SOLD OUT!
retreat|recreate is delighted to present this small group, women’s-only, indigo focussed exploration of Japan from Saturday 23 September to Sunday 8 October 2023.
Get your hands blue in five private indigo workshops including both fresh leaf dyeing and sukumo based (the Japanese ‘compost method’) dyeing, and explore resist dyeing techniques including katazome (rice paste), kasuri (Japanese ikat) and shibori.
Engage with a range of indigo farmers and specialist artistans, be inspired by incredible design and craftsmanship, visit specialist indigo museums, galleries and studios, enjoy artisan talks, and shop for amazing textiles and handcrafts. Enjoy a flea market, a tea ceremony, a washi paper making workshop, temples and shrines and some of the cultural sites of Tokyo, Kyoto, Tokushima and Kurume, and experience traditional Japanese culture and hospitality, all in the company of a small group of likeminded textile and indigo enthusiasts.
Our group will comprise a maximum of 12 women plus our wonderful local Japanese English-speaking guide.
Keen to find out more for next time? Email us here and we’ll forward you the information pack when the next tour opens.
The carefully researched and curated inaugural Japan Blue tour was absolutely the experience of a lifetime! Thorough ground work plus the gracious leadership and enthusiasm of retreat|recreate host and the local guide enabled our small group of passionate textile and indigo enthusiasts to gain a deep understanding of aizome (Japanese indigo dyeing). From fields, through fermentation, to dyeing and buying, we were able to meet extraordinary artisans, dye cloth in centuries-old vats and workshops and gain a deep appreciation for Japan’s indigo culture. Each of our group returned home with gorgeous indigo textiles whether flea market finds, remnants or small bundles of deep blue heaven. Deepest thanks to retreat|recreate for making this first indigo tour a vibrant reality. Louise – Japan Blue 2019
What incredible, thoughtful, well-rounded adventures the two Susans lovingly offer time and time again! It’s a lovely way to travel – the perfect number of like-minded textile lovers and just the right mix of local delights, cultural immersion and discovery. Thank you! Roz – Japan Blue 2019
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