls, photographing the changing light and the people who gather there.
Nov 18 — Fukuoka
We begin with a morning class and editing session, looking at the photographs made so far and considering where to take the work next.
In the afternoon, we visit Fukuoka’s Grand Sumo Tournament, a different setting in which to practise observation, timing and attention to gesture.
Nov 19 — Bullet Train to Kumamoto
We travel by bullet train to Kumamoto, where the castle and surrounding streets become our focus at sunset and into the evening.
The change of place gives us a different rhythm to work with: the castle town, small shops, arcades and quieter streets described in our route above.
Nov 20 — Kumamoto
Today is a full shooting day in Kumamoto or a possible excursion to Mt. Aso, depending on weather and conditions.
If conditions allow, the volcanic landscape and surrounding rural areas offer a contrast to our urban work. Otherwise, we continue exploring the photographic possibilities within the city.
Nov 21 — Travel to Nagasaki
Our journey to Nagasaki includes a scenic drive and a car ferry crossing, with opportunities to observe the coast and harbor along the way.
In the afternoon, we begin photographing Nagasaki. Its waterfront neighborhoods and hillside streets introduce another side of Japan as we continue building a connected body of work.
Nov 22 — Nagasaki
We begin with sunrise island landscapes, followed by a midday critique session. Together, we look at the developing photographs, discuss the strongest selections and consider how the images work alongside one another.
A final sunset shoot is followed by our wrap-up dinner in Nagasaki.
Nov 23 — Return to Fukuoka & Departure
We drive back to Fukuoka Airport in the morning, with possible photo stops along the way. This brings the Northern Kyushu workshop to a close.
For those continuing, the optional Tokyo extension takes place on November 23–24. Details are listed separately below.

In the field and in class

What You’ll Learn

Street Philosophies

This is a hands-on photographic workshop with plenty of time in the field. We will shoot early and late when the light is best, and take breaks during the midday hours for rest, editing, and discussion.

Our small group size allows for personal attention and informal critiques throughout the week.

Expect to work on:

• Seeing layered street moments

• Anticipation and timing

• Composition in busy environments

• Photographing people respectfully in public spaces

• Editing and selecting stronger images

Our goal is not simply to collect images but to help you create a cohesive set of photographs that reflect your personal experience of Japan.

Shooting Locations

Soichi Hayashi, my long-time friend has traveled the world and is an accomplished Japanese photographer whose work is beautiful and very different from mine, which makes for a great and complementary teaching team.

In Passionate Japan: Exploring Northern Kyushu Fukuoka • Kumamoto • Nagasaki, you will wander and explore vibrant, visually rich places and neighborhoods chosen for their visual potential. Steve & Soichi have scouted locations and are working out the final detailed itinerary and though the schedule seems packed, flexibility and independence are encouraged among participants–if you fall in love with an area and want to work further there–you are encouraged to do so.

In the lectures, assignments designed to get you out of your comfort zone and push you forward in your work will be given.

This intensive workshop will help you find your own unique vision and street style through assignments created to get you past photographic fears and cliches to capturing lyrical, poetic and decisive moments that communicate the energy of the streets. But mostly you will be shooting the theatre that is the street; sometimes together, often on your own.

You’ll learn about the “rhythm of place” and we will discuss the laws and ethics of street photography as well as dealing with difficult situations that might pop up. We will help define a strategy for capturing the rich daily life in Japan; overcoming fears and shyness, approaching strangers, framing, juxtaposition, layering your compositions, letting the image come to you and whether color or black and white best suits your vision. And we’ll make room for the pleasure of being out there with a camera.

Street Tech

You will talk street-tech and Steve and Soichi will give you their minimalist views on gear along with a simplified shooting process to maximize your response time to capture decisive moments. Their street tools include Nikon cameras with a carefully curated selection of lenses; but they are also familiar with a wide range of equipment to help you maximize your mirror-less, compact, rangefinder, DSLR or even your camera phone for compelling street images.

We will talk lenses, auto focus, zone focusing, shooting from the hip, using live view, flash and a host of other tips, tricks, distractions and ideas that will improve your work dramatically. It’s a street photography workshop but the lessons learned will benefit you in all genres of image-making.

We also know that photography doesn't end when you push the shutter button; in some ways that is where it begins. It is paramount that you find a consistent way to deal with the thousands upon thousands of images you will take in your life time.

Steve and Soichi will walk you through their processes of organizing, editing, processing and archiving their huge library of images. You'll learn how they work with programs like Lightroom Classic to cull their best work out of every shoot. They will discuss all aspects of the process, from memory cards through archiving onto drives and in the cloud.

In class, you will look at a selection of your best work from the previous day. These daily critiques are of crucial importance, where you share ideas and constructive criticism as you look through each others’ images. The workshop will be a “safe place” for group discussions with suggestions and new ideas put forward.

The learning continues before and after our time in Japan. We’ll meet online for a pre-workshop group meeting and lecture, including a conversation about gear and goals. A post-workshop online critique gives you time to refine your edit and present a sequence from the work you make in Northern Kyushu.

Travel & logistics

We will limit our geographic range to Northern Kyushu, allowing us to keep travel times short while still experiencing a variety of locations and cultures.

Transportation will include:

• Kyushu Shinkansen (bullet train)

• Local trains and transit

• Private vehicle with driver in Nagasaki

• Car ferry crossing

This combination allows us to move efficiently while maintaining flexibility for photography. It is recommended that you book your flight from home to and from Tokyo, arriving a little early and maybe staying for the Tokyo extension afterwards. Flights to Fukuoka International Airport are inexpensive and plentiful.

Accommodation & Food

Your tuition includes seven nights of private accommodation in comfortable, well-located hotels, giving you your own room to rest, review your photographs and prepare for the next day. We choose our bases for their access to shooting locations and transportation.

Proposed hotels include:

Fukuoka: The Blossom Hakata Premier (Confirmed)

Kumamoto: Options currently under review including Candeo Hotels, One Station Hotel Kumamoto, or OMO5 Kumamoto.

Nagasaki: We are exploring a modern ryokan-style hotel offering Japanese atmosphere with Western beds for comfort.

Final hotel selections will be confirmed once group room blocks are secured.

Food Along the Way

Food is part of our time in each city. Fukuoka’s yatai stalls and tonkotsu ramen, along with Nagasaki’s champon noodles and Goto udon, give us opportunities to get to know a place between shoots. Our welcome dinner and final wrap-up dinner in Nagasaki are included. Most other meals are at your own expense, keeping us flexible while photographing.

The optional Tokyo extension is separate from the Northern Kyushu tuition. Its $1,600 USD fee includes two nights of accommodation at a Shinjuku hotel to be announced, continued instruction and one group dinner.

Our hotel in Tokyo: A beautiful Shinjuku hotel to be announced

We’ll be staying at a comfortable, well-located hotel in Shinjuku, one of our favorite bases for photographing Tokyo. Our original hotel, the Century Southern Tower, will be closed for renovations, so we are carefully considering other options and will announce our new hotel as soon as it is confirmed.

Wherever we stay, the location will give us easy access to Shinjuku Station and the rest of the city, making it an ideal starting point for our full shooting days in Tokyo.

Shinjuku is one of Tokyo’s most populated and diverse districts, with endless photographic opportunities day and night. It is known for its neon, lively nightlife, narrow streets and small bars, as well as many of the city’s best new and used camera shops. The area is also home to Shinjuku Station, the busiest railway station in the world and our gateway to neighborhoods throughout Tokyo.

Confirmed accommodation in Fukuoka: The Blossom Hakata Premier.

Who you'll work with

Your instructors

Steve Simon

Steve Simon is an award-winning documentary photographer and the author of five critically acclaimed books, including The Passionate Photographer, selected as one of Amazon’s “Top Ten Art and Photography Books.” He has photographed in over 40 countries on assignment, with work appearing in publications such as The New York Times Magazine, Time, Mother Jones, Le Monde, Colors, Life, Harpers, Macleans, and The Walrus.

Best known for his humanistic approach, Steve’s photography explores the complexity and beauty of the human condition—capturing authentic, unscripted moments in real time. His images have been exhibited in solo shows in New York, Toronto, Montreal, and Buenos Aires, and three times at Visa Pour L’Image in Perpignan, France. An excerpt from Empty Sky, his photographic tribute to the aftermath of 9/11, was published by Life Books. The 9/11 Memorial Museum later acquired the complete set of prints for its permanent collection—recognizing the work as both witness and memorial.

A passionate educator, Steve has taught at the International Center of Photography (ICP) and the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York, and continues to lead workshops around the world. He is currently working on two new books—one on the art of photographic critique, and another exploring the American political convention.

Soichi Hayashi

Born in 1973, Soichi Hayashi is a freelance photographer and director based in Tokyo. After serving as a creative director for the ad agency, he became independent in photography business. For many years he has been privileged to work alongside the world’s finest photographers with their diverse backgrounds and genres, infusing him with the ability to capture evocative imagery from both a creative and technical perspective.

His photographic interest began early, influenced and nurtured by his father and grandfather – both professional photographers. His skills allow him to shoot nearly any subject whether on location or in the studio but his longstanding passion lies in natural landscape. He travels the world and is available for assignments.

Pricing

Your tuition includes seven nights of private accommodation, transportation during the workshop, instruction and mentorship from Steve and Soichi, group critiques and editing discussions, and our welcome and farewell dinners. Our pre-workshop online group meeting and lecture and a post-workshop online critique are also included.

Tuition

$8,000.00 USD

Deposit: $500.00 USD secures your place
Remaining balance: Collected separately by Steve Simon
Group size: Limited to 8 photographers

The remaining balance may be paid by bank transfer, wire, ACH, or credit card (3% processing fee applies to credit card payments).

What's included

Seven nights of private accommodation in comfortable, centrally located hotels
Welcome dinner on the first evening
Final wrap-up dinner in Nagasaki
All in-country transportation during the workshop: Kyushu Shinkansen (bullet train), local trains and transit, private van with driver in Nagasaki, scenic car ferry crossing
All instruction and mentorship from Steve Simon and Soichi Hayashi
Group critique sessions and editing discussions
On-the-ground support throughout the workshop
Pre-workshop online group meeting and lecture to prepare and discuss gear and goals
Post-workshop online critique and presentation of a refined sequence of your photographs

Our goal is to provide a seamless, supportive experience so you can stay focused on making your strongest work.

Optional Tokyo Add-On (Nov 23-24) · $1,600

Nov 23-24, 2026

For those who want to stay longer, we’re planning a 2-day structured Tokyo add-on. This extension focuses on working specific neighborhoods, refining your Tokyo portfolio, and pushing deeper into complex, layered street scenes. Details and hotel options will be shared closer to final confirmation.

An optional two-day Tokyo extension offering additional shooting time, curated locations, continued instruction, two nights accommodation at a Shinjuku hotel (to be announced), and one group dinner: $1600.

Not included

International airfare to/from Japan; Transportation from the airport to the first hotel on arrival; Most meals, apart from the welcome dinner and final wrap-up dinner in Nagasaki; Personal expenses; Travel and medical insurance (strongly recommended).

Participants are responsible for booking their own international flights and getting themselves from the airport to our first hotel. Once you’ve checked in, we’ll handle the workshop logistics from there, with clear guidance before and during the trip.

Before you reserve

Deposit & Cancellation Policy — Northern Kyushu 2026

A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place. If we need to cancel the workshop, your deposit will be refunded. Group size is intentionally limited to eight photographers, so early registration is encouraged.

Full tuition is due August 18, 2026, 90 days before the workshop begins.

If you withdraw more than 90 days before the workshop begins, tuition paid beyond the deposit will be refunded once we receive your cancellation in writing.

If you withdraw less than 90 days before the workshop, a refund is possible only if we can fill your place from the waitlist. In that case, tuition paid beyond the deposit will be returned. If your place cannot be filled, tuition cannot be refunded.

Because hotels, transportation, bookings and local partners require fixed commitments in advance, PhotoEducate and The Passionate Photographer Inc. cannot offer refunds or credits for medical or family emergencies, travel delays, illness, weather, transportation disruptions, political events or other unforeseen circumstances. Comprehensive travel and medical insurance is strongly recommended.

A Note on Travel & Medical Insurance

We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance that includes international medical coverage, trip cancellation protection that can reimburse your workshop fee, coverage for delays, lost luggage and emergency evacuation, and coverage for pre-existing medical conditions when available. Many policies require this coverage to be purchased within a set period after your initial trip payment.

Insurance protects you from absorbing the financial loss of an unexpected situation and offers added peace of mind when traveling internationally with expensive camera equipment. We recommend www.squaremouth.com as one place to compare travel and medical insurance options.

Videos

The bullet-train experience: this Mt. Fuji footage was filmed en route to Kyoto, not on this workshop. In Northern Kyushu, we’ll take the bullet train to Kumamoto.

Testimonials

From Steve’s Previous Workshops

“Best workshop I’ve ever taken! Steve is not only a great photographer, he is also a terrific teacher. He is patient and very hands- on. In some workshops the instructor sends students out to shoot after a short lecture–Steve goes out with his students, coaching them throughout the process. His course is well organized and covers diverse topics. He is funny and engaging and generous with his time and knowledge. I had SO MUCH fun and am ready to sign up for the next one. Highly recommended!”
Anna Blanco, New York City

“My week in Steve’s Street Shooting workshop challenged me tremendously. There’s nothing like taking your work apart and putting it back together with new vision to make you a better photographer. If you take this workshop, I guarantee you will see the world differently at the end.”
Anne Dunford, Ithaca, New York

“What a fabulous experience. I learned more about photography in one week than I had in 5 years. Steve is very knowledgable about the technical side as well as composition. He is very patient, gives excellent feedback and will work one on one with you on any photography subject you want. I asked him for help on night photography and at 10 PM he was out on the streets of Havana with me with step by step instructions on how to take the shot. 5 star plus rating!!”
Gary Niederpruem, Chicago

“Steve’s passion for photography is contagious and his teaching abilities and knowledge extraordinary! I highly recommend this workshop to anyone interested in photography.”
Paul Lavergne, San Juan, PR

“Participating in the NYC Street Photography Workshop was an enriching and exhilarating experience. It challenged me to step out of my comfort zone to improve my skills. Steve’s curriculum and hands on approach offered me an opportunity to learn new techniques, add some creativity and visualize subject matter from another perspective. Each day presented abundant photo opportunities, resulting with the capture of some amazing images, exceeding my greatest expectations.”
Chapman Solomon, Mountain View, CA

“Not only is Steve a great photographer, he is also a caring, compassionate person as well. He is constantly trying to help participants achieve their photographic goals in a gentle, caring, and sincere manner. The critiques of my work were very helpful. Steve was right-on in terms of his suggestions to better my work. The totality of the workshop was terrific, primarily because the parts were all excellent as well. Choice of shooting locations, image reviews, suggestions, videos shown, and galleries visited were all great. Steve also promoted wonderful interactions among the participants. The venue was perfect for the workshop. We could spread out, leave your things there, use the facilities, and eat the goodies provided. You know you’re in good hands with Steve! An outstanding workshop!!”
Stephen Sholl, New York City

“This is an outstanding workshop, led by a world-class photographer. It is impossible to spend time in a room with Steve Simon and not be inspired to get out there and make great images …I had high expectations and you exceeded them…Steve is very personable, articulate and passionate about photography, very welcoming with a warm, engaging personality. Steve’s style is outstanding. I knew of Steve from the TWiP podcast and would have attended if he was talking about how to watch paint dry…”
Steve Lavelle, London

“I just spent the last three days with Steve Simon, What a wonderful experience, the best time spent in a workshop ever. Steve is a perfectionist, every presentation not only had spectacular photography but also the perfect music to enhance the mood, a roller coaster of emotions. He cannot hide his journalistic background every single image tells a story. His technique is flawless; his teaching patience unparalleled. I am eager to start a new chapter of my photography applying what Steve taught me in the last few days.”
Oscar Piñeyro, Dallas