Japan·19 - 26 May 2025

Art & Artisan Japan

"Utsukushisa O Kanjiru" - Feel the Beauty

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Overview

Imagine wandering through Kyoto's ethereal beauty, where ancient temples stand as silent guardians of time. Lose yourself in the tranquility of Zen gardens, their every stone a whispered secret. Experience the grace of a traditional tea ceremony, a moment of pure serenity where time stands still. But Japan is more than just tradition. It's a place where the future meets the past in breathtaking harmony. Discover the art islands, a surreal landscape where creativity knows no bounds. On Naoshima, immerse yourself in a world of contemporary masterpieces, from mind-bending architecture to iconic installations like Yayoi Kusama's polka-dotted pumpkin – a playful explosion of color and imagination. Savor the extraordinary flavors of Japan's cuisine, a culinary journey to delight your senses. Are you ready to explore the beauty and wonder of Japan with us?

Highlights

Stay in a modern onsen inn overlooking the Seto Sea

Stay in a modern onsen inn overlooking the Seto Sea

Explore the creative art house project

Explore the creative art house project

Gaze at the iconic Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion

Gaze at the iconic Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion

Participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony

Participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony

Visit Naoshima Island, dubbed the “Art Island”

Visit Naoshima Island, dubbed the “Art Island”

Learn about the geisha's life in Kyoto

Learn about the geisha's life in Kyoto

Dine on some of the world's most elegant food

Dine on some of the world's most elegant food

Picture yourself next to Yayoi Kusama’s famous giant pumpkin

Picture yourself next to Yayoi Kusama’s famous giant pumpkin

View some of the world's most inspiring modern art

View some of the world's most inspiring modern art

Visit the Bikan historical quarter in Kurashiki

Visit the Bikan historical quarter in Kurashiki

Itinerary

Here's a day-by-day itinerary for the trip.

Previous

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Tokyo

Day 1: Monday, May 19th, 2025

Welcome to Japan, the land of the rising sun! Arrive in Tokyo at either airport, pass through immigration, collect your luggage, and clear customs. *If you have booked an arrival transfer through us, our assistant will meet you outside the secure area to take you to the hotel by private van transfer. Transfers can also be arranged with the advice of our concierge.

Check into the hotel and relax. Your host will be at the Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel, waiting for you to arrive. We will have a welcome dinner in the evening in Zen House, the hotel’s restaurant. Use this opportunity to meet each other and discuss the upcoming week's adventures.

Note: If you need more time to adjust to the time zone change, we suggest you arrive a day earlier. Our concierge can help you book the same hotel room. 

Included

Dinner

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Kyoto

Day 2: Tuesday, May 20th, 2025

After breakfast, we'll take a taxi to Tokyo Station to board the Shinkansen First-Class to Kyoto. This is about a 2-hour journey. We'll grab a bento box at the station before we board. The bento box will serve as lunch.

We'll take a taxi to the stylish Granbell Hotel, complete with Onsen Bath and a welcoming restaurant and bar. It's also in the heart of the city.

This afternoon, we'll go for a guided walk around the Gion area. Gion is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. It is filled with shops, restaurants, and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain. 

You'll find a paradise for collectors right next to Gion. There are several quiet roads full of traditional Japanese arts and crafts boutiques. The streets of Shinmonzen, Furumonzen, and Shinbashi have remained loyal to the purest Japanese traditions, with a succession of little wooden houses without so much as an electrical wire on show! We'll wander Shinbashi-Dori, Kyoto’s most famous antique street. It runs straight to the Tatsumi Bridge.

We'll enjoy a special tempura dinner in the Gion district in one of Kyoto’s fabulous restaurants.

Included

All Meals

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Kyoto

Day 3: Wednesday, May 21st, 2025

This morning, we visit the fabulous Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, perhaps Kyoto’s most iconic site, originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun. After his death, at his request, it became a Buddhist temple. It is now one of Kyoto’s most famous temples. 

From here, we'll visit the world's most famous Zen Garden, the sublime Ryoan-ji temple, which dates back to the 15th century. Here, we’ll have time to sit and contemplate after our guide explains the significance of dry zen gardens and what metaphors the elements represent.

After lunch on Shabu Shabu, we'll head to an old machine house in the Gion district. The Japanese government protects this treasure as a registered cultural property. The Japanese tea ceremony, Chadō or “The Way of Tea”, is a tradition steeped in history. Beyond just serving and receiving tea, one of the primary purposes of the tea ceremony is for the guests to enjoy the host’s hospitality in an atmosphere away from the fast pace of everyday life. The tea master demonstrates the process during the tea ceremony while explaining its significance, steps, and tools. You'll learn about tea ceremony history and etiquette. The tea master will guide you on how to make matcha green tea during the ceremony. Choose from a selection of beautiful kimonos to wear during the ceremony.

After this lovely ceremony, we return to our hotel. Your evening is free.

Included

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Not Included

Dinner

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Kyoto

Day 4: Thursday, May 22nd, 2025

This morning, we travel to the scenic Saga Arashiyama area to stroll through the Bamboo Grove, one of Kyoto’s top sights. Standing amid these soaring stalks is like being in another world.

We then visit Okochi-Sanso Villa, the former estate of actor Okochi Denjiro. The villa and its surrounding gardens exemplify traditional Japanese residential architecture. The teahouse is a wabi-sabi gem. The gardens offer stunning city views and a Shinto shrine. Next, we visit the Zen Tenryuji Temple, head of Zen Buddhism's Tenryū-ji branch. It features one of Kyoto's finest gardens and mountain views. Ranked among Kyoto's great Zen temples, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we tour the temple and gardens before enjoying a shojin-ryori (Zen vegetarian cuisine) lunch on the grounds.

Afterward, we wander up Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple, founded in the 9th century by monk Kobo Daishi. The temple grounds are covered with hundreds of stone statues, and a short path leads through a bamboo forest. We return to the hotel to rest and refresh before our evening.

We can meet in the hotel bar for a cocktail (own account) and then transfer to our Maiko evening. We will have dinner with a Maiko, an apprentice Geiko. Our kaiseki ryori (traditional multi-course dinner) includes opportunities to interact with the Maiko, ask about her craft, watch traditional dances, and play Japanese drinking games. After this unforgettable experience, we return to the hotel to wind down.

Included

All Meals

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Okayama

Day 5: Friday, May 23rd, 2025

After breakfast, we transfer to the Kyoto Train Station for our Shinkansen to Okayama, where a private van takes us to Kurashiki (a 20-minute drive).

Kurashiki is famed for the centuries-old buildings and shops in the Bikan historical quarter. Edo and Meiji period houses, shops, and warehouses line the Kurashiki River, crossed by stone bridges. Small boats ferry passengers, creating a Venice-like landscape. This bustling area is filled with shops, cafes, restaurants, and local life.

In Kurashiki's Kojima area, the birthplace of Japanese denim, small workshops use traditional techniques, making it a must-see for denim enthusiasts. You'll find unique jeans, jackets, and accessories on Kojima Jeans Street.

We stop for lunch at a café known for its amazing parfaits.

Next, we visit the Kurashiki Folkcraft Museum, Japan's second folk craft museum, housed in a late Edo period granary, showcasing 15,000 beautiful, durable folk crafts from across the globe.

We'll transfer to the beautiful hotel overlooking the Seto Sea. Dinner is in-house, savoring French Japanese fusion cuisine. The outdoor onsen is open until 9:30, perfect for a relaxing soak after dinner.

We'll have a good night’s sleep and prepare for our Naoshima adventure.

Included

All Meals

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Naoshima Island

Day 6: Saturday, May 24th, 2025

Today, we travel by ferry to Naoshima Island, famed for its blend of contemporary art, stunning architecture, and serene coastal landscapes.

We'll visit the Chichu Art Museum, designed by Tadao Ando, and the Chichu Garden, a homage to Claude Monet’s Giverny. At Benesse House Museum, we'll admire works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yayoi Kusama, and David Hockney. We'll also visit the Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery, ‘The Corridors of Time,’ and the Lee Ufan Museum, a tranquil space combining nature, architecture, and art.

Lunch is at the Issen restaurant in Benesse House, known for its artfully crafted meals.

This afternoon, we'll explore the Art House Project in Honmura district, where artists transform empty houses into works of art, weaving in history and memories. This evolving project fosters positive interaction between urban and rural, young and old, residents and visitors.

We'll also see Yayoi Kusama’s famous giant pumpkin and the SANAA-designed Marine Station at Miyanoura Port.

We'll return to My Lodge with its minimalist sea-view rooms. After a fabulous day, we'll dine in and prepare for tomorrow's explorations.

Included

All Meals

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Teshima Island

Day 7: Sunday, May 25th, 2025

This morning, we board the ferry to Teshima Island.

Teshima is next to Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea. What once was a rural island suffering from depopulation has been revitalized by the Setouchi Triennale Art Festival and several museums built on Teshima. It offers stunning coastal views, rolling hills, and vibrant flora.

A private van will pick us up to explore the tiny island and its most delightful sites, including Yokoo House and Les Archives du Couer. It is one of a few locations worldwide where visitors can make recordings of their heartbeats and listen to the recorded heartbeats of others.

We'll have lunch at Shima Kitchen, a local restaurant where the employees are residents. Shima was reconstructed from a vacant house by architect Ryo Abe during the Setouchi International Art Festival 2010.

One of the main highlights of Teshima is the Teshima Art Museum, a remarkable architectural and artistic creation nestled on a hillside. Designed by Ryue Nishizawa and Rei Naito, the museum combines the natural environment with innovative design. Amongst terraced rice fields, the simple concrete structure stimulates visitors' senses with the play of water drops on a concrete surface.

We return to Naoshima by ferry and then to our hotel. This evening, we dine together locally on homemade Udon noodles.

Included

All Meals

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Departure or Arima Extension

Day 8: Monday, May 26th, 2025

The tour ends after breakfast for those who are going home. We'll ferry to the Uno Port (even the ferry has Yayoi's iconic red polka dots) and transfer to Okayama Station for onward journeys*. Or come with us for the Arima Onsen two-night extension of relaxing bliss in the Kobe region of Japan.

*Note: We have not included the train ride because some people may prefer to travel to explore other parts of Japan from here. The concierge will help you purchase any train tickets you may need.

Included

Breakfast

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Arima

Day 1 Optional Extension: Monday, May 26th, 2025

After a lazy breakfast and check out, we'll transfer to Arima Onsen, Kobe. The transfer will take approximately 2.5 hours. Arima Onsen is a serene hideaway and local favorite in the heart of Kobe near Osaka. Arima is one of Japan's top three ancient hot spring resorts. Documents stretching back to the 8th century mention Arima Onsen. The city center remains home to small, weaving roads and traditional wooden buildings, giving the area a quintessentially Japanese atmosphere. The waters of Arima come in two flavors: the gold spring (金泉 Kinsen) is yellow-brown thanks to iron and salt. The silver spring (銀泉 Ginseng) is colorless but mildly radioactive. *There are three public baths (admission is between 500-700 yen) and several private ones.

After traveling to Kobe, we’ll check in at the charming traditional Onsen Inn, Tosen Goshobo. Founded in the 12th century and beloved by Junichiro Tanizaki and other Japanese novelists, Tosen Goshobo is the oldest of the hot-spring inns at Arima. The inn's traditions and history take you back to a genteel time. Note: The Japanese rooms have traditional futon beds.

*A ryokan, or a Japanese inn, is a traditional Japanese-style inn. It is more than just a hotel and a place to sleep. Ryokans are a way to experience pure Japanese tradition, lifestyle, and hospitality. Many of the ryokan have been family-owned for generations. Each one values the importance of Japanese tradition and takes pride in sharing these traditions with their guests. The traditional ryokan rooms are beautifully simple and elegant. The floors are covered with tatami mats and furnished with a low table and floor cushions for seating.

Once we check in, it is time to relax.  Get changed into your Yukata, book your private bath session, relax in your gorgeous room, and prepare for dinner. During the two days in Arima, you’ll relax, soak up the minerals, and walk away healthy and refreshed.

Dinner this evening is in-house. The evening meal is a multi-course meal, including appetizers, sashimi, grilled dishes, fried dishes, meat dishes, and desserts. The menu changes with the season to make the most of available fresh ingredients.

Included

Breakfast

Dinner

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Arima

Day 2 Optional Extension: Tuesday, May 27th, 2025

After a leisurely breakfast, we'll walk through the small city center past sake and beer stores, gift shops, and a local soda cracker tansan senbei shop. It's a great area to buy souvenirs to take home.

Along the way, we will pass by several public hot spring bathhouses. What sets Arima Onsen apart from other hot springs is its fascinating golden springs, known as Kinsen (金泉), or gold spring. These springs are formed as the water rises from bedrock, carrying salt and iron. As it oxidizes, it takes on a distinctive golden hue. 

Hot springs are a great way to soak and relax your body, especially after a long day of travel. The hot springs in Arima Onsen are particularly beneficial for your skin and overall health. The iron deposits in the kinsen are said to help with skin problems and muscle pain, while the ginsen is said to cure various muscle and joint ailments. If you’re feeling a little sore, these are the onsens for you.

Relax this afternoon. Tonight we enjoy our final meal together in Japan. Yes. It will be special!

Included

Breakfast

Dinner

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Arima

Day 3 Optional Extension: Wednesday, May 28th, 2025

Today is our final day in Japan, but it will probably not be the last time you visit. Once you've experienced this unique country, with its rich history, culture, and traditions, you'll thirst for more. 

For this visit, we'll bid each other farewell, but Japan and new friends and memories will stay with us forever!

Note: The departure transfer is not included. Some may want to take a train to Osaka and spend a night or two there before flying home. 

Included

Breakfast

You'll Be Staying Here

Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel

Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel

Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel is in the heart of the city, overlooking Tokyo Tower and the Hamarikyu Gardens .

Granbell Hotel

Granbell Hotel

The Granbell invites you to relax in the onsen bath or sip a cocktail in the lovely lounge. Step outside and you're in the heart of Gion, the famed Geisha district in Kyoto. 

Korinko

Korinko

The Uno Onsen Hotel boasts views of the Seto Sea and outdoor and indoor onsen baths and saunas. Original artwork is for sale in each of the rooms. 

My Lodge Naoshima

My Lodge Naoshima

My Lodge in Naoshima is billed as a simple seaside stay. This boutique hotel uses a MUJI house design concept. High windows and open spaces connect the outside natural environment with the inside world.

Hosts

Jemma Wilson

Jemma Wilson

Jemma, an alumna of the Sydney College of Fine Arts, has embraced a life of perpetual travel since graduation. She has called Mexico, France, England, and New Zealand home, each destination enriching her deep appreciation for photography, art, food, textiles, and architecture. For Jemma, travel is a fundamental part of her identity; she thrives on waking up in new hotels, savoring food markets, and exploring the hidden corners of bustling cities.


Her passion lies in curating unique journeys for women, offering safe and enriching travel experiences that foster connections with diverse cultures and communities. She champions experiential travel and cultural exploration, firmly believing in being a traveler rather than a tourist.

Price

Private Room

Private Room

Everyone gets their own private room!

FROM$8,725

Optional Trip Extensions

3 Day / 2 Night Trip Extension – Royal Onsen town of Arima (in Kobe)

3 Day / 2 Night Trip Extension – Royal Onsen town of Arima (in Kobe)

Take a deep dive into an ancient cultural tradition, the Japanese Onsen baths - it's the perfect ending to a fabulous trip!

FROM$2,775.00/pp

There is no place like Japan

Japan: A Gorgeous Sensual Experience

Alain Ducasse, the many Michelin-starred French chef said it best. "It is impossible to remain indifferent to Japanese culture. It is a different civilization where all you have learned must be forgotten. It is a great intellectual challenge and a gorgeous sensual experience.

Japan: A Gorgeous Sensual Experience

What's Included

What's Included

Everything is included that is stated above

All guides, masters and experts as well as all classes

Entry tickets into all temples and gardens

All meals mentioned in the daily itinerary

Two glasses of wine, beer or sake with dinner

International airfare

All transfers to and from the airport

Alcoholic beverages beyond what is mentioned

Spa treatments beyond what is mentioned

Trip and Medical Insurance (required)

Train ride back to Osaka or Tokyo at the end of the trip

Souvenirs

FAQs

Fly into Tokyo's Narita or Haneda airports. Haneda is closer to the city center and hence a more affordable and faster taxi or train ride into town.

If you're traveling across an ocean to get to Tokyo, consider arriving a day early so you have time to relax and adjust to the local time zone. If not, arrive before 4 pm on Day 1. 

We will have a zoom call about 6 weeks before the trip starts to discuss all that information and give you a packing list. Here is a great website that we love that will help you with packing and travel trips. 

The mornings might start on the cooler side, but the temperatures will rise during the day. Expect mid 60's, ideal touring and walking weather. Bring a light raincoat just in case. 

On all of our trips expect to walk a great deal during the day anywhere from 2-5 miles depending. Kyoto is quite flat but our hotel in Naoshima Island is on a small hill, so if you can't walk up a short incline for about 10 minutes, you may find it difficult. However, this is not an extremely active trip so a medium fitness level will suffice. 

Inquire about this trip

Art & Artisan Japan

Japan· 19 - 26 May 2025· 7 nights

FROM$8,725/pp