Japan Handcrafts Tour
15 – 29 October 2023 TBC
retreat|recreate is delighted to present this two week women’s-only textile & handcrafts tour of Japan. We invite you to come with us and explore this fascinating country through the lens of its textile and handcraft traditions.
A priority of our handcraft and textile tours is engagement with artisans directly, whether that’s a hands-on class with an expert, or a formal seminar or lecture on textile traditions, or simply visiting artisans in their studios and having the chance to chat informally and look around their workspace.
This very exciting small group itinerary features five private handcraft classes (weaving, bamboo tea whisk carving, pottery, kintsugi and botanical dyeing). We will also enjoy several studio and workshop visits where we’ll meet weavers, antique textile specialists, and indigo dyers. We’ll take in specialist handcraft museums, a flea market, temples & shrines and the cultural sites of Tokyo, Kanazawa and Kyoto.
Come with us! Engage with local artists, be inspired by incredible design and craftsmanship, shop for amazing textiles and handcrafts and experience traditional Japanese culture and hospitality, all in the company of a small group of likeminded textile enthusiasts.
15 – 29 October 2023 dates to be confirmed
2023 price to be confirmed
Inclusions:
• 14 nights/15 days accommodation in 3.5 star hotels and 2 nights in a ryokan (Japanese inn)
• Arrival airport-hotel transfers
• Daily breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
• Transport: subway trains, bullet trains, private air conditioned coach, taxis
• Five hands-on handcraft workshops (bamboo chasen [tea whisk] carving; pottery; kintsugi; weaving; and botanical dyeing)
• Entrance to all museums, galleries, studios and excursion venues
• Services of a local English-speaking experienced & accredited guide, and a retreat|recreate host
Exclusions:
• International airfares
• Departure hotel-airport transfers (we can assist with these)
• Travel insurance (required)
• Early check in/late check out
• Personal spending (souvenirs, shopping, laundry, phone, etc)
• Meals and drinks not included in the itinerary
I feel so lucky and privileged to be part of this special, well-defined and carefully planned women-only tour. Many many thanks to our fearless and tireless leader Susan for putting a lot of thought and expert planning into this well-defined tour with top artisan destination together. Two weeks flew by so fast! A perfect 10+ score. I definitely and highly recommend this tour to everyone. Don’t be surprised to see me taking it again in a couple of years. Thu – Japan Handcrafts Tour 2022
I can’t recommend this tour more highly. The hands on workshops and studio visits with artists and masters of their crafts were an absolute highlight. The extensive research and planning meant we visited people and places I would never have found on my own. Accommodation was always a well located and comfortable, transport worked well (including fast trains, local subways and buses), food was great and I really enjoyed travelling with like minded women. We managed to see some famous sights, on top of a deep dive into Japanese handcrafts, fabrics and traditions. Our tour leader and local guide were fabulous, flexible, very very knowledgeable and capable. It was so much fun and I would do it all again! Virginia – Japan Handcrafts Tour 2022
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