Kyoto, Japan
The Quiet Garden: An Artist’s Journey to Kyoto
Kyoto
Book Independently with your own group* Contact us to schedule your private departure
Dream and create with the local artists and community members on this Art Immersion journey to Kyoto. Japan's former capital is a global maker city, full of artistry and heritage. You will experience Kyoto’s traditional architecture, fashion, food, and lifestyle in workshops and tours led by local guides and teachers.
On this journey, we will study various art forms from traditional and modern, get to know the artists who practice them, and reflect on how art functions in communities culturally, socially, and economically.
Along the way, we’ll take group excursions to appreciate various communities in the region and take in the splendor of the surrounding landscape. All the while, we will build a community of fellow travelers who are developing skills as they see Kyoto together.
Program Dates:
May 25- June 3, 2025
$7,280
Take in the tranquility and artistry of Japan on this curated small group journey. Invest in your creativity with art and design workshops led by locals in Japan. Learn from artisans on this art tour, where you live and learn about art overseas. Comprehensively participate in traditional and modern Japanese art forms.
Trip Highlights
– Residence at a lovely historic building in Kyoto
– Insider tours of local artist studios, museums, workshops, and galleries
– Exposure to historical works of art and architecture
– Workshops and discussions with contemporary artists and designers
– Daytime excursion to local cities.
– Shopping in fashionable districts and local markets
– Hands-on workshops with local artisans in various traditional crafts
– Visit other local maker villages and sanctuaries
– Guided tours of Kyoto culture and architecture
– Studio, maker space, and exhibition opportunities in the city center
– Mindfulness experiences to recharge your creative spirit
– Culinary experiences with local chefs
– Specially curated presentations and experiences by trip leaders and locals
– One-on-one critiques, presentations, and lectures to inspire you on your creative journey
What's Included?
Our Team: Our team is there for you through the entire experience, including travel guides and an interpreter
Food and Drinks: Most meals served at the hotel and vetted local eateries, including arrival and final celebration dinners; on travel days, you may dine independently
Accommodations: residence at a traditional property in Kyoto
Ground Transportation: private airport transfers
Activities: guided experiences, events and workshops; day trips to local villages
Creative Presentations: lectures, critiques and workshops by trip leaders and local instructors, fees and supplies included
Peace of Mind: international health insurance is provided for all of our participants
Note: Flight not included in price.
This trip is limited to ten people*
Our Japanese Community
We work with locals to design and lead our trips to Japan. Immerse in the traditions of Japan in a welcoming environment of art, craft, and culture.
The instruction shows the way and the method. The vision is the work of one who has wished to see. (Japanese proverb)
Artistic Focus
Study contemporary and traditional methods of drawing, painting, writing and other art forms in Kyoto. Make art each day, guided by intellectual and skill-building principles. You may take a class, or work independently on your own projects.
Lessons include:
– Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arranging)
– Macha Making
– Kabuki Theatre
– Pottery
– Kimono
– Matcha Tea Ceremony Class
– Yuzen dyeing
– Woodblock Printing
– Roketsu Dyeing Workshop
– Calligraphy
– Incense Listening
– Japanese Garden Design
The focus of the trip is being in the moment and enjoying your time while learning and connecting to the world. Return home with a body of work produced, and broadened cultural perspective.
Itinerary
Day 1
– Arrivals in Osaka and transport to Kyoto residence
– Welcome reception and celebration dinner
– Included meals: dinner
Day 2
– A day of exploration into the traditions of your new home for two weeks
– Explore the city of Kyoto on a private walking tour led by a local expert
– Meet with your creative group to discuss goals for your immersion experience
– Included meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3, 4 & 5
– Communal breakfast, lunch, and dinner, exchanging ideas and excitement with other guests
– Workshops in artisan craft, art, and culture with time to work, or use the time for relaxation
– Meet for an aperitif followed by dinner
– Included meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6
– Travel to local towns for guided tours of local artist studios and an insider's perspective on the city and its surroundings
– Shopping excursions and museum visits
– Included meals: breakfast
Day 7– Spend the day relaxing and reflecting
– Included meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8
– Workshops, art-making and living well
– Spend the day relaxing, reflecting, and attending workshops
– Included meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 9
– Departures at leisure or take group transport back to Osaka airport in the morning.
– Included meals: breakfast
Note: This schedule including dates, is subject to change due to local weather, force majeure, or new opportunities that better suit the group's needs.
Quotes
“The present is outside of time.”
― H. E. Davey
"I think I will be able to, in the end, rise above the clouds and climb the stairs to Heaven, and I will look down on my beautiful life."
-Yayoi Kusama
"Forget yourself. Become one with eternity. Become part of your environment."
-Yayoi Kusama
"Beautiful and minimalist, the traditional Japanese art of ikebana - arranging bouquets of cut flowers and leaves using very few elements - ideally corresponded to a form of expression I could transpose in a perfume. The smell of a rose early in the morning, damp, sprinkled with dew, delicate and light."
-Jean-Claude Ellena
Trip Details and Pricing
PRICE: Starting at USD 6,280
Airfare to Osaka, Japan is not included
*Rooms are shared. Private rooms are available.
Suggested Reading:
TRAVEL WRITING CLASSIC
The Inland Sea,
Donald Richie
HISTORY
The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan,
Ivan Morris
Sophie Walker
FICTION
The Sound of Waves,
Yukio Mishima
NON FICTION
Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers,
Leonard Koren
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
Héctor García
“Japan is the most intoxicating place for me. The Japanese culture fascinates me: the food, the dress, the manners and the traditions. It’s the travel experience that has moved me the most.”
― Roman Coppola