[From the Nagaoka and Niigata Areas] A Fall Road Trip Featuring Masterpieces to Explore on Foot
A recommended itinerary for those traveling by car from the Nagaoka and Niigata areas. It would be a shame to experience autumn in Echigo-Tsumari solely by car. Get out of your car and explore the Satoyama countryside on foot to discover masterpieces of outside artworks. Embark on a journey to enjoy the art of Echigo-Tsumari—discovered through walking—along with the autumn foliage and mountain scenery.
9:00
To the Home of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field
[Kan-Etsu Expressway] Exit at Echigo-Kawaguchi IC
Depart from the Nagaoka/Niigata area, take the Kan-Etsu Expressway, and exit at the Echigo-Kawaguchi Interchange. If you’re coming from the Nagaoka/Niigata area, the Echigo-Kawaguchi Interchange is the gateway to Echigo-Tsumari. This is where your fall drive through the satoyama landscapes of Echigo-Tsumari begins.
30 minutes
9:30
A New Playground for the Children
"Gejo Thatch Tower"—MIKAN＋Sogabe Lab. Kanagawa University
On an autumn drive from the Tokyo area to Echigo-Tsumari, the first place you’ll want to visit is this artwork located in the Gejo settlement—the gateway to Echigo-Tsumari. The artist gave deep thought to the act of “enclosing.”Through repeated consultations with local residents and numerous revisions to the plan, the result is a charming little park tucked away in a corner of town that soothes the hearts of passersby. Born from the aspirations of the local community, a new playground for children has come to life. Be sure to stop by during your trip and take your time enjoying both the artwork and the local scenery.
10 minutes
9:45
An outside artwork by a high-profile contemporary art collective
"Repetitive Objects" [目[mé]]
Two large rocks stand in the plaza in front of the station. At first glance, they look as if they’ve been there for ages, but in fact, they are both identical in shape, down to the last detail. Let’s take a moment to reflect on chance and necessity—and on the world we live in.
15 minutes
10:10
A shrine that has long been cherished by the local community
"MAN: ROCK V" by Antony Gormley
Takarei Shrine is said to have been founded in 1333. On its former site stands a new artwork from the “MAN ROCK” series, which the artist has been creating since 1979. The stone sculpture—carved from a stone taken from the Shinano River to depict a human form in harmony with nature—is surrounded by a structure modeled after the shrine’s hand-washing pavilion and quietly returns to nature amid the lush shrine grove. Let’s take a moment to reflect on the connection between humanity and the Earth through this artwork.
10 minutes
10:10
A leading art museum in Echigo-Tsumari
Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, MonET / Akashi no Yu
A hub for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field. Designed by Hara Hiroshi＋ATELIERΦ, the museum features 15 permanent artworks by renowned artists from Japan and abroad, including Nawa Kohei, Nakatani Michiko, and Mé. Visitors can also enjoy seasonal Special Exhibitions and the museum shop. It’s a spot where you can enjoy both art and hot springs—whether by admiring the illuminated artwork or soothing the fatigue of travel at the adjacent “Akashi no Yu” hot spring.
15 minutes
11:15
A park rich in nature and surrounded by greenery
"Pavillon / Papillon" by Dominique Perrault
The “Azumaya” serves as a stage for Noh and Kyogen performances. Its roof, made of reflective material inspired by butterfly wings and kaleidoscopes, blends the scenery of the rural mountains with the beautiful costumes on stage. As a design feature unique to regions with heavy snowfall, the roof can be folded vertically in winter to prepare for snow.
"Stone Fish" by Ogino Koichi
Thanks to a long-standing connection with the stone sculpture symposium held in Tokamachi city, artworks are on display at this location. It’s a spot where you can enjoy stone sculptures alongside the waterside scenery.
"A Small House-Don't forget to listen to-" by Ito Yoshiaki
This space was created specifically to view a single tree standing on the opposite bank. A basement has been built so that visitors can notice the tree that the artist took a particular liking to. Please spend some time in this quiet space, facing the tree and engaging in a moment of quiet reflection.
5 minutes
11:45
A traditional Japanese house restaurant over 100 years old
Ubusuna House
At this historic thatched-roof farmhouse, built over 100 years ago, you can savor the “Ubusuna Set Meal,” handmade by the local mothers of the village. This set meal is brimming with the bounty of the satoyama landscape, featuring rice grown in the Rice Fields of the local Keiji region, seasonal wild greens and vegetables, and miso-marinated grilled Tsumari pork. Along with your meal, please take your time to enjoy conversation with the local mothers and the scenic satoyama landscape.
20 minutes
1:20 p.m.
A New Playground for Children in the Heart of Town
"Mythology of Boundaries" by Uchida Shigeru
“To enclose” means to separate, protect, confine, or contain something. The artist considered “what to enclose and from what,” and created this small park through repeated dialogue with local residents. It is a new playground for children that has emerged in the heart of town—a place open to the community that also soothes the hearts of passersby.
5 minutes
1:40 p.m.
Enjoy Outside Artworks at Nakago Green Park
"Homage to Rachel Carson: Four Little Stories" by Fujiwara Yoshiko
“The Temple,” “The Bird Man,” “The Donkey,” and “The Rabbit.” The characters who embody these four stories are cloaked in humor, yet they also contain scathing social criticism. What have we learned since R. Carson’s *Silent Spring*? Why not take a moment to reflect on that question as you explore these artworks?
"Green Villa" by Taho Ritsuko
The earthwork *Green Villa*, which stretches out in a location overlooking the Three Mountains of Echigo, is a land art installation that carves the five words “Fire,” “Water,” “Agriculture,” “Art,” and “Tenjin” as pictograms into the new earth. It embodies the agriculture and civil engineering techniques that thrive in the Kawanishi landscape, as well as the faith and pride of its people—and the Jomon-period archaeological sites slumbering beneath the ground. The memories and identity etched into this land are depicted on the earth’s surface as a message to the universe.
"Time Space" by Saitoh Ghiju
This artwork is by an artist who epitomizes the 20th-century Japanese contemporary art scene. Saito once said that an artwork is never “complete” and that its very state of progress defines its form. This artwork, which has become a symbol of Nakago Green Park, is also his final artwork.
3 minutes
2:05 p.m.
Inspired by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's *In Praise of Shadows*
"House of Light" by James Turrell
A work by light artist James Turrell. Conceived as a guesthouse for meditation, it was modeled after the “Hoshina Residence,” a traditional local dwelling designated as an Important Cultural Property. Turrell drew inspiration for this concept from Jun’ichirō Tanizaki’s *In Praise of Shadows* and fused the intimate light of traditional Japanese architecture with the light-based artworks he has created.
20 minutes
3:15 p.m.
The Art Museum with Goats
Hachi & Tashima Seizo: Museum of Picture Book Art
There are lots of interesting classrooms inside the school building. There’s also Hachi Café, Kusamura’s Room, and a shop selling products. Outside, a mother goat and her kids live there. On nice days, you can look for rare aquatic creatures in the outdoor biotope area.
Hachi Café
Take a short break while touring the artwork. You can enjoy a wide variety of drinks, including coffee and herbal tea. We also recommend the donuts from “Delicious Donuts Tagayasu-do” in Sado City. With their mild sweetness, they’re perfect for a break during your trip.
5:00 p.m.
[Kan-Etsu Expressway] Echigo-Kawaguchi
Summary
| Dates | July 18–November 8, 2026 (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) [Lunch: Ubusuna House] |
|---|---|
| Origin / Destination | Echigo-Kawaguchi IC / Echigo-Kawaguchi IC |
| Transportation | Car |
Official Tours / Itineraries
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