10-Day Japan Architecture & Contemporary Art Tour
Japonisme on the Move
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Price
From USD 15,600 per person – excl. flights
(double occupancy)
When to visit
All year round
Length of stay
Ideally 10 Nights
- Explore Benesse Art Site Naoshima and Teshima Art Museum in the Setouchi Islands
- Visit Enoura Observatory, a masterpiece by Hiroshi Sugimoto
- Discover the Hakone Open-Air Museum with mountain views
- Experience the architectural brilliance of the Miho Museum by I.M. Pei
- Travel with expert-led insights tailored for design professionals and art enthusiasts
What’s included
- A tailor-made itinerary crafted personally for you
- English-Speaking resident tour director and local guides
- Hand-Selected Luxury accommodations
- Large choice of exclusive experiences
- Airport Meet and Greet with private transfers
- Internet access
- Thoughtful customer service
- And more !
Day 1 – Tokyo Arrival
Yokoso 日本へようこそ！– Welcome to Japan !
After clearing customs and immigration, transfer by private car to your ideally located hotel.
Then you’ll likely spend your first day in Japan just getting settled.
You might want to lock down some of the best food in Tokyo and enjoy a truly unique meal! A multi-course kaiseki, an omakase sushi experience…
Or follow the lead of our food-obsessed expert and spend an early evening hopping between Izakaya! and discover the delights of small-plate dining and sake.
Day 2 – Tokyo
Tokyo is a huge, wealthy and fascinating metropolis which brings high-tech visions of the future side by side with glimpses of old Japan, and has something for everyone.
Most visitors to Tokyo will visit the most well-known sights – Asakusa, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku and the Meiji Shrine. These are all of course worth visiting, but Tokyo also offer a multitude of choices for travelers looking for a less touristy and typical Japanese experience.
The real charm of Tokyo is more discreet. We can discover it in the maze of streets behind the main one, with a village atmosphere, miles away from urban life. It is warm and simple, full of nice shops with clean design as well as charming cafes and small bars…
Explore Tokyo at your own pace with a private guide who will adapt the itinerary to your interests, uncovering both iconic landmarks and hidden gems.
Day 3 – Tokyo
Discover Tokyo art and design and get on a customizable journey through Tokyo’s art scene led by a professional art curator.
Art-seeking visitors to Tokyo will find pockets of attractions around the city. As the country’s hub for artistic expression and creativity, is home to numerous museums, exhibitions and galleries.
The highlights include visits to renowned museums, hidden galleries, and private collections, with opportunities to meet collectors and explore architectural wonders.
- Visit the The Sumida Hokusai Museum dedicated to ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai
- 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, a creation of architect Tadao Ando and designer Issey Miyake
- Nestled amidst a lush Japanese garden, the Nezu Museum
- The Ginza Graphic Gallery, a must for design enthusiasts
- …
Day 4 – Tokyo / Odawara / Hakone
Travel by shinkansen (bullet train) to Odawara.
Start with The Enoura Observatory, created by the Odawara Art Foundation and designed by artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, a stunning art complex nestled in the hills of Odawara, overlooking Sagami Bay.
It beautifully blends contemporary art with elements of traditional Japanese culture. A truly unique space where art, architecture, and nature intertwine.
Then Hakone, part of a national park with spectacular views of Mount Fuji. A resort town that boasts a number of museums including the Hakone Open Air Museum, the first outdoor gallery in Japan, with over 120 sculptures and a Picasso exhibit.
At night at the ryokan, you will be treated to a tasty traditional Japanese dinner before retiring to your room and your private hot spring bath.
Day 5 – Hakone / Kyoto
If not done the day before, visit one of the hot spring baths found across the hills and valleys of Hakone.
Transfer to Odawara, then board a shinkansen to Kyoto.
In the evening, explore Gion with your guide – Gion is part of the Higashiyama or “Eastern Mountain” area of Kyoto. It’s one of the famous geisha (called “geiko” in Kyoto) districts in the city, stretching from Yasaka Shrine in the east to the Kamo River in the west, and from the Shirakawa Canal in the north to Kenninji Temple in the south.
Not the only geisha district left in Japan, Gion is a collection of streets defined by its traditional wooden merchant houses, beautifully illuminated by glittering neon lights and exclusive Japanese restaurants.
As twilight falls, you may catch a glimpse of a Geiko or Maiko apprentice gliding gracefully to an evening appointment, their exquisite kimonos adding mystique to this timeless neighborhood.
Day 6 – Kyoto
Visit of Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, considered by many as Japan’s most beautiful city.
Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over a millennium, and has the reputation of being its most beautiful city. However, visitors may be surprised by how much work they will have to do to see Kyoto’s beautiful side.
The first impressions will be of the urban sprawl of central Kyoto, around the ultra-modern glass-and-steel train station, which is itself an example of a city steeped in tradition colliding with the modern world.
Unlike Tokyo, Kyoto was able to keep the customs and traditions of the Old Japan, as it was spared from the bombing of the Second World War and was never affected by earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Nonetheless, the persistent visitor will soon discover Kyoto’s hidden beauty in the temples and parks which ring the city center, and find that the city has much more to offer than immediately meets the eye.
Day 7 – Kyoto
Today visit the Miho Museum, nestled among the verdant Shigaraki Mountains, west of central Koka. It was designed by the renowned architect, I. M. Pei, and is named after Koyama Mihoko, one of the richest women in Japan and the founder of the museum.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the museum is the design of its structures and how they are integrated into their natural surroundings. The path to the museum angles toward its entrance through a tunnel and over a bridge that spans two mountain ridges.
When approaching, you can see tantalizing glimpses of the glass roofs above the pine-filled mountain slope.
The museum’s exhibits consist of works from ancient civilizations including the Egyptians, Romans and various Asian cultures, with the pieces largely coming from Koyama’s private collection. The main exhibition changes every year or so, and special exhibitions change every few months.
Day 8 – Kyoto / Naoshima
In the morning, board a shinkansen to Okayama, then a car for Naoshima.
Located in the northern region of the Seto Inland Sea, Naoshima (直島) is a paradise for contemporary art, architecture and nature lovers.
Three decades ago the small Japanese island of Naoshima was a fishing community in decline and in the late 1980s, the mayor thought that he wanted to change this island to a cultural place.
Benesse Corporation, a company of learning materials in Okayama, purchased a southern part of the island and famed Japanese architect Tadao Ando was put in charge to supervise the development and went to work over the next two decades designing a hotel complex and museums, The Benesse Art Site Naoshima.
Benesse Corporation sponsors most of the work on the island, and their museums are world-class institutions with works by an impressive roster of artists, including Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock, and Walter de Maria. The Benesse House functions as both hotel and art gallery, letting you fulfill your wildest dreams of having a sleepover with Andy Warhol.
Now art sneaks up on you all around the island – in hotels, galleries, bathhouse and the outdoors.
Day 9 – Teshima / Osaka
Today visit Teshima, Japan’s magical little art island.
Teshima Island offers a unique blend of contemporary art and rural beauty.
The iconic Teshima Art Museum, a breathtaking concrete dome designed by Ryue Nishizawa, invites visitors to experience the interplay of light, wind, and rain within its minimalist space.
Explore captivating site-specific installations scattered across the island, engaging with the landscape and local community. Discover captivating installations like “Les Archives du Cœur” and “Your First Color” each offering unique encounters with art and reflection.
Teshima is a must-visit for those seeking a tranquil escape and a deeper connection with art and nature.
At the end of the day, board a shinkansen to Osaka.
In the evening, enjoy an explosion of neon and entertainment at Osaka’s Times Square. By day, Dotonbori, the bustling main street, caters to every taste, but it truly comes alive at night, earning its place as one of Japan’s iconic landmarks.
Day 10 – Final Day – Osaka & Departure
Depending on your departure time, enjoy some final shopping in Osaka —a shopper’s paradise offering everything from cutting-edge fashion and electronics to gourmet food products, home goods, and unique souvenirs.
Whether seeking bargain finds or luxury brands, Osaka’s diverse shopping districts have something for every taste and budget.
Transfer by private car to the International Airport for your departure flight.
Where you will stay
Handpicked for an Unmatched Experience
