Japan by Drone

Top content creator and drone pilot Zimy Da Kid created this epic aerial tour of Japan, which he shot with a DJI Mavic Pro drone supplemented with ground camera footage.  The video takes us from first from capital city Tokyo and then to Kanazawa, during the height of the  cherry blossom season.  Then he proceeds to ancient Kyoto and its magnificent temples, and from there to Nara, Osaka, the Nachi waterfall, and Mt. Fuji. This video is a nominee in our Drone Video Awards' Countries & Regions category.

Take a tour of Japan in this beautiful, captioned drone video.  It features footage from the following locations, by prefecture (the Japanese equivalent of a province or state): Hokkaido (Nakayama Pass, Tobetsu); Myazaki (Nishimerason), Mie (the Ise-Shima National Park) Shiga (Lake Biwa Shirahige Shrine); Okayama (Okayama Castle); Kochi (Kochi Castle); and Tottori (Sani’an in Kaigan Geopark, Tottori Sand Dunes).  The video is helpfully captioned and was filmed with a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone. 

Check out these stunning drone music video from the mountains of Japan, compliments of AirVuz contributor nauj.  The video was filmed over and around Mt. Karamatsu, which is located a bit to the west of the city of Nagano (site of the 1998 Winter Olympics) on the western side of the main Japanese island of Honshu.  It's part of a chain of mountains known as the Japanese Alps, which roughly bisects the island.  The Japanese Alps have peak elevations of up to about 10.5k ft. above sea level or around 3.5k m.    

Check out this beautiful captioned tour of Japan, compliments of effezeta_channel.  Here are the locatios featured, in order of first appearance: (1) the rocks of Enoshima, a tiny island southwest of Yokohama; (2) the great capital city of Tokyo; (3) Minoo Park, in the Osaka Prefecture; (4) the Bamboo Forest, just west of Kyoto; (5) Minajima Tori, in the Hiroshima Prefecture; (6) Kamakura, just south of Tokyo; (7) Mt. Fuji; (8) Ashi Lake, in the Kanagawa Prefecture; (9) Mino Falls; (10) Meno Lake; and more.

Feast your eyes on this magnificent travel video from Japan, compliments of top content creator and drone pilot Fujibra Films.  The video skillfully combines drone footage with ground camera footage to create a captivating view of this ancient island nation.  The video opens with an epic shot of the snow-covered mountains of Japan in winter.  From there you'll get glimpses of Japan's skiing scene, its temples and pagoda's, the majestic active volcano Mt. Fuji, and other sights and sounds of the country. 

Top contributor and Drone Video Award finalist Robinmaeter created this stunning drone video from a trip to Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun.  Using a DJI Mavic Air combined with a ground camera, he gives us a masterful look at one of the world's most beautiful countries.  You will see some of the natural wonders of the country, as well as Osaka and Kyoto, the country's second and third most populous cities, respectively.  Follow along and see a country that is home to one of the most distinctive cultures on earth.  

What would you do if you only had one and a half days in Japan? AirVuz contributor and drone pilot Tayloid wasted no time, putting together this stunning trip compilation video. Featuring the uniquely green waters that surround some of the island nation’s bays, the dense jungle hills and narrow ravines, mountains, neon-lit cities, and close up shots of some of the country's distinctive native architecture, this is a pretty impressive piece for only 36 hours. We can’t wait to see what Tayloid captures come December on his next trip!

Shot on the ever popular and always impressive Mavic Air drone, this four-minute tour of the Pacific island nation of Japan by contributor nauj is fantastic. The country's origins trace back to pre-historic civilization, seeing it with modern technology is quite the treat! From the volcanos to the snowcapped forests, towering Buddhist structures to the sea's endless horrizon, you get a miniature tour of the amazing country in this drone video, which was a Nominee for the Drone Video of the Week and Month.

Check out this stunning aerial tour of the southern islands of Japan, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot ivanding.  The video covers Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, plus the smaller island of Okinawa which sits well to the south of the main part of the archipelago.  The video features brilliant aerial shots of the mountainous interiors of both islands, which in the case of Kyushu is heavily forested.  You'll also get some great bird's eye views of the islands's rocky coastlines and numerous satellites.  

Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan's four main islands.  It is the second largest island by land area (after the main island of Honshu) but is much less densely populated; with just over 5 million inhabitants, Hokkaido is just a fraction of the size of Tokyo population-wise.  It is a mountainous and at-times frozen land, in places resembling Siberia which lies just across the Sea of Japan.  Contributor Wutang used a drone to create this beautiful aerial tour of this northern Pacific island.  

Check out this stunning drone video of a castle on the Japanese island of Skikoku, compliments of contributor Binky Blue.  Matsuyama Castle was originally built in the early 17th century on Mt. Matsuyama.  It's situated in the prefecture of Ehime Prefecture which covers the western part of Shikoku, the smallest of the four main islands of Japan.  Much of the castle was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning in the late 18th century; it was substantially rebuilt in the 19th century.

Japan's capital Tokyo is center of the largest metropolitan area in the world.  In this video, which was nominated for the Drone Video of the Year Awards in the Cities category, contributor Big Head Greg takes us on an aerial tour of this gigantic city.  It is situated at the confluence of several rivers on the east coast of the island of Honshu (the largest of Japan's four main islands), at the head of Tokyo Bay on the Pacific Ocean.  Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics and will be hosting its second in 2020. 

Contributor and drone pilot Skys_feed traveled to some of the largest cities in Japan and created this video to memorialize the trip.  Using a combination of drone and ground camera footage, he provides us a look at the following cities: (1) Tokyo, the national capital and largest city; (2) Yokohama, Tokyo's "twin" city on Tokyo Bay and the seventh largest city; (3) Osaka, Japan's second largest city; and (4) Kyoto, the country's #4 city.  The video also features footage of Hakone, a small town in eastern Honshu.  

Contributor Earthspace101 used a drone to give us this beautiful view of Japan's highest mountain.  The mighty Mt. Fuji is a volcanic mountain which stands about 3.8k meters (12.4 ft.) above sea level on Honshu.  The mountain is known not just for its height but for its geometric near-perfection; the shape of its cone is nearly symmetrical.  Of immense cultural significance in Japan, on clear days the peak of the mountain can be seen from 100 km (about 60 mi) away in Tokyo.  It last erupted in 1708.

Top contributor Hayden Kast put together this fanastic video record of his trip to Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun.  The video was created with a mixture of ground camera and drone footage. Locations featured include the capital city of Tokyo; the large city of Aomori in the northern part of Honshu; various spots on the northern island of Hokkaido; Hakuba in the Japanese Alps, a mountain chain which runs through Honshu; and the Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival in the Nogano Prefecture of central Honshu.  

Japan is known in part for its "castles in the sky": hilltop or mountaintop castles which can appear to be floating on the clouds in the right atmospheric conditions.  Top contributor and Instagram phenom Danielkordan definitely got it right with this stunning aerial capture of Echizen Ono Castle, which does indeed appear to be floating on the clouds.  It's located in the Fukui Prefecture in western Honshu.  The castle was constructed in the late 16th century, and has been modified numerous times since then.

Take a tour of the fascinating Japanese island of Okinawa, compliments of contributor and drone pilot Tayloid.  His video will take you over some of the most beautiful sights of Okinawa, which is actually not a single island but a series of islands which lie well to the south of the four main Japanese islands.  The main island is actually closer to Taipei, Taiwan or Manila in the Philippines than it is to Tokyo; its landscape closer resembles Southeast Asia than it does the "mainland" of Japan.  

Himeji Castle is one of the most famous in Japan.  Situated in southern Honshu, it was built in the 14th century.  One of the most-visited sites in the country, it owes its fame in part to the James Bond movie franchise: the palace made an appearance as the spot where 007 (played by Sean Connery) undergoes ninja training in the 1967 classic You Only Live Twice, the series' sixth installment.  Contributor Hittheroadlat used both drone and ground camera footage to create this video of the magnificent landmark.  

Nagoya Castle is one of the most important cultural sites in Japan.  It is located in Nagoya, Japan's third largest city, on the western coast of Honshu, the most populous island of the Japanese Archipelago.  From the 17th-19th centuries, this was one of the most important cities in Japan.  Contributor Skys_feed used a DJI Phantom 4 drone to give us a marvelous bird's eye view of this castle, which was originally rebuilt in the early 16th century and nearly completely rebuilt early in the 17th.

Styfly Studio created an amazing drone video of a ski area in Japan.  The Biwako Valley Ski Resort is situated in central part of Honshu, the largest and most populous island of the Japanese archipelago.  It's located roughly halfway between the cities of Kyoto and Nagoya.  The resort's mountaintop sits at about 1.1k meters (about 3.5k ft) above sea level, and offers both tow- and lift-accessed slopes.  As you will see in the video, the top of the mountain offers stunning views of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. 

Contributor Urban Obsession created this magnificent drone video from Hakone, a mountainous region to the west of the Japanese capital city Tokyo.  It's situated in the Kanagawa Prefecture, a state lying on the eastern coast of the island of Honshu (the most populous island of Japan).  Hakone is considered an easy day trip from Tokyo, for travelers who wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the world's largest city.  The area has been afforded governmental protection by being designated as a geopark.  

Located in Sendai, Japan on the island of Honshu, the Sendai Daikannon is the tallest statue that features a goddess in the country. In fact, it is believed to be one of the top five  tallest statues in the world as of 2018. Featuing the gem-bearing Nyoirin Kannon (如意輪 観音) it is around 330 feet tall and has an elevator that takes visitors to the top of the statue. In this excellent video, experienced cinematographer and drone pilot Fujiabra Films does a fantastic job showcasing her impressive might.

Check out this drone video of a beautiful mountain gorge in Japan, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot nahtempest.  Shogawa Gorge is a canyon created by the Shō River in the Toyama Prefecture of western Honshu.  It's part of the Shogawakyo Valley, a popular getaway destination about 340 km (around 200 mi.) west-northwest of Tokyo and a somewhat shorter distance north of Nagoya.  The video, shot with a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone, captures the natural beauty of the canyon in the winter months.  

Contributor and drone pilot SustoFPV flew his racing drone via first person view (FPV) over the waters at the southern tip of the Japanese island Honshu near Itsukushima Shrine; this landmark is the only shrine in the world to have been built over surface of the sea and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The breathtaking film shows off the shrine from every angle (like only an FPV drone can) was a finalist for the Drone Video of the Week contest and has been a favorite amongst viewers.

Japan's Okinawa Prefecture includes a group of islands, including the main island of Okinawa, which lies many hundreds of km/mi south of the country's four main islands.  The island saw some of the heaviest fighting in the Pacific in World War II, including the first kamikaze attacks.  Zamami is a small village sitting on 20 of the islands in the region.  Top contributor Jeon Donghee spent eight days in Zamami with a drone, creating this amazing aerial video of this paradise in the East China Sea.

Check out this stunning drone video of a Japanese volcano, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot VIVENCIAS22.  Mount Akagi is located in Gunma Prefecture near the middle of Honshu, the main island of the Japanese archipelago.  The stratovolcano features an oval-shaped caldera as well as several adjacent lava domes.  Its summit stands at an elevation of about 1.8k meters above sea level, or just under 5k ft.  Considered inactive, Agaki is believed to have most recently erupted in the middle of the 13th century.  

Japan’s world-renowned sakura, or cherry blossom, season takes place in early spring, typically between late March and early April. Thousands of tress across the island nation will burst with color, popping reds, bright pinks, and brilliant whites dominating the landscape. NAMAIKIfpv flew her micro drone through one of the most popular sites to see the colors in Tokyo. The sakuras' flowers are absolutely breathtaking, we only wish we could smell the wonderful fragrance too!

Top contributor and pilot Fujibara Films created this short but amazing drone video of one of the most famous castles in Japan.  Matsumoto Castle is situated in the Nagano Prefecture, a short distance north of Tokyo in the island of Honshu.  Known as the Crow Castle for its black exterior, it's considered one of the country's top three castles, along with Kumamato and Himeji Castles.  Completed in the late 1500's, Matsumoto Castle was the seat of the Matsumoto Domain during the Takagawa Shogunate.  

Take a tour of the great concentration of urban civilization known as Greater Tokyo, compliments of contributor c13studio.  The video will take you over the two great cities on Tokyo Bay, on the eastern side of the island of Honshu.  Depending on definitions, this is the center of a metropolitan area of well over 20 million and as many as 38 million; based on anything around the midpoint of this range, it's the largest metropolitan area in the world.  The video was filmed with a DJI Mavic Air drone.  

Take an aerial tour of the Japanese island of Okinawa in this beautiful drone video by Reuben Langdon.  Okinawa is the southernmost and smallest of Japan's four main islands.  Closer to Taiwan than to the other main Japanese islands, Okinawa is quite distinctive both in terms of its natural setting as well as with respect to its people.  Ride along for aerial views of the island, its main city of Naha, and some of the old fortifications left over from the bitter World War II battle fought here following the US invasion of the island in April, 1945.  

This twenty-second drone video has quite the reveal, one that you see within just a few seconds. The dronie, by pilot Fujiabra Films, has a familiar location - Mount Fuji. The active volcano is about 60 miles outside of Tokyo and, at 12,388 feet, it is the island country’s tallest peak. It has been a pilgrimage site for centuries and is considered one of Japan’s three sacred mountains. You may know the profile of the volcano from various works of art, specifically famous Japanese prints by Hokusai and Hiroshige. 

Ride along for this amazing aerial tour of Tokyo Bay, compliments of contributor and pilot Mtaka3939.  The Japanese capital city is situated on a river estuary near its terminus in Tokyo Bay, which in turn opens into the Pacific Ocean.  Much of the city's layout and infrastructure is tied to the complicated set of waterways and islands, much of which is man made.  The video will take you around Tokyo's part of the bay, and includes some great footage of key infrastructure such as the Rainbow Bridge.  

Top contributor Fujibara Films made this excellent drone video of a well known volcano on Japan's Kyushu Island, the third-largest of the archipelago by land area and the southernmost of the four main islands.  Kiamondake Volcano is located near the city of Ibusuki on the southern part of the island in the Kagoshima Prefecture.  The mountain has a peak elevation of just under 925 meters (a bit over 3k ft.) above sea level.  While the volcano isn't considered extinct, its last eruption was over 1,000 year ago, in 885 AD.  

Check out this beautiful drone video of a geopark in Japan, compliments of contributor DronerangerMiura.  It's situated on a landform known as the Isu Peninsula, a rocky promontory which extends southward from the mainland of the island of Honshu.  The peninsula is on the eastern (Pacific Ocean) side of the island, a bit southwest of Tokyo.  The peninsula forms the western side of Sagami Bay and the eastern side of Suruga Bay.  The peninsula is part of the Shizuoka Prefecture in the Chūbu region.

Contributor Reuben Langdon created this beautifully edited drone video of Tokyo, Japan, by some measures the world's largest city.  THe video opens with an epic shot of Tokyo Tower, which was inspired by France's Eiffel Tower but which is actually somewhat taller at 333 meters (around 1.1k ft.).  The video uses the "kaleidoscope" post-production technique to great effect, with some amazing sequences showing various shots of the Tokyo skyline from an entirely new perspective.  

For a first upload to AirVuz, new contributor yoichist brings us this excellent drone video from the Japanese.seashore  The video was filmed in the Tokushima Prefecture, which covers the eastern end of the island of Shikoku.  Shikoku is the smallest of the four main Japanese islands, both in terms of population and land area.  The video features some spectacular aerial footage of the Tokushima coastline, as well as of some of the islands og the Seto Inland Sea, which separates Shikoku from the larger neighboring island of Honshu.  

Contributor and pilot Drone et sac à dos created this beautiful drone video of a small island off the coast of Okinawa, Japan called Zamami Island.   Zamami is part of a small archipelago called the Kerama Islands, which lie southwest of Okinawa in southern Japan; it's one of four Keramas which are permanently inhabited.  The tiny island, which has three permanent settlements, is an up-and-coming beach destination; in 2016, its Furuzamami Beach was named the #4 beach in Japan in a TripAdvisor survey.  

In this video, AirVuz contributor nauj takes us over Japan's Mt. Asama, a volcanic complex on the central island of Honshu.  With a peak altitude of just over 8.4k ft. above sea level (just under 2.6k m), Asama is the most active volcano system on the island.  Situated near the confluence of two important geological arcs, Asama has erupted dozens of times since the beginning of the 20th century, and catastrophically in 1108 and 1783.  The video is a shorter version of a one hour music video.

Former Drone Video of the Year Category Winner Droneland returns to AirVuz after a three year hiatus with this excellent drone video from southern Japan.  The video was filmed in and around the city of Fukuoka, which is the sixth-largest city in the country and the largest on the island of Kyushu.  Fukuoka is a port city (the country's second-largest port) on the western side of the island, on the Sea of Japan.  The closest major city to the Asian mainland, Fukuoka has long been considered one of Japan's primary gateways.  

With its temperate climate, Japan offers some stunningly beautiful fall colors when the leaves turn.  Some of the most spectacular colors can be found in the mountainous areas north of Tokyo, in central Honshu.  Contributor Mtaka3939 put together this drone video of the brilliant Autumn colors near the town of Nikko.  It's part of the Tochigi Prefecture, a largely rural province which lies due north of Tokyo Bay which is a popular getaway destination for residents of the national capital.  

If you look at a map of the Japanese islands, you'll quickly see how the southern island of Okinawa can look so different from the four main island: it's really nowhere near them.  In fact, Okinawa is considerably closer to Taiwan than it is to anywhere else in the main part of Japan - the southernmost shore of the southernmost main island (Kyushu) is 640 km (400 mi.) to its north.  The distinctive beauty of this long, narrow, and rocky island is on full display in this phenomenal drone video by Tayloid.  

Check out this magnificent drone video of the Tokyo Skytree observation tower, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot onewheeldrone.  The broadcasting and observation tower is the tallest structure in all of Japan.  Completed in 2011, it stands 634 meters above the streets of the world's largest metropolis (just under 2.1k ft.),  It's located just east of the Sumida River, a bit northeast of the city core.  In addition to being the tallest structure in Japan, it's the second-tallest in the world: only Dubai's Burj Khalifa is taller.  

Contributor and pilot Reuben Langdon used a drone to create this great shot from the Japanese capital city of Tokyo.  The initial part of the shot is of the Zōjō-ji Temple, an important Buddhist temple which was closely associated with the Tikugawa Clan.  It features the oldest wooden building in the city.  The camera then pans up to reveal the very modern Tokyo skyline.  In the foreground is Tokyo Tower, a radio communications and observation tower which is the second-tallest structure in Japan. 

Enoshima is a tiny Japanese island which lies just off the island of Honshu, the largest island of the archipelago.  It is part of the city of Fijisawa, to which it is connected by bridge.  The area lies at the mouth of the Katase River on Sagami Bay, a bit southwest of Yokohama (which lies on the adjacent Tokyo Bay).  Enoshima has become a major beach destination, within easy reach of the tens of millions who live within a few hours' drive of the island.  See the tiny island from above in this drone video by Urban Obsession.

Japan's Cape Irago sits at the tip of the Atsumi Peninsula, which forms the southern side of Mikawa Bay in southern Honshu.  The tip of the peninsula also marks the eastern extent of the larger Ise Bay, at the head of which sits the great port of Nagoya.  The cape is known both for its beaches as well as its lighthouses, which in pre-radar times were critical to protecting some of Japan's busiest shipping routes.  You can check out this important spot from above in this excellent drone video by AirVuz contributor and pilot Nick Jaguar.

It this drone video, you will be treated to aerial views of three of Japan's most culturally significant cities, all of which lie on the island of Honshu.  The first is Osaka, which is the capital of its namesake prefecture and is the second-largest city in Japan.  Next is Kyoto; located northeast of Osaka, it was the seat of Imperial Japan from ninth century AD until the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1869.  The third city is Nara.  Located southeast of Osaka, it preceded Kyoto as the Imperial capital.  

Hakuba is a village in the Japanese Alps that lies just outside the host city of the 1998 Winter Olympics, Nagano.  It is situated roughly in the geographic center of the island of Honshu, the main island of the Japanese Archipelago.  Hakuba is popular in winter because of all the outdoor activities locals and tourists can participate in like down hill and cross country skiing. Enjoying those winter activities is pilot HAYDEN KAST. He’s brought his drone with him to take in the 120 mile long Japanese Alps. 

Check out this drone video of Japan's Lake Shikotsu, which sits in a caldera (volcano crater) on the northern island of Hokkaido.  It's located near the city of Chitose in the Ishikari Subprefecture, which covers part of southern Hokkaido.  Part of the Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, the lake covers a surface area of about 78 square km (around 30 square mi.); with a maximum depth of 363 meters (just under 1.2k ft.), it's Japan's second-deepest lake after Lake Tazawa.  The lake's caldera was formed 40-50,000 years ago.  

Check out this drone video of a well-known active volcano in Japan, compliments of contributor and pilot Mtaka3939.  It's called Mount Kusatsu-Shirane, and it's located in the Gumma Prefecture in the Kantō region of east-central  Honshu.  The summit of the stratovolcano consists of a complex system of cones and crater lakes.  It has a peak elevation of about 2.15k meters or a bit over 7.1k ft. above sea level.  In early 2018, a person was killed in an avalanche caused by a minor eruption of the mountain.  

AirVuz contributor Travel and Drones was able to create this drone video from traveling along the Trans-Kyushu Route, which (as the name suggests) crosses the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.  Most of the route follows Prefectural Route 11, which runs from Aso in the center of the island to the city of Beppu on its northeastern coast.  Highlights of the video include aerial shots of the active volcano of Aso, the volcanic hill of Komezuka, the Kuju Mountains, the hot springs known as the Hells of Beppu, and Takachiho Gorge.

Winter is a special time in Hokkaido, the northernmost of the four main islands of Japan.  With a population density of less than an eighth that of Honshu, its hilly-to-mountainous interior is full of lakes which become frozen playgrounds in the coldest months.  In this drone video, you will get some aerial glimpses of this winter wonderland.  Featured locations include the reservoir Asahidake Lake, Katsurazawa Lake, Akan Lake, and Toro Lake.   The video was shot with a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone.

Check out these wintertime drone views of a popular beach area in northern Japan, compliments of AirVuz contributor Return to Base.  Aso Beach lies on a long, narrow strip of land near the mouth of the Ishikari River in the western part of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island.  In the warmer months, it's a popular beach getaway from Sapporo, the principal city of Hokkaido (and Japan's fifth-largest), which lies about a half hour drive to the south.  The video was filmed in very cold weather - minus 12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees F).  

AirVuz contributor and drone pilot pedro castilla brings us this excellent aerial tour of the port of Kobe Japan.  One of Japan's 6-7 largest cities, Kobe is situated on the north side of Osaka Bay, near the southern end of the island of Honshu.  Considered part of the Greater Osaka area (Japan's second-largest urban connurbation, after Greater Tokyo), Kobe is Japan's fourth largest container seaport.  The land area of the city has been considerably augmented by reclamation using landfill dredged from the harbor.    

Former Drone Video of the Week Winner nauj brings us this fantastic drone video of a skiing scene in Japan.  It's at the foot of Mt. Iwaki, an inactive stratovolcano situated in the Aomori Prefecture in Tōhoku, the northernmost region of the island of Honshu.  Although its elevation is a modest 1.6k meters (about 5.3k ft.), it is geometrically similar to Mt. Fuji and for that reason is sometimes called Tsugaru Fuji.  Known for the quality of its snow powder, the mountain has two different ski resorts on its slopes.  

Check out this beautiful drone video from a crater lake in northern Japan, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot Return to Base.  Lake Shikotsu is located in the city of Chitose, on the southern side of the island of Hokkaido.  The lake covers a surface area of 78 square km (around 30 square mi.), making it the country's 8th-largest on that measure.  With a maximum depth of 363 meters (almost 1.2k ft.), it's Japan's second-deepest lake.  Despite its northerly location, the lake remains ice-free throughout the year. 

Check out this stunning drone view of Japan's Ago Bay, compliments of AirVuz contributor Nick Jaguar.  The bay is situated on the southern side of the Shima Peninsula in southern Honshu, just west of the mouth of Ise Bay.  The small bay is dotted with dozens of small islands, as well as numerous small inlets.  Located within a 2-2.5 hour drive of three of Japan's largest cities (Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya), the bay has become a popular seaside getaway destination.  It's part of the Mie Prefecture in the region of Kansai.  

This incredible, wintertime video of Japan by Rocannon is a must see. He’s featuring three key places: Hokkaido, Tokyo, and Kyoto. Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan and is known for its ski resorts in winter. Next stop is Tokyo on the island of Honshu, the massive metropolis and capital of Japan since 1869. Finally we’ll stop in Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, also on the island of Honshu. The video was created with footage from a combination of ground cameras and a DJI Mavic Pro drone.  

Set against an unbeatable backdrop of the rising pink sun and dozens of cherry trees blossoming in springtime Japan, this piece by AirVuz contributor SUSTOSFPV's is a masterpiece in the emerging genre of cinematic first person view (FPV) video content.  That's why it was picked as a Finalist at the second annual Drone Video Awards in the FPV Freestyle Flow category. Flying a custom quad, he power loops and rips through the blossoms and around the large pagoda in, where else, but beautiful Tokyo, Japan. 

Check out these excellent nighttime drone views of a small city on the Japanese island of Okinawa, compliments of AirVuz contributor eagle_eye.  The video was filmed in Chatan, which lies on the western (East China Sea) side of the island, about a half hour drive north of Naha, the capital of Japan's southernmost prefecture.  With its attractive waterfront and diverse shopping, Chatan has become a popular getaway destination for residents of Naha and other Okinawan cities.  As of 2023, Chatan has a permanent population of about 25k.    

Christian Tinman ventured to Japan with his DJI Mavic Pro drone to cover a stand up paddleboarding event in Enoshima, a small island in Sagami Bay.  Situated on Honshu, the area is home to some of closest beaches accessible from Tokyo, which lies a bit to the north.  As you will see from his video, it's a beautiful seaside community, perfect for a challenging SUP race, with sandy shores and many rocks lying offshore.  

AirVuz contributor and drone pilot Adventurer_Only takes us on an aerial tour of a beautiful spot in the hills of rural Japan.  The video was filmed near Minamitsuru district (Yamanashi prefecture) near Lake Kawaguchiko in the Minamitsuru District, which is part of the prefecture of Yamanashi.  It's on the southeastern side of the main Japanese island of Honshu, roughly halfway between the cities of Tokyo (to the northeast) and Shizuoka (to the southwest).  The video was filmed with a DJI Mavic 3 drone. 

Check out this excellent drone video of Japan's Hiroshima Castle, compliments of dannyb313.  The original castle was built in the late 16th century by the feudal warlord Mōri Terumoto.  On August 6, 1945, the castle was destroyed by the first of two American atomic bombs dropped on Japan, leading to its surrender and the end of World War II; the bomb detonated at an altitude of about 1.9k ft. (around 580 m) above the Shima Surgical Clinic, less than 1000 meters/yards south of the castle.  Hiroshima Castle was rebuilt in the 1950's.  

Take a 60 second aerial tour of the Japanese island of Okinawa in this excellent drone video by new AirVuz contributor Nick Jaguar.  Located well to the south of the country's four main islands, Okinawa is closer to Taipei (Taiwan) than it is to Tokyo.  Its rocky coastline and distinctive blue-green waters are a major draw for tourists both within Japan and from further afield.  Among other spots, the video features some excellent footage of the Kouri Bridge, which connects two of its satellite islands - YAgaji and Kouri.  

Take a nighttime aerial tour of Tokyo, Japan in this amazing dronelapse piece by Reuben Langdon.   In just 60 seconds, you will be taken over the core of this dynamic metropolis, by some measures the world's most populous city.  Ride along for some epic nughttime views of the core city along the Sumida River, as well as some of the city's extensive road infrastructure such as the Rainbow Bridge.  The bridge is a 1990's era suspension span between the city's Shibaura District and the artificial island of Odaiba.

Take an aerial tour of the Japanese island of Okinawa, compliments of AirVuz contributor Travel and Drones.  At the :32 mark, you'll see the stunning Cape Zanpa Lighthouse on a peninsula in the western part of the island, followed by the satellite island of Kouri and the bridge which connects it to the larger satellite of Yagaji.  Starting at 1:12, you'll see some fortifications from the bloody battle which took place here near the end of of World War II.  Other highlights include the Mid-Sea Road (1:30) and some stunning coastline shots.

Japan's sixth largest city, Kobe is a seaport town lying on the north side of Osaka Bay on the southern side of the island of Honshu.  Considered part of the greater Osaka area, Kobe is Japan's fourth largest seaport as measured by freight volume.  In this video, contributor Styfly Studio uses a DJI Mavic Pro drone to take us on an aerial tour of Kobe.  You'll get a bird's eye view of this important (and very old) seaport, whose harbor is dotted with artificial islands to increase the city's useable land area.

Check out this drone video from the Japanese island of Okinawa, compliments of contributor and pilot vdubravels.  Okinawa is a small island that lies almost 650 km (about 400 mi) south of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.  Due to its strategic location, Okinawa has been the primary base for US forces based in Japan.  What you'll see in this video though is the pure natural beauty of this gem of the Pacific Ocean, which covers an area of about 1.2k square km (about 400 square mi).  

The sakura, aka cherry blossoms, are world-famous in Japan. The island country sees a boost in tourism in March and April because of the blossoming reds, pinks, and whites of the trees. First-person view (FPV) pilot luvtheearth1984 shows us what those blossoms look like up close in this micro quad flight, in which he films the blossoms with an HD camera mounted atop a small racing drone. His proximity flying through the candy-colored trees creates a new perspective on this visually appealing scene.  

AirVuz contributor and first person view pilot Grid_FPV is a king when it comes to micro quads. His locations, technique, and editing style make him a pilot to remember and be inspired by, which is why he was nominated in the 2nd Annual Drone Video Awards for his micro work. His latest video takes us through the densely populated city of Tokyo where locals are getting outside for their yoga practice while the sun sets. The city skyline dominates the background while he weaves around the dozens of yogis participating in the class.