Kyoto Zen Temples

(2 customer reviews)

¥28,000per session

Times are in Asia/Tokyo

/ /
  • Choose a date above to see available times.

Hotel pick-up *

Hotel pick-up is NOT included in this photo adventure. Include it for an extra ¥6,000.

Gift Card

Have any questions? Contact us!

Adventure Type

Private Photo Workshop

Max Size

4 people

Duration

2.5 Hours

Locations

Nanzen-ji

Language

English

Includes

• Professional photo instructor

Excludes

• Camera
• Hotel Pickup

Minimum Required Gear

• A comfy pair of shoes
• Smarphone or entry-level camera
• No tripod needed

Gardens

Landscapes

Temples

What’s the Story?

Enter a sanctuary of Zen in the confines of the Nanzenji temple complex. The weight of the world will melt away as we explore verdant gardens and elegant Zen architecture. Together we will escape into this wonderland and find harmony in our selves as well as in our viewfinders. You will also get in touch with the subtleties of each of the four seasons, depending on when you choose to visit—contemplate nature through the lens of your camera and the school of Zen.

What We’ll Shoot

Learn how to work with various lighting conditions in the confines of Kyoto’s serene Zen gardens and temples. We will explore creative and effective composition concepts for capturing the beauty of each location. Taking it a step further, we will also instruct you on being in tune with the peculiarities and characteristics of each season and all kinds of weather conditions, whether that be rain or sunshine. In a true Zen sense, we will teach you to accept and adapt to all shooting conditions.

Where We’ll Explore

We avoid the famous locations cluttered with selfie sticks and throngs of tourists, and instead we take you to some of the lesser-known sub-temples around Nanzenji. There, unhindered by the crowds, we can appreciate the aesthetics of rock gardens and Buddhist temples. You’ll be struck by the sense of intimacy of a real Zen experience.

Instructors for this Photo Adventure

2 reviews for Kyoto Zen Temples

  1. Sanjaya_Wijeyekoon

    After taking one of their sessions in Tokyo I arranged for two sessions in Kyoto. Paul was my guide and we had a superb day seeing some of the excellent hidden away sites that Kyoto has to offer. He provided some valuable insights into some of the technical aspects of photography and was also a great companion for the day when we discussed a range of topics. Many thanks for a brilliant and memorable day. Money well spent.

  2. Adeline S

    I did 2 courses with EYExplore, both were highly enjoyable. The first was Inari after Dusk. Axel took me to secret spots primed for taking amazing shots. I especially liked the idea of using props (candles, fluorescent light, yellow light, piece of cloth etc) to make a good photo stand out more and become a great photo. In the second tour we went to Nanzenji temple and the area around it, it was peak autumn and a lot of Japanese people came to see the wonderful foliage. It was more of an impromptu session as the shots we took depended on the light, the people, the wild animals (fish in the pond, not boars…). What was really good as well was that I get to know my camera better, find hidden settings that I never used before, learn how to make good/interesting composition, learn new tricks like using flash to lighten up the foreground, etc. So I hope that from these lessons I’ll be able to take better photos in the future! But even if that’s not the case, I’ve gone home with great photos and memories from these 2 places.

Add a review

We meet right outside Exit 1 of Keage station on the Tozai Metro Line.

Meeting Point Photo

Click to expand

Meeting Point Map

See in Google Maps