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A New Immersive Experience to Engage with the Ancient World at the Foot of Mt. Fuji
Omuro Sengen Shrine has been home to various traditional Japanese ceremonies and festivals that have been held for over 800 years, such as the Yabusame Festival and Tsutsugayu Festival. Participants can head to the shrine to enjoy immersive experiences unique to the area, from interacting with sacred horses to an exclusive nighttime worship session with a shrine priest; watching a performance of Bugaku, a form of dance that combines samurai martial arts with traditional performing arts; and live performances by contemporary artists. There will also be plenty of content for foodies and more, including creative food inspired by oshi-style cuisine, a form of traditional Japanese cuisine that used to be essential to climb Mt. Fuji.
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The Mysterious Hakujahime Story at Hokkaido Shikaribetu 2024 Special worship tour／Hakujahimemai／Traditional Ainu cuisine
Lake Shikaribetsu is located in Daisetsuzan National Park in the center of Hokkaido. Participants will travel to the sacred island of Bentenjima located on the lake for a special tour to view a traditional Ainu performance of Hakujahimemai (Dance of the White Snake Princess) and sample Ainu wild game cuisine.
Special Visit to Bentenjima
Bentenjima is normally off-limits to the public, but this tour includes a special boat trip to the island. Enjoy a special experience in this sacred place surrounded by nature.
View a traditional Ainu performance of Hakujahimemai (Dance of the White Snake Princess)
There will be a chance to engage with Ainu culture and gain a deeper understanding of their history and traditions through watching a special performance of the traditional Hakujahimemai dance. The legend behind the story is that a goddess and a white snake saved an Ainu village suffering from famine.
Ainu Wild Game Cuisine Course: "Gifts of Kamui Tou"
Participants will be served wild game dishes featuring venison. This meal, which utilizes local ingredients, is sure to bring you closer to the nature and culture of Japan. Experience Ainu culinary culture while enjoying the venison, wild vegetables, and mushrooms produced in Shikaribetsu Town. -
Jirocho’s DreamーSHIMIZU's Ｄream－
Experience the world of ukiyo-e woodblock prints within walking distance of the Hinode Pier area of Shimizu Port, where cruise ships dock. See bamboo lanterns even during the day along with ukiyo-e illuminations at the Izuishi Warehouses. Then, take part in an ukiyo-e woodblock printing workshop at the Verkehr Museum using woodblocks created by by Utagawa Hiroshige, a famous ukiyo-e artist. Go to Jirocho Street and visit Minowa Inari Shrine, where you can snap great photos of the torii gates, followed by a performance by SPAC at Shimizu Port Memorial Hall Suehiro. Finally, try your hand at creating seafood bowls using fish from Shimizu, which boasts the largest catch of tuna in Japan, and try making Japanese sweets at Dream Plaza. This tour is offered in conjunction with a special stamp rally themed around ukiyo-e woodblock prints.
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CLEAN&ART Luminous Graffiti
This is a hands-on program to create a giant mural in Shibuya with mural artist Ken Sobajima and his CLEAN&ART art performance collective. Create glow-in-the-dark murals on graffiti-covered walls using luminescent paint to cover up problematic graffiti.
Participants will first meet up at WANDER COMPASS SHIBUYA, a tourist information center located inside Shibuya Station, where Ken Sobajima will lead a walking tour through Shibuya to showcase its graffiti and murals. Next, participants will go to where the mural will be created. They can try their hand at creating glow-in-the-dark mural art with the members of CLEAN&ART by using luminescent paint. This program will include an explanation by Ken Sobajima on how to actually create murals, as well as an art performance by him! -
Japanese Culture Program 【Discover the Authentic Kyoto】 Kyoto Studies in Tokyo 2024
A special program held in Tokyo to study and experience Japanese tradition as nurtured in the 1,200-year-old cultural capital of Kyoto. Spend an invaluable time with top instructors of various schools of Japanese culture, including the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, Kyoto dance, Kyoto cuisine, and Noh theater. Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to rediscover the beauty of Japan and experience the essence of Kyoto.
Dates: November 2024 to February 2025 (Five sessions total)
Facilitator: Kundo Koyama, Head of Kyoto Studies in Tokyo
(1) Tea ceremony: Saturday, November 9, 2024 / 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM at Meiji Jingu Shrine (Reception opens at 8:30 AM)
Instructor: Sen Soshitsu (15th head of Urasenke school)
(2) Flower arrangement: Sunday, December 15, 2024 / 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM at Gaien Campus (Reception opens at 2:30 PM)
Instructors: Senko Ikenobo (Next head of Ikenobo school) and Senshu Ikenobo (Flower arrangement artist & photographer)
(3) Kyoto dance: Saturday, January 18, 2025 / 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM at Meiji Kinenkan (Reception opens at 2:30 PM)
Instructors: Yachiyo Inoue (5th head of Inoue school) and Yasuko Inoue (Inoue school)
(4) Kyoto cuisine: Saturday, February 1, 2025 / 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM at Meiji Kinenkan (Reception opens at 2:30 PM)
Instructors: Eiichi Takahashi (14th-generation owner of Hyotei) and Yoshihiro Takahashi (15th-generation owner of Hyotei)
(5) Noh theater: Saturday, February 15, 2025 / 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM at Meiji Kinenkan (Reception opens at 2:30 PM)
Instructors: Hisanori Kongo (26th head of the Kongo school), Tatsunori Kongo (Young master of the Kongo school) -
Immersive Musical Performance at Kamishichiken Kaburenjo Theater
The story begins when guests enter the lobby. The lobby, dotted with cast members dressed in traditional Japanese costume, will make you feel you have stepped back in time. Some of them are actual maiko and geiko in training. Guests are made to feel like members of the cast, as if the entire venue, including the lobby, is the stage. The first portion of the show features a Japanese drum performance, and a joint performance of koto and traditional Japanese dance that will allow guests to truly feel the essence of Japanese wa (harmony). The second portion features an hour-long original selection of performances that combines a variety of genres. The entire program features top-notch musicians, traditional instruments, long swords, Japanese dance, and other cultural arts unique to Japan.
The venue, Kamishichiken Kaburenjo Theater, is rarely open to the general public, making this an incredibly rare experience. It is also the first time such a show will be held here. After the show, guests will be served Kyoto cuisine and sake from the Noto region, for a full experience of O-MO-TE-NA-SHI hospitality! -
Limited to One Pair Per Day: The Ultimate Premium Night Experience, Taking in the Food Culture and Nature of Yoron Island with All Five Senses
(1) Only one pair of visitors per night will be invited to a special terrace overlooking the ocean, reserved for just the two of you. Enjoy a special premium dinner that reflects the unique characteristics of Yoron, carefully arranged by the chefs. Afterwards, you will be guided to the rooftop terrace by a star guide, who will show you how to enjoy the starry skies of Yoron. At the end of the day, you can rest on a sofa bed that you have all to yourself, and enjoy the 360-degree view of the starry sky along with dessert and coffee.
Main promotional points:
<1> Limited to one pair per day! Private seaside terrace and rooftop terrace for a private couple’s experience.
<2> Special full-course meal and drinks with carefully-selected Yoron Island ingredients, designed down to the slightest details.
<3> Flexible arrangements and services such as photoshoots, marriage proposals, bouquets, etc. are available. *Please consult with us at least 14 days in advance.
(2) Just one pair per night will be guided around Yoron Island by a Starry Sky Sommelier®. From caves and secluded beaches where sea turtles lay their eggs to special places known only to locals, you may even encounter creatures that are designated Natural Monuments. On a clear night, you will also be able to enjoy a truly special time under the star-filled sky of Yoron, known as one of the best places for stargazing in Japan.
Main promotional points:
<1> Limited to one pair per night! Premium illuminations are presented in a private secret cave.
<2> Guides and Star Sommeliers who know Yoron Island's night sky inside and out will teach guests how to enjoy the night sky! A special guide to nighttime fun on Yoron Island.
<3> If they are lucky, guests may also be able to encounter nocturnal creatures that are nationally designated Natural Monuments. Explore and discover nighttime creatures on Yoron Island—an experience that is not possible during the day.
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Japanese Hokuriku Pride in Tradition: The Skills, Pride, and Spirit of the Hokuriku Region
An experiential event to see, learn about, and appreciate the skills of the local craftspeople:
A rare opportunity to experience the charms of Japan's traditional crafts together with the traditional food culture of Yamashiro Onsen.
This experiential event will be held throughout the hot spring resort area, offering participants the opportunity to see, learn about, and appreciate the high level of craftsmanship in traditional handicrafts such as Kutani ware and Wajima lacquerware, and food culture such as Japanese confectioneries, kimonos, and famous sakes. -
Ride the Tadami Line with Local Guides & A Night Tour of Mugenkyo Gorge
At 135.2 kilometers in length, the JR Tadami Line connecting Aizu-Wakamatsu Station in Fukushima Prefecture with Koide Station in Niigata Prefecture is famed as a hidden gem of a local rail line which boasts extraordinary views. The scenery, which includes the spectacular landscape of the Tadami River, the villages dotted along its riverbanks, and the majestic mountains nearby, is astoundingly beautiful no matter the season and has proven highly popular amongst visitors. This special tour is offered by a guide who is one of the most well-versed people in the world about the Tadami Line. Enjoy hidden sights and photo spots known only to this guide—both from inside the train and from the train’s windows.
The Mugenkyo Gorge ferry is a hand-pulled boat that runs between the towns of Kanayama and Mishima in Fukushima Prefecture, crossing the Tadami River. The name "Mugenkyo” derives from the ephemeral beauty of the valley when it is shrouded in river mist on summer mornings and evenings—as if in a scene from a dream. Although the Mugenkyo Gorge ferry normally runs only from morning to evening, this tour features special yakatabune boats that operate at night. The illumination of the yakatabune boats will give the nighttime Mugenkyo Gorge an even more mystical appearance. You will also enjoy a meal that is often served at times of celebration in this region, prepared with lots of local ingredients and traditional dishes.
On both the Tadami Line and Mugenkyo Gorge tours, you will be loaned a tablet with video and audio features that can provide multilingual guidance for your convenience, and you will stay at a guesthouse renovated from an old private residence.
Packed with rare content, these tours offer deep experiences of the culture of the Oku-Aizu region.
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ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2024
The 9th Art Fair Asia will be held from Friday, September 20 to Sunday, September 22 at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center, a convention facility in Hakata well-known by Fukuoka residents. The event will be co-hosted by Fukuoka City, which has worked to promote Fukuoka Art Next with the aim of creating a colorful city full of art, and Culture Vision, an NGO that creates opportunities for creators to co-create beyond the boundaries of industry, government, and academia. The goal of the event is to open up a diverse array of possibilities in Fukuoka City, a city that is already full of human encounters and interaction.
This year, the venue will serve as a sort of hub of exchange between Japan and other Asian countries. The focus will be on artists from around Asia and Kyushu. The event will also include collaborations with art museums, universities, companies, and art fairs in Kyushu and other parts of Japan and overseas, in an attempt to develop even more as an art fair based on the concept of Asia. Fukuoka City’s "FaN Week" will be held at the same time as the art fair, covering the entire city of Fukuoka in art. This one-of-a-kind experience is sure to stimulate the creativity of art fans and visitors in general.
We hope that as many people as possible get to experience the fascination and excitement of art in Fukuoka, a city that has long nurtured diversity and has continued to develop as a hub for the flow of people and goods in Asia.
We look forward to seeing you at Art Fair Asia Fukuoka 2024.