FROM 5145 PER PERSON. JAPANESE TEXTILE TRADITIONS with Janice Gunner 3 September nights

Transcription

1 FROM 5145 PER PERSON JAPANESE TEXTILE TRADITIONS with Janice Gunner 3 September nights

2 Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto The trip of a lifetime! Come and see the amazing textile delights of Japan together with visits to some iconic tourist attractions. Our brand-new itinerary includes visits to textile museums in and around Tokyo, to Arimatsu, a very special Shibori town, stunning Kyoto and Kinkakuji, the ancient and preserved village of Miyama, Tokushima famous for Aizome (indigo) production, Matsue and more. Included are visits to see the work and talk to award winning quilter Noriko Endo, Shibori master Mr Hirose Murase, The Little Indigo Museum and master indigo dyer Hiroyuki Shindo plus lots of workshops including one with a delightful quilt teacher and friend, Reiko Nakazawa. You will go home with amazing memories and experiences and hopefully fall in love with Japan like we have! Japanese Fabric ITINERARY DAY 1 Meet your expert for this tour, Janice Gunner, at London Heathrow airport for your flight to Tokyo. DAY 2 We ll land in Tokyo in the morning and meet our local guide before transferring by coach to our hotel. In the afternoon we ll take a half day tour of Toyko, including our first fabric shop (all 5 floors of it!) DAY 3 Today we ll spend the full day in Toyko, seeing some iconic sites as well as exploring the traditional Japanese silk fabrics that are produced in the Tokyo area. Our crafty highlights will include a visit with award-winning quilter Noriko Endo and a spot of shopping at another of the city s many craft stores. DAY 4 We start the day travelling on one of Japan s famous bullet trains to Nagoya. We continue by coach to the villages of Arimatsu and Narumi, famous for the Shibori dyeing technique. Here we ll visit the museum dedicated to the technique and learn more about it from a local expert. Our second bullet train of the day takes us from Nagoya to Kyoto. DAY 5 This morning we ll enjoy a sightseeing tour of Kyoto, including Kinkaku-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple and one of the most popular buildings in Japan. In the afternoon we travel by coach to Miyama to visit The Little Indigo Museum, Hiroyuki Shindo s collection of textiles. DAY 6 Today we ll enjoy a full day tour of Kyoto including a visit to a Roketsu (wax-resist) dying studio where you can learn, hands-on, about one of Kyoto s traditional textile dyeing methods. We ll also take a workshop with local quilt teacher Reiko Nakazawa and experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. DAY 7 Our target today is Tokushima, an area famous for growing indigo plants and dyeing. En route we ll visit the Uzo-no-michi walkway to view the Naruto whirlpools. Once in Tokushima we ll visit a museum dedicated to the indigo trade and enjoy a performance of the traditional Awa-Odori dance, one of Japan s most famous traditional dances. DAY 8 Our second day in Tokushima includes a visit to a local studio to learn about the indigo dyeing process and the opportunity to try your hand at washi (Japanese) papermaking. DAY 9 Today we ll travel to Sakaide to visit a museum dedicated to the history of the rounded paper fans (Uchiwa) and you will also have the opportunity to make your own Uchiwa. We then continue to Okayama where we ll visit the castle and Korakuen, one of Japan s top three landscaped gardens. Kyoto

3 DAY 10 This morning we ll travel by coach to Yasugi where we ll visit the Adachi Museum of Art and enjoy a Hirose-Kasuri dyeing workshop. Tonight, we ll stay in Tamatsukuri in a ryokan, a type of traditional Japanese inn that has existed since the 8th century. We ll enjoy a Japanese dinner and an Onsen hot spring bath. DAY 11 Enjoy a full day tour of Izumo including the Folk Crafts Museum, the Taisha shrine, once of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan, the premises of an indigo dyeing specialist and the Ichibata temple. Fingers crossed the weather will be fine this evening, and we can enjoy sunset over Lake Shinji, the seventh largest lake in Japan. DAY 12 Today we ll visit Shiomi Nawate Street and soak up the charm and character of old Japan from its white-washed samurai houses and other old residences. Our crafty indulgence is the Izumo Museum of Quilt Art, displaying the quilts of internationally reknown designer Mutsuko Yawatagaki. The fabrics used in her quilts come from antique and vintage kimonos, some as much as 200 years old. Later in the afternoon we ll take an internal flight back to Tokyo. DAY 13 Our final full day in Japan includes a visit to Akie Ginza Sashiko Museum & shop, dedicated to the works of modern Sashiko artist Akie Sakamoto and the Edo Isegatakami Museum to see Japan s largest collection of Ise-katagami; the Japanese craft of making paper stencils for dyeing textiles. DAY 14 It s time to say farewell to Japan as we depart the hotel and travel to the airport for our return fl i g h t. Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Japanese Fabric Kyoto Izumo-Taisha Shrine

4 INCLUDED IN THE PRICE ACCOMMODATION Return International flights Domestic flight between Izumo to Haneda Travel by coach and bullet train, as described in the itinerary 12 nights hotel accommodation in good 3 star, or 4-star hotels with breakfast Lunch on Day 6 and a Traditional Japanese dinner on Day 10 Direct luggage transfer on Day 4 Guided sightseeing as described in the itinerary Direct luggage transfer on Day 4 Stitching workshop in the home of local quilt expert Ms Nakazawa with lunch and tea ceremony Workshops in different techniques of indigo dyeing Entrances to museums and temples as detailed in the itinerary Workshop on washi (Japanese) papermaking Workshop on Japanese rounded paper fans (Uchiwa) The company and expertise of Janice Gunner Services of a local English-speaking guide throughout the tour Traditional Kimono During your trip, you will be staying at the following carefully selected hotels: Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro The Hotel Metropolitan is located in the heart of the city and conveniently located adjacent to the Ikebukuro train and subway station. New Miyako Hotel, Kyoto A contemporary 4-star hotel with 998 rooms, the New Miyako Hotel is ideally located in the heart of the city close to Kyoto Station. Superior rooms in the main building feature designs inspired by the traditional Kyoto style. Hotel Clement Tokushima The Hotel Clement is located within Tokushima station complex, adjacent to the shopping area. The 250 rooms come equipped with satellite TV, telephone, wifi, tea and coffee making facilities, refrigerator, mini-bar, hairdryer and air conditioning. The hotel offers a number of eating and drinking options. Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro New Miyako Hotel, Kyoto Kimono Hotel Granvia Okayama Located close to Okayama station, the Hotel Granvia offers comfortable rooms that are both well-designed and practical. Within the hotel you can find free wifi, a number of eating and drinking options and the Granvia Resort Club with indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym. PRICES (INC FLIGHTS & TRANSFERS) Hotel Gyokusen Hotel Gyokusen is a traditional Japanese-style ryokan (inn). Each room comes with toiletries, wifi, TV, refrigerator, safe, kettle and hair dryer. Facilities include a hot spring bath, Japanese-style garden, lounge, a nightly folk-song event and two shops. Hotel Granvia Okayama Twin room: 5145 per person Single supplement: 725 Deposit: 400 Souvenirs Excel Hotel Tokyu - Matsue Rooms at the Excel Hotel Tokyu come with TV, telephone, tea and coffee making facilities, refrigerator, hairdryer and toiletries. Hotel Gyokusen

5 WHY BOOK A STITCHTOPIA HOLIDAY? Hand-picked expert will accompany you throughout the tour Experienced Tour Manager Good quality accommodation, usually in 4 star hotels Workshops included on most tours; with our own expert and with local experts where applicable Exclusive behind closed doors visits where possible Small, intimate group sizes Single guests welcomed and looked after Kimono Design THE STITCH TOGETHER PROGRAMME For single travellers who are interested in our trips, but don t have a friend able to come with them why not join our Stitch Together programme to help with the costs of a single occupancy room? We have designed a way for you to find someone to share a room with on any of our Stitchtopia Holidays. Please call us for more information. NON-CRAFTERS Why not bring a non-crafting partner with you? If a non-crafting family member or friend wishes to accompany you on any of our holidays, and is sharing a room with you, then a reduction will apply to the price the non-crafter pays. Please call us for more information. MEET US THERE Stitchtopia Holidays are designed with all crafters in mind, wherever you live in the world! If you would like to make your own flight arrangements and meet us at our first hotel, please let us know we would love to tell you more about our meet us there holiday discounts. To book or for more information, please call us on Arena Travel, Explorer House, 2 Betts Avenue, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP5 3RH Please see our website for our terms and conditions