Sail across the Setouchi inland sea to experience a unique dichotomy of rural island culture and cutting-edge contemporary art. On Shōdoshima you’ll trek to Buddhist pilgrimage sites, tour a traditional soy sauce brewery and visit local art installations. Then make a pilgrimage of a different kind to the contemporary art mecca of Benesse Art Site Naoshima, where you’ll stay for two luxurious nights at a hotel designed by Tadao Ando.
We’ll travel by chartered boat to visit installations on three different islands, including the “House Projects” by Kazuyo Sejima of SAANA; the haunting and provocative “Inujima Seirensho Museum” by Hiroshi Sambuichi and Yukinori Yanagi; Christian Boltanski’s “Les Archives du Cœur;” the Teshima Art Museum designed by artist Rei Naito and architect Ryue Nishizawa; the Lee Ufan Museum; seven varied Honmura Art House Projects; and the Benesse Art Museum on Naoshima.
The tour will finish with two days in Kyōto where we’ll explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, contemporary art and craft galleries, the Kyoto Shibori Museum, and specialty textile and fashion shops. Weather permitting, we’ll visit the Kitano Shrine monthly flea market to browse for vintage fabrics, yarns, and kimono.
Tour includes:
- Transport via bullet train, local train, chartered bus, and chartered boat to destinations in the tour itinerary
- Entry fees to select art sites, museums, and temples
- Accommodations at conveniently located hotels (6 nights)
- 2 nights at the luxurious Benesse House
- Breakfast each morning, some lunches and dinners
- French-Japanese course dinner at a restaurant supervised by Michelin-starred chef
- English-speaking guide accompanies the group throughout
