27 May – 10 June 2026 – SOLD OUT
14 – 28 OCTOBER 2026 – SOLD OUT
Send us a message if you’d like to be added to the waiting list for either of the above dates.
retreat | recreate offers immersive, socially responsible, women’s textile & handcrafts tours of Japan. We warmly invite you to come with us and explore this fascinating country through the lens of its textile and handcraft traditions on one of our two week, small group (max. 12) tours. By 2026 we will have run sixteen hugely successful textile tours in Japan over nine years and with each trip our relationships with local artisans and love for this extraordinary country deepens.
A priority of our handcraft and textile tours is engagement with artisans directly, whether that’s a hands-on class with an expert, a formal seminar or lecture on textile traditions, a private tour of a textile collection, or simply visiting artisans in their studios and having the chance to chat informally and look around their workspace.
Our exciting itineraries feature multiple private textile or handcraft-based workshops and classes in various media including bamboo ware, kumihimo braid making, ikat weaving, silk reeling, kintsugi, silk weaving, botanical dyeing, shibori and sashiko. We also enjoy studio and workshop visits where we meet weavers, antique textile specialists, and indigo dyers. We take in specialist handcraft museums, temples & shrines and the cultural sites of Tokyo, Arimatsu and Kyoto, and include cultural activities including a traditional tea ceremony and the opportunity to enjoy an onsen (hot spring).
Join 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.
Keen to register an Expression of Interest for 2027 or go on the waitlist for the 2026 tours? Click here to let us know
I’m so grateful I went to Japan to do the tour; it was a remarkable experience. Everything was organized beautifully. The variety of workshops and cultural visits was excellent and gave me a rich understanding of a culture I know very little about. We met excellent artisans who taught traditional crafts that were fascinating and it was fun to have so many hands-on opportunities to be creative. My appreciation for the skill needed in order to get these creations into form has magnified dramatically … I won’t take things quite so much for granted, and have a deeper respect for the creators. Susan is a superb tour leader and so thoughtful in her choices of people to work with. Akiko, our Japanese tour guide, is such a beautiful soul. Her command of English is amazing; she’s helpful, efficient and cheerful – we couldn’t have done better! Heartfelt thanks to Susan and Akiko!!! Mina G – Japan Textiles & Handcrafts Oct 2025
I did a similar tour with retreat|recreate 3 years ago and found this one exceeded my expectations. The itinerary was refined and updated with new workshops and studio visits providing a deeper insight into the skills and traditions of Japanese textiles. The hands on workshops were an absolute highlight and will keep me inspired for a long time. Travelling with such kind, well informed and expert guides alongside like minded women was fabulous and I would do it all again. Highly recommend. Virginia S – Japan Textiles & Handcrafts Oct 2025
Seeing Japan through the lens of crafts and textiles is a truly unique viewpoint from which to learn about the country’s history and culture. Meeting with artisans who have been creating culturally and historically significant (and beautiful!) products and having hands-on experiences producting those crafts and textiles is travel at its best. We had multiple experiences with various artisans whose families have been working in these traditional crafts for generations. All of this was combined with enough time to see the “must do” spots in Tokyo and Kyoto and also see parts of the surrounding areas that few venture to. There were so many highlights that choosing one over another is virtually impossible! The only downside to the trip is that it ended. Susan K – Japan Textiles & Handcrafts Oct 2025
retreat|recreate’s Textile tour in Japan October 2025 was THE most amazing tour, with simply wonderful tour leaders/guides and opportunities to watch and learn from some of Japan’s most gifted craftspeople. Very well planned and balanced itinerary; very helpful information and organisation pre-tour and throughout the 15 days; opportunities to try and grow new skills like dyeing, weaving and stitching; fantastic workshops with very gifted and generous craftspeople; plenty of inclusions including some very special meals; sightseeing of some significant sites; well located and comfortable hotels; good amount of free time and opportunities to shop if desired; good value for money. Not like any other travel experience I have had before: indeed, the trip of a lifetime! Jane I – Japan Textiles & Handcrafts Oct 2025
This was my first tour with retreat|recreate. I found the organisation of the trip to be thorough. The hotels were of a high standard and close to transport. Our guide was really great. She was knowledgeable, funny and extremely organised. She handled the personalities of the group very well. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend retreat|recreate to my friends. Karen C. – Japan Textiles & Handcrafts Nov/Dec 2024
retreat|recreate tours are extraordinary and I highly recommend joining a tour to travel with a small group of like-minded women. We experienced wonderful workshops with artisans and craftsman who were so generous with their knowledge and skills. We left each workshop with a finished piece made by our own hands. It was a privilege to visit artisans studios and homes and learn about their specific handcraft practice that their family have practised over many generations. Our guide, Akiko, was incredible. She seamlessly catered to the individual and group needs, organised delightful group dining, guided us through new cultural experiences and was our translator. The small group size was perfect making it easy to travel using all types of public transport or small private coaches. I’m already looking forward to joining a future retreat|recreate group! Deb S. – Japan Textiles & Handcrafts Nov/Dec 2024 (and Top End 2022 and Japan Blue 2023)
retreat|recreate gave me, on my first trip to Japan, a wonderful introduction to its culture, crafts and Master practitioners. The trip went like clockwork, thanks to the expertise and insight of our delightful guide, Akiko. Travelling with such a like-minded group of women gave the tour an added dimension as we shared our particular creative interests and skills. I would not hesitate in recommending retreat|recreate to anyone looking for a travel experience you will never forget. Kate – Japan Textiles & Handcrafts Nov/Dec 2024
A very memorable tour which combined meeting extraordinary artisans who were masters in their unique craft, continuing it for many generations, and viewing exquisite crafted items. Workshops demonstrated the level of skill the artisans maintain. These experiences were combined with some sightseeing, insight into Japanese culture and traditions and some fabulous food. The Japanese people are delightful as was our wonderful guide Akiko. Cathy C. – Japan Handcrafts Tour May 2024
I had the most fabulous time on the tour in Japan and thoroughly recommend it if you have an interest in handcrafts and textiles. Akiko, the Japanese tour guide is by far the best guide I have had on any tour I have ever done. Being on a group tour with people who have similar interests and who appreciate and value the wonderful opportunity this tour provides is priceless. I have made some wonderful friends and will definitely be travelling with retreat|recreate again to Japan and other destinations. Grace W. – Japan Handcrafts Tour May 2024
The retreat|recreate Japan Handcrafts trip was the perfect introduction for me to this lovely country covering cultural highlights and learning from a variety of artisans. Hands on experiences like weaving, botanical dyeing silk scarves, making pottery, gilding with gold leaf, papermaking, and a sushi cooking class enabled me to make beautiful and functional objects. Expert guides and making new friends with fellow travellers added to the experience. As a third time traveler with retreat|recreate, I can say each trip has been an outstanding adventure. Cathy H. – Japan Handcrafts Tour 2023
From our first workshop where we dyed our scarves with natural dyes at a small studio, this tour was chock full of rich experiences. We saw amazing ancient gardens and temples, visited galleries and passionate skilled artisans. We went on a trip up to a misty weaving village above Kyoto where we produced silk from cocoons and wove ikat pieces. We experienced a serene tea ceremony, made pottery on the wheel, and ate many beautifully presented Japanese meals. Our guides were well-informed and helpful, and made it so easy to enjoy this extraordinary tour. Joy C. – Japan Handcrafts Tour 2023
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 Rees-Osborne 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 P. – Japan Handcrafts Tour 2022
The Japan Handcrafts Tour that I recently participated in was an experience of a lifetime. The value for dollar was exceptional. The tour was packed with tours, shrines and temples, hands-on workshops, entrance to the studios of world-class artisans and a look at Japan as it is in reality. Susan Rees-Osborne and our guide, Akiko, guided and translated expertly but also gave us the information and confidence to explore on our own. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in excellence in artistry and craftsmanship, culture, history and contemporary Japan. Judy J. – Japan Handcrafts Tour 2023
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 S. – Japan Handcrafts Tour 2022
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