Loading...
AN ARTISTIC JOURNEY THROUGH ANCIENT AND MODERN JAPAN
JAPAN
WHEN TO GO
SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER
IDEAL LENGTH
14 NIGHTS
FLIGHT FROM LONDON
15 HRS
AN ARTISTIC JOURNEY THROUGH ANCIENT AND MODERN JAPAN
Follow in the footsteps of the earliest European visitors to Japan, the Dutch traders who travelled from Nagasaki to pay tribute to the Shogun in Edo, modern Tokyo, accompanied by renowned artists and curators. How did traditional Japanese aesthetics, as expressed through the decorative arts influence Western art?
Enjoy privileged access to temples, museums and artisan studios, observing how ancient design concepts are apparent in contemporary Japanese art and architecture. Explore diverse landscapes over land and sea, from historic craft villages and wild forests to dynamic cities, staying at traditional ryokans, timeless spaces to reflect on this exploration of the ancient and modern.
THE JOURNEY
Price from £18,390 per person, for 14 nights, based on a party of two guests sharing.
INCLUSIONS
14 nights’ accommodation, including stays in traditional ryokans
Excursions, museums and art galleries throughout Tokyo, the Benesse Art Islands, Kyoto, Toyota, Kiso Valley, Takayama and Kanazawa. Highlights include: Mori Art Museum, 21_21 Design Sight, MIHO Museum, Nijo Castle, Kyoto's Buddhist temples. Toyota’s Museum of Art, Takayama Jinya and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa.
An expert, English-speaking guide throughout the journey
Private car and driver, and train tickets as required
EXCLUSIONS
Flights to/from Japan
Meals and drinks
ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Visit Shoji Hamada's studio in Mashiko and the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan with a ceramics expert, or enjoy a private visit to the Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto. Private workshops and after hours access to key sites, with local experts and curators, can be arranged upon request.
Celebrating a special occasion? Enjoy a memorable kaiseki dinner or a stay at Nagoya TV Tower.
Speak to a Travel Designer about exclusive experiences that can be added to your journey.
HISTORIC ENCOUNTERS AND WILD BEAUTY
Once Japan’s sole ‘window to the outside world', Dejima was an artificial island in Nagasaki Bay where the first encounters with Western traders took place, and private tours of Nagasaki’s museums offer insights into the early relationship between European and Japanese cultures. Explore the aesthetic concepts embodied in traditional ceramics in the renowned town of Arita, with rare opportunities to meet with local artists.
A VOYAGE THROUGH ART AND NATURE
Continue to Honshu and encounter the powerful atmosphere of Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial. Explore the treasures of the Benesse Art Islands, guided by distinguished curators on intimate visits to key cultural sites including Naoshima’s Art House Project. How do these immersive artistic spaces reflect the traditional principles of Japanese aesthetics?
KYOTO'S RENAISSANCE
Encounter the artistry and traditions of Kyoto’s finest temples accompanied by renowned experts, unlocking access to artists’ studios and galleries. Examine contemporary Japanese design on private tours of the innovative Miho Museum and Toyota’s Museum of Art. Do these hyper-modernist structures successfully combine ancient Japanese concepts of beauty with Western forms? How do their collections express the Japanese view of International art?
RUSTIC TRANQUILLITY MEETS URBAN DYNAMISM
Next, explore rural Japan in the Kiso Valley, soaking in age-old customs at elegant ryokans. In Kanazawa, learn how cutting-edge art movements and craft traditions have interplayed over the centuries followed by curator-led visits which open doors to extraordinary collections and galleries in Tokyo. In the small rural pottery town of Maishiko, the Museum of Ceramic Art is home to the kiln of Shoji Hamada, one of its founding fathers and most influential potters.
FURTHER YOUR CURIOSITY
HANDMADE IN KANAZAWA
Ben Richards, a travel storyteller and photographer based in Japan, shares his photo diary from Kanazawa.
START PERSONALISING YOUR EXPERIENCE
We believe in the power of travel to nurture personal growth. Our goal is to explore and build upon the interests of our guests, while igniting newfound passions along the way.
From discovering the life of a classical composer with an acclaimed concert pianist, to unearthing treasures in Cairo with an archaeologist, our travel designers will create a personalised one-off journey, shaped by you.