List of winning entries in the 2023 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.

2023 Club Tourism Calendar Contest
Announcement of the winners

Thank you to everyone who submitted works to the 2023 Club Tourism Calendar Photo Contest. After rigorous judging, eight works were selected from the 3,880 submitted works: one Grand Prize, two Excellence Prizes, and five Honorable Mentions. There were many excellent works among those that unfortunately did not win, making the judging extremely difficult. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who submitted works.
*"PN" on this page stands for pen name.

[Judgement and Evaluation]: Professor Hiroshi Itami
As a photo editor, he has served as a judge for many photography awards and contests.
Representative director of the Japan Photo Contest Association and advisor to the Photographic Society of Japan.

Grand Prize
Excellence Award
Honorable Mention

Grand Prize

Snow-covered

Eijiro Iharagi (resident of Kanagawa Prefecture)

At Kamikochi in late autumn. The rain that had been falling since the previous day turned to snow by midnight, and the early morning road was covered with a thin layer of snow and fog. When I arrived at Tashiro Marshland and looked up toward the Hotaka mountain range, the fog lifted for a moment and I captured the soft morning sun shining near the cloud-capped peaks.

Evaluation

Oct. The majestic peaks of the Hotaka mountain range in Nagano Prefecture, which has welcomed its first snowfall. The dignified and clear early morning air is conveyed straight through the picture. In addition to the brilliant colors of the snow-covered mountains and blue sky, the clouds moving along the mountain ridges are the only thing that gives the picture a sense of motion and grandeur. The balance of the forest shadows in the foreground is also well balanced, and the use of a telephoto lens makes the mountains appear to stand up, creating an imposing power.

Excellence Award

Spring Competition

Pen name: Youn-san (living in Ibaraki Prefecture)

This is my favorite place where the cherry blossoms and hydrangeas bloom beautifully. I went there early on this day, and was able to catch the cherry blossoms lit up and the setting sun just as I had hoped. The view was amazing, and I took this shot with the silhouette of Mt. Tsukuba in the distance in mind.

Evaluation

This is a stunning view of cherry blossoms at Amabiki Kannon (Amabikiyama Rakuhoji Temple) in Sakuragawa City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The angle taken from a high vantage point creates a fantastical world, as if the temple is completely enveloped in cherry blossoms. The perspective enhanced by the ultra-wide-angle lens is also appealing, and the composition of the image, which leads the eye from the cherry blossoms to Mt. Tsukuba in the distance, is very skillful. The reddish sky and tonal effects of the clouds just before dusk make you feel as if you are in a dream.

Fuji from Zushi

Toshikazu Yamakawa (Kanagawa Prefecture resident)

I like taking pictures of Mt. Fuji and do it often, but this time, taking pictures of Mt. Fuji from Zushi Beach added elements such as Enoshima and windsurfers, so I enjoyed taking pictures in a different way. It was a windy day, so strong that it blew my hat off, but I think it was a positive thing for the picture.

Evaluation

A late autumn landscape seen from Zushi Beach. The evening light, clouds, and the silhouette of Mt. Fuji create a magnificent background that is softly colored, making it truly beautiful. Then there is Enoshima in the middle, and windsurfing and rough waves in the foreground. I'm impressed by the skill with which the photographer managed to capture the triple depth of each image with such deep focus. The sails shining through the setting sun create an effective three-dimensional effect. The movement of the waves also creates a nice contrast with the quiet background.

*In no particular order

Honorable Mention

White City

Masahiko Saito (Tokyo resident)

The white townscape seen from the Perlan observation deck was so impressive that I instantly took a picture. Our main goal was to visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lake, but it was the only snowfall day during the trip, so we were disappointed that we couldn't see the ice blocks under the blue sky. However, it was warmer than we expected, and we enjoyed a peaceful trip.

Evaluation

The snow-covered west coast of Iceland, the city of Reykjavik. The orderly, colorful buildings convey the atmosphere of a modern city, but the steep, snowy mountains in the distance offer a glimpse of the country's harsh natural environment. The presence of the cityscape is further accentuated by dividing it into the river and trees in the foreground.

First Tadami River Bridge

Hideo Tsukamoto (resident of Kanagawa Prefecture)

This is a photo I took on a tour to photograph Tadami Line during the season of fresh greenery. Normally, the morning mist would have disappeared by this time, but on this day we were fortunate to have good weather and no wind, so we were able to see a fantastic landscape. I was conscious of the composition of the train and the iron bridge while capturing the mist at the top.

Evaluation

This is a familiar spot in railroad photography, but the appeal of this photo is the dripping, beautiful new greenery. The morning mist, which is a feature of this spot, was confined to the back of the screen, so the arches of the bridge were reflected on the water, making them stand out even more. I think the positioning of the train cars, which includes a large part of the back of the screen, is also well balanced.

A 60-year-old man traveling alone in Thailand

Koichi Hayakawa (resident of Niigata Prefecture)

I visited the Ratchada Train Market during a four-night, five-day solo trip around Thailand. It was full of colorful tents and was full of life. I never got bored of the exotic scenery, so I stayed there for about two hours. I focused on the contrast between the calm night view in the background and the bustling market in this photo.

Evaluation

Bangkok's famous night market. It's a tourist spot with many stalls that are bustling until late at night and overflowing with the feeling of everyday life. The light passing through the colorful tents is a perfect subject, but this photo is also excellent in that it contrasts with the quiet buildings in the background.

Lake Yunoko snow scene

Shinpei Sasajima (resident of Chiba Prefecture)

The evergreen and deciduous trees on the steep slope, the snow-covered lake shore and the deep blue lake surface all seem to contrast with each other, so I tried to include a snow-covered hut in the photo. I usually try not to include man-made objects in landscape photos, but in this particular case, the hut was a nice accent.

Evaluation

I am drawn to the skillful composition of the scene by the quiet lake. The calm water surface, the heavy slopes of evergreen trees, the bright open snow-covered surface of deciduous trees - the differences in texture and shape of each are all concentrated in one point on the building, which is interesting. The high level of perfection makes me feel like I am looking at a fine Japanese painting.

Fireflies dancing

Pen name: EITA (living in Aichi Prefecture)

A Jun. evening in Wara Town, Gifu Prefecture, known as a famous spot for fireflies. A local person told me about a spot where the light of the Genji fireflies is reflected on the water surface, and when I went there, I was surprised by how many there were. I took this photo at an angle to create depth, and with a soft filter, and it was a satisfying shot.

Evaluation

This photo was taken in Wara Town, Gifu Prefecture. It is rare to see such a gorgeous and dynamic flurry of fireflies. Not only is the volume of the fireflies blinking on the water's surface impressive, but the speed of the swarms flying across the river is captivating. This is the true essence of digital photography.

You can see the submitted works here

List of winning entries in the 2023 Club Tourism Calendar Photo Contest

2023 Club Tourism Calendar Contest
Announcement of the winners