List of winners of the 2019 Club Tourism Calendar Photo Contest

We are looking for photos of "travel memories" taken during your travels. The winners of the photo contest will receive local specialties from all over Japan.
In addition, the photographs submitted will be published in brochures and on our website, so please apply.
Please download and use the latest Club Tourism calendar.

2019 Club Tourism Calendar Contest
Announcement of the winners

Thank you to everyone who applied to the 2019 Club Tourism Calendar Photo Contest. After rigorous judging from 6,710 entries, eight works in total were awarded prizes: one Grand Prize, two Excellence Prizes, and five Honorable Mentions. Congratulations! There were many excellent works that unfortunately did not win, making the judging extremely difficult. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who applied.
*"PN" on this page stands for pen name.

Professor Hiroshi Itami
As a photo editor, he has been a judge for many photo awards and contests. He is the representative director of the Japan Photo Contest Association, an advisor to the Japan Photographic Society, and a director of the NPO Photo Culture Club.

Professor Akihiko Hirashima
Photographer and editor. Former head of the Mainichi Newspaper Publishing Photography Department and Visual Editorial Department. Co-author of "Showa 20 Tokyo Map" (Chikuma Shobo), edited "Miyamoto Tsuneichi Photo and Diary Collection" etc.

Club Tourism Calendar 2019

Of the submitted works, eight winning works have been selected to be featured in the 2019 Club Tourism Calendar.
Please feel free to use it.

Download (PDF) here

Grand Prize
Excellence Award
Honorable Mention

Grand Prize

Yamashiro in late autumn

Masaru Yamauchi (resident of Hyogo Prefecture)

The cold overnight had created more fog than usual, but on this particular morning, the sky was clear and windless, and the fog remained motionless. A few hours later... The mountain castle in the sky finally appeared, colored by the autumn colors, and looked even more tasteful and gorgeous.

Comment

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, one of Japan's three Mt. Daisen castles, is beautifully depicted with an exquisite balance between the distinctive castle tower, vibrant autumn foliage, and mist. The rhythm of the overlapping ridgelines in the distance is also beautiful, and the peaks in the foreground in particular create a sharp contrast between near and far. The sense of distance that allows the details of the castle to be clearly seen is also appealing. This is a fantastical masterpiece that makes it seem as if medieval Japan has been brought back to life in the modern day, and the title adds to its elegance. (Prof. Itami)

The moment when a sea of clouds covers the autumn-hued mountains and a castle appears in one area. Bitchu Matsuyama Castle in Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and this is a fantastical and beautiful work worthy of being called a famous castle. The sea of clouds appears from autumn to spring depending on the weather conditions at the time, and the photography technique that made the most of this rare opportunity is worthy of admiration. (Professor Hirashima)

Excellence Award

Hotaka: The silvery white Northern Alps

Koichi Uchimoto (resident of Osaka Prefecture)

I took a double-decker gondola ropeway to Hotaka, a place I had always wanted to visit. When I arrived, I was blessed with unusually good weather for winter, and could see the distant Alps. I was so impressed that I couldn't stop taking pictures. This is one of my favorite photos.

Comment

The lens effect creates a skillful contrast between near and far, creating a vast and powerful scene. The nearby mountains look larger and more powerful, while the distant mountains have a strong presence despite their great distance. This fully demonstrates the capabilities of the wide-angle lens, conveying the refreshing charm of Hotaka and the winter mountains. The clouds in the foreground also work well to emphasize the depth of the scene. (Professor Itami)

A relaxing morning

Masahiko Saito (Tokyo resident)

I set out at midnight hoping to take photos of the morning mist. There was no mist that morning, and I was disappointed when I was taking photos of trees that had started to turn red when I noticed a herd of cows moving out to eat. I took the photo while paying close attention to the lighting conditions, the direction of the cows, and how they overlapped.

Comment

Cattle are grazing leisurely in the morning sunlight. The silhouette of the large tree on the left gives the image a three-dimensional feel, and the branches with autumn leaves subtly express a sense of the season. The photo was taken against the light, but the atmosphere of the grassland wet with morning mist is also lovely. The forest in the background is probably a birch forest. It appears to be a ranch cleared from an evergreen broad-leaved forest, and the work evokes a sense of adventure that makes you want to visit the area. (Hirashima Sensei)

*In no particular order

Honorable Mention

Parasol World

Taishi Asada (Tokyo resident)

As I was walking along the beach, a colorful parasol caught my eye, and I couldn't help but take out my camera and take a picture. I tried to make sure that the blue of the parasol, sky, and sea matched. These vivid, deep colors are unique to overseas. They left a strong impression on me.

Comment

This is a stylish piece that depicts the vacation scenery of Nice from a unique perspective. The blue and white echo the colors of the sea and sky, and the cheerful patterns seem to express the feelings of the people. With parasols at the center, we can imagine people enjoying their holidays in their own way underneath them.
(Professor Itami)

The westernmost point of the continent

Toshihiro Kawasaki (resident of Chiba Prefecture)

On the last day of the Portugal tour, the cloudy skies that had continued until then suddenly cleared up. I took my picture, focusing on the grandeur of the Atlantic Ocean, the white crests of the waves, the vivid blue sky, and the red lighthouse. It was a precious day where I could experience "where the land ends and the sea begins."

Comment

Cabo da Roca is where the Portuguese poet Camões, one of the great Portuguese poets of the Age of Discovery, wrote, "Here the land ends and the sea begins." It was a Portuguese from this country who brought firearms to Japan in the 16th century. The contrast between the historic lighthouse built on the cliff and the Atlantic Ocean spreading out below is wonderful. (Professor Hirashima)

Cherry blossoms and waterfall

Emiko Horie (resident of Chiba Prefecture)

We visited Ayutsubo Falls on a tour to see the cherry blossoms at Mishima Taisha Shrine. I was surprised when we were guided through a residential area. "I can't believe there's a waterfall in the middle of a city like this." The cherry blossoms were in full bloom at the time, so I used a telephoto lens to take a photo of the deep blue waterfall pool between the cherry blossoms. I was lucky to encounter the collaboration of cherry blossoms and waterfalls that is unique to spring.

Comment

There are many works that focus on cherry blossoms alone, but we don't often see them combined with waterfalls. The location of the photo does not seem to be deep in a secluded mountain valley, but I was impressed by the way the image was filled with cherry blossoms and branches, and the waterfall and clear stream were revealed through the gaps, creating a spring utopia. (Professor Itami)

Neuschwanstein in the fog

Michie Sudo (resident of Chiba Prefecture)

On a tour of the Romantic Road, the sun suddenly lit up the clouds and the fog drifted away, and the shining Neuschwanstein Castle appeared against a pure white veil. I couldn't help but take a picture. My body tensed up at the breathtaking splendor, but that actually made the photo more stable.

Comment

This world-famous German castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The fog was a surprise on the way, rather than a deliberate choice. The coniferous forest in the foreground and background, combined with the contrast between light and dark, create a mythical Image.
(Professor Hirashima)

Lily-Blooming Hill

Shigeo Kawai (resident of Shizuoka Prefecture)

I love the scenery when flowers bloom, so I go out here and there with my wife. We went to the Kasui Lily Garden four times this year alone. The yellow lilies blooming on the slope were so beautiful that I took a photo of them from the bottom of the slope with a bit of blue sky in the background.

Comment

This photo was taken at the famous Kasui Lily Garden. It was a good choice to choose a single-colored lily, especially in a valley, in the vast garden. It makes you feel like you want to step into the calm, fragrant space surrounded by lilies. The composition of the screen, with its detailed psychological guidance, is wonderful. (Mr. Itami)

You can see the submitted works here

List of winners of the 2019 Club Tourism Calendar Photo Contest