Art & Culture
Area
Season
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The Birthplace of Japanese Wine, Featured in the Manga Drops of God! Three days to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Kyoutou region in Yamanashi Prefecture and taste Koshu wines
(1) Special private viewing of one of Japan's three new most beautiful nightscapes
Enjoy dinner at the Fruit Park Fujiya Hotel with a beautiful night view of the Kyoutou region, which was selected as one of Japan's "New Three Most Beautiful Nightscapes." They can also enjoy the night view from the Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, which is normally closed to the public at night.
(2) Tour of historical sites from the early days of authentic winemaking
Visit the Former Lumiere Underground Fermentation Tank, which is registered as a Tangible Cultural Property, and learn about the unique Japanese winemaking methods that continue to this day.
(3) Premium dinner experience at Daizenji Temple with Japanese cuisine and Koshu wine
Take in the local food culture of the area (local Japanese cuisine and wine from the Kyoutou region) with a premium dinner expeirence at Daizenji Temple, a national treasure which has a history of over 1,000 years. The temple also houses a statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha, holding a bunch of grapes—the only statue of its kind in Japan.
The temple grounds will be used to host a special art show by internationally acclaimed dye artist Ena Furuya, who has brought the 1,200 year-old traditional craft of wax-resist dyeing to the modern age.
(4) Breakfast at a popular scenic spot with a panoramic view of Mt. Fuji
A special early morning bus service will be provided to take participants to FUJIYAMA Twin Terrace to see a stunning panoramic view of Mt. Fuji with the sunrise.
(5) Drops of God! Collaboration
Receive a guidebook supervised by the author of Drops of God!, a legendary wine manga that has sold 15 million copies worldwide and is adored by wine lovers around the world, as well as wines with original Drops of God! wine labels. -
Fire Festival and Miare Festival on the World Heritage Site, the Sacred Island of Okinoshima
★ Miare Festival, one of Munakata Taisha's Shinto rituals: A magnificent parade of fishing boats that is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Folk Cultural Property
★ Special plan limited to 6 people: Helicopter tour of the Miare Festival parade (Special plan for 6 people only)
★ Change into yukata and join us on the eve of the festival at the Fire Festival FROM PORT OF GOD.
Enjoy a brilliant bonfire and traditional performing arts on the sandy beach at the entrance to the World Heritage Site. Participants will also get to visit the local fishermen's Sunday market
★ The Three Shrines of Munakata, a World Heritage Site: take a boat from Konominato to Oshima Island and visit the World Heritage Site of Nakatsumiya Shrine, then head to Okinoshima Yohaisho, which offers a distant view of Okinoshima Island, the sacred island where the gods dwell.
★ Tour the Hetsumiya Shrine and the Shinpokan Museum, which houses 80,000 sacred treasures (certified as national treasures) of Okinoshima and more.
★ Neo Gastronomy Tourism: Special dinner supervised by a renowned Fukuoka chef using ingredients from Munakata, including fresh seafood from the Genkai Sea.
★ Katsuya Shuzo and the Akama-juku area: Tasting sake at Katsuya Shuzo, a sake brewery with a 200-year history, and shopping in an Edo Period inn town
★ Umi no Michi Munakata Hall: A facility where participants can learn about the World Heritage Site and the history and culture of Munakata -
Private Sightseeing Tours to World Heritage Sites with Shugendo Practitioners as Guides, for a Special Experience of Art and Nature
The tour includes a commentary by a sightseeing guide driver who is a Shugendo practitioner at Kongobuji Temple. Participants will tour the sacred sites and pilgrimage routes of the Kii Mountain Range, a World Heritage Site, and visit various spiritual hotspots. Participants will also be able to take part in a workshop at the Shiyu-en Special Arts Museum—once a place of lodging for Emperor Go-Shirakawa during his pilgrimages to Koyasan—where they can paint nihonga Japanese paintings while sipping on sake. Participant accommodation will be provided in the form of a glamping experience at the Kudoyama Forest Fairy Tale House (former Kubo Elementary School), a facility located by a World Heritage Site called Kuroko Michi. For dinner, participants will enjoy a BBQ meal made with locally-caught wild game. They will also have the opportunity to engage in special experiences only available on this tour, such as viewing the famous sword Ichimonji Tachi, which the Warring States warrior Sanada Yukimura is said to have offered at the World Heritage Site of Niu Kanshobu Shrine, as well as view the World Heritage Sites of Jison'in Temple and Choishimichi Road, which are themselves associated with Kobo Daishi.
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Unazuki Special Guided Tour
(1) Discover the history of power supply development along the Kurobe River! Nekomata Station Trolley Exploration Guided Tour: A hidden gem introduced on the Buratamori TV program, Nekomata Station is the only station in Japan with a name that contains the kanji character for “cat.” In this tour, the Kurobe River Hydroelectric Power Station and its history will be explained in detail by an expert guide. Visit an observation deck overlooking the beautiful scenery at Nekomata Station, as well as a photo stand and a photo frame where you can take original photos.
(2) Tour the natural beauty of Kurobe Gorge by e-bike! The secret behind the popularity of “hidden sights” cycling in this area is the spectacular view from Unazuki Ski Resort, and the special coffee brewed by experts at the Statue of Peace. Experience a few moments of luxury, far away from the daily grind.
(3) Uncover the hidden history of the town and the lives of its people! Machibura Town Exploration Guide: Go deep into the nature of Kurobe Gorge, the daily life of the town, and its cultural background by visiting lesser-known places while listening to commentary from a local guide. Discover the charms of Unazuki Onsen town, and enjoy special experiences that will linger in your memory.
(4) Learn about power supply development in Japan's construction history. Trace the history of power supply development along the Kurobe River on a walking tour of the town alongside a local guide. Expert guides will explain the massive feat that was constructing the hydroelectric power plant, and the many difficulties that had to be overcome for them to achieve it. Local guides will relate the history of power supply development in a friendly, easy-to-understand manner. Take the opportunity to enjoy this unique, special experience. -
Kumano Food and Culture Branding Promotion Project: Experience the Essence of the Kumano Faith and Savor the Bounties of Nachi-Katsuura
This program is a chance to spend a meaningful time at Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, Seigantoji Temple, and Nachi-Katsuura Nigiwai Market.
- After the shrine gates are officially closed, head to the World Heritage Site Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine for a special nighttime visit in the hushed atmosphere. Afterwards, enjoy a premium dinner in the shrine precincts, with dishes and tableware that express the world of the Kumano mandala. After dinner, listen to a sacred dedication and savor local Kumano sake made from the holy waters of Nachi Falls.
- Experience a tea ceremony in Heian costume in the tea room at the World Heritage Site of Seigantoji Temple. This is the first time this tea room has been opened to the public, and it overlooks the three-story pagoda and Nachi Falls. Experience Kumano Shugen by viewing the hidden Buddha statues of Fudarakusanji Temple, learn about the essence of the Kumano faith through a Kumano mandala painting session, and participate in a ceremony at Gyojado Hall, which took 150 years to construct.
- You'll also go to Nachi-Katsuura Nigiwai Market. This market, which is attached to the Katsuura Tuna Market, serves fresh raw tuna from Katsuura, masterfully prepared on the spot by locals. This is a rare and delicious opportunity to appreciate fresh-caught whole tuna.
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Yamaguchi City Ouchi Culture Experience Tours: Yamaguchi Gion Festival Course and Yamaguchi Tanabata Chochin Festival Course
Enjoy the Yamaguchi Gion Festival, one of the three major festivals in Yamaguchi, and the Yamaguchi Tanabata Chochin Festival, one of the three major fire festivals in Japan, both of which have links to the Ouchi clan.
The Yamaguchi Gion Festival Course is a special experience plan that includes explanations by the chief priest of Yasaka Jinja Shrine on the eve of the festival, and a chance to take part in rituals that are not normally available to the public, such as carrying a portable shrine. Enjoy a meal and local Yamaguchi sake while watching the festival from special seating.
The Yamaguchi Tanabata Chochin Festival Course is a special experience plan that allows participants to interact with locals through activities like lighting lanterns and carrying a portable shrine.
The Onari Procession Experience Plan features an event based around the Ouchi clan—powerful daimyo lords in western Japan who built a cultural sphere to rival Kyoto using the wealth they gained through trade with Ming China around the fifteenth century. This reproduction of the Onari procession and banquet is based on Japan’s largest banquet of the Medieval period, which was held on March 5, 1500, when Ouchi Yoshioki entertained Ashikaga Yoshitane, the former shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate. At this event, a total of about 20 people, representing the shogun, Ouchi clan members, and the shogun's entourage, will wear Muromachi period costumes, ride horses, and take part in a parade through designated Ouchi cultural areas. Afterwards, you can enjoy a traditional banquet at Yuda Sansuien Garden. Dine on a Ouchi-gozen meal while watching traditional entertainment, as if you yourself were at this historical banquet. This is your opportunity to become a shogun and truly immerse yourself in the Ouchi culture of Japan’s Medieval period.
This is a comfortable tour that comes with a nationally licensed guide-interpreter, a tour guide, and private car. -
Kyoto Art Experience: Inspiring moments that weave together beauty and history
A special cultural tourism experience distinct to Kyoto, offered in conjunction with the Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) art fair to be held in Kyoto from November 1-3, 2024.
(1) Premium excursions: A variety of special excursion programs will allow participants to experience Kyoto’s fascinating traditional culture and history through areas of shrines, temples, gardens, and other spots that are usually closed to the public.
(2) Night hopping: A nighttime way to take in as much art as you can throughout Kyoto. After visiting the ACK venue, “hop” around to exhibitions at venues normally closed to the public and to art venues especially open for this night with special guides in attendance. After that, go to music events held on the roof of Kyoto City Hall and at Metro Kyoto, the longest-standing club in Japan. -
“Godzilla Minus One” on-Site Tour!
Experience the Amphibious Bus One-Day Excursion
Lake Kasumiaura Water Operation- Have a cinematic experience with a bus tour at the former Kashima Naval Air Station site (Oyama Lakeside Park) in Ibaraki Prefecture, where the blockbuster movie Godzilla Minus One was shot.
- Enjoy an immersive experience of the Shinden fighter plane.
- Go on a sightseeing tour of Lake Kasumigaura on a Godzilla-themed amphibious bus that starts its journey on land.
After a 15-minute tour of Lake Kasumigaura, there will be hands-on activities, a panel exhibition, and other experiences that will bring you into the world of the movie.
- No need to bring a car, because the tour starts and ends at JR Tsuchiura Station.
- The tours will typically have English interpretation.
- Tour pamphlets are available in English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese, making it easy to find key information and points of note even when an interpreter is not available. -
LIGHT CYCLES KYOTO
The Kyoto Botanical Gardens, Japan's oldest public botanical garden, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its opening. For a limited time, the garden will be open at night, immersing visitors in a mysterious world of plants very different from the one they would see during the day. Step into one of the largest conservatories in Japan and see the lush greenery and vitality of the plants in all their glory, made even more beautiful through light installations, sound and set design, and projection mapping. As visitors walk through the four different zones, they can appreciate the "breathing" and "whispers" of the plants, and the different versions of themselves they show at night. We invite you to enjoy an immersive experience of light and sound that will inspire in you a connection to nature and a newfound fascination with plants.
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Famous Kyoto Temples in Collaboration with the Producers of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai
2nd Japan Annual-International Art Festival Special Program
A special experience awaits at Kyoto's famous temples, where tradition and innovation intersect. The 2nd Japan Annual-International Art Festival will span a range of artistic fields, including contemporary art, digital art, and sustainable art. It will feature exhibitions that pave the way for the future of Japanese art, as well as performances of traditional performing arts such as Noh theater, Kabuki theater, and Gagaku courtly music. Of particular note are three high value-added experience programs created by the producers of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
Kodaiji Temple: Special Tea Ceremony Program with Hiroshi Ishiguro's AVITA Avatar
Experience the encounter between 1,000 years of history and modern technology through a tea ceremony with avatars mixed with projection mapping.
Ninnaji Temple: Special Jazz Concert by Sachiko Nakajima
Sachiko Nakajima embodies the fusion of mathematics and music. This special concert offers a new musical experience in a traditional temple space.
Sennyu-ji Temple: Folding Screen Art Creation Workshop
Experience the Japan's unique culture of dedication by creating art in a traditional temple.
These programs offer one-of-a-kind experiences in which Japanese culture intersects with modern technology. Enjoy these special activites woven from history and art.