Designed especially for art lovers, this 12 day tour is full of arts from the ancient days to the modern times, ranging from the conventional to avant-garde.

Explore the art scene in Tokyo including a visit to 21-21 Design Sight. Continue on to Naoshima Island where distinctive works such as the ‘yellow pumpkin’ can be admired. Visit the Shikokumura Art Village in Takamatsu before discovering the museums of Osaka. Enjoy a day discovering Miho and the Miho Museum, ahead of taking in the arts of Kyoto. Enjoy the open-air museum in Hakone and some last-minute sights back in Tokyo.

DESIGN

Experience the vibrant city of Tokyo before immersing yourself in a day of design. Hit 21-21 Design Sight, a design museum created by architect Tadao Ando and fashion designer Issey Miyake, Senso-ji, the oldest temple in Tokyo, Nakamise Shopping street and enjoy the view of the Tokyo Skytree from Azuma Bridge. In the afternoon visit the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno Park designed by Le Corbusier housing over 5,500 works.

ISLAND

Go by the exciting bullet train to Naoshima Island by local train and ferry. Located in the Seto Inland Sea the relaxed island is dedicated to art with many installations, museums and works of modern art. Explore Naoshima Island before visiting the intersting Art house Project where artists have turned empty houses scattered about residential areas into works of art. Continue to Chichu Art Museum sympathetically constructed to blend into the landscape and containing artworks by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria. Also see the Ando Museum also designed by Tadao Ando one of Japan’s most famous architects. Admire the Yellow Pumpkin by Yayoi Kasuma a symbol of the island.

ART VILLAGE

Depart for Takamatsu by ferry and spend the day discovering Shikoku-Mura Art Village housing over twenty buildings from around Shikoku dating from the Edo period through to the Taishō period (1600s to 1920s). Spend time in Ritsurin Koen Garden divided into a Japanese style garden in the south and western style garden in the north and set in front of wooded Mt. Shiun. It is said that the garden deserves a spot on the list of the three most beautiful gardens of Japan.

MUSEUMS

Travel to Osaka via Okayama. In Osaka your guide will take you on a private tour including The Mint Museum housed in a historical Meiji era building and the little Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum unique for being the only permanent collection of local wood block prints from the area, many based on kabuki theatre. Osaka is known as the nation’s kitchen, ensure you sample some of the local street food this evening. Visit the stunning and unusual Miho Museum set in the forest in the mountains of Shiga Prefecture. Entry is by way of a tunnel, the entrance having been designed by architect I.M. Pei. Most of the museum is underground showcasing the private collection of the founder Mihoko Koyama containing ancient and modern works from Japan and wider Asia.

WORKSHOP

Chose between going to the Garden of Fine Art where masterpieces such as Monet’s Waterlilies have been reproduced on ceramic tiles set in striking surroundings. If you are intersted in pottery the Raku Museum is not to be missed explaining the origins of this destinctive pottery style. Kyoto International Manga Museum is part museum part library exploring the development of Manga culture and Ryukoku Buddhist Museum explores the expansion of Buddhism into Japan.

GALLERIES

Explore Hakone including Hakone Open Air Museum set in the mountains featuring sculptures and works of art by Picasso, Henry Moore, Taro Okamoto, Yasuo Mizui, Churyo Sato and many more. Continue to Okada Museum of Art in spacious galleries to view Japanese, Chinese and Korean works of art ranging from ancient times through to the present age. Finish with the Nezu Museum and its impressive gardens. Continue to the Meiji Picture Gallery where large works, a mixture of Japanese and western style painting show the events from the birth to the demise of the Meij’i Emperor.

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