[From/to Echigo-Yuzawa Station] Snowmelt Echigo-Tsumari cource

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[From/to Echigo-Yuzawa Station] Snowmelt Echigo-Tsumari cource

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This is a highlights tour of the masterpieces of Echigo-Tsumari. Enjoy art alongside the snow and the budding of spring in the satoyama. For lunch, you will taste dishes made with seasonal ingredients at the Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo.
*The Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is currently closed due to heavy snowfall. If the tunnel is closed on the day of the tour, the route will be changed.

Details

10:00 Departure from Echigo-Yuzawa Station (East Exit Bus Terminal)

30min.

10:30 An entire tunnel transformed into art

Tunnel of Light/Ma Yansong / MAD Architects

The first stop of this tour is Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel, which has been popular since its opening to the public.
Kiyotsu Gorge is one of the three most beautiful gorges in Japan, created by 16 million years of earth history. Visitors can view the fusion of the beauty of the gorge and art in the 750-meter-long tunnel. The spectacular natural scenery, which changes with the seasons, is also a must-see.

Tunnel

Details

30min.

12:00 The place evokes memories that have accumulated over time

The Last Class/Christian Boltanski＋Jean Kalman

Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman's work, which unfolds at the former Higashikawa Elementary School, allows you to experience the artwork with your entire body through faint light, the scent of straw grass, and the sound echoing in the corridors. Let's trace the history that has been accumulated in the school building, which is covered in snow for a long period of time.

Matsunoyama

Details

30min.

13:00 The concept is "Exchange Between City and Countryside."

[Lunch] Echigo Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo

A buffet featuring fresh vegetables from local farmers and wild mountain greens nurtured by Echigo-Tsumari’s rich nature, all crafted into dishes with a regional twist. Savour the deep flavours of Echigo-Tsumari while taking in the breathtaking view of terraced rice fields and satoyama.

Lunch

Details

Matsudai NOHBUTAI

Matsudai NOHBUTAI is the base facility for the Matsudai Nohbutai Field Museum. A new work will be added to the "Kabakov's Dream" project by Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, one of the artists who have come to symbolize the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. A short walk from the Nohbutai, visitors can also visit the Matsudai History Museum and artworks in the Joyama area.

New work Matsudai Cafe

Details

30min.

14:30 Overlooking the Three Mountains in Echigo

House of Light/James Turrell

Inspired by Tanizaki Jun'ichirō's *In Praise of Shadows*, this work, which also serves as a guesthouse, is modeled after a traditional Japanese house in the region. It is a unique creation by James Turrell, who has explored the theme of "perception of light" through space and light. This is the only place in the world where you can stay in one of his works, envisioned as a "guesthouse for meditation."

accommodation

Details

15min.

15:15 A representative museum of Echigo-Tsumari.

Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, MonET/Akashinoyu

This is the main facility of the "Echigo-Tsumari Art Field," featuring artworks by renowned contemporary artists such as Nawa Kohei, Nakatani Michiko, and 目[mé]. You can also choose to leave the tour here and relax at Akashinoyu to ease the fatigue of your journey.
*If you wish to leave the tour, please inform us when making your reservation.

Museum

Details

60min.

17:00 Echigo-Yuzawa station　Arrival / Dismissal

Notice

・Itineraries are subject to change or cancellation due to natural disasters or road conditions.
・We will select your seat on the bus. If you have a companion for another application, please enter them in the remarks column. There is also a possibility that you may share seats with other passengers.
・Some art works require a short walk after getting off the bus. Please bring shoes that are easy to walk in and take off, a hat and drink on hot days, and rain gear in case of rain.
・The arrival time at the final destination may be earlier or later. Please make your return Shinkansen reservations well in advance.

Booking On-line

Summary

Dates	3/29 (Sat), 30 (Sun), 4/5 (Sat), 6 (Sun), 12 (Sat), 13 (Sun), 2025
Admission	Travel Price: Adults (High school age and above) ¥14,000 Elementary and Junior High School students ¥12,000 Infants ¥3,000 *Includes bus fare, lunch, guide fee, artwork viewing fees, and consumption tax.
Deadline	24:00 (midnight) the day before the tour.
Origin / Destination	Echigo-Yuzawa Station East Exit Bus Terminal
Transportation	Chartered Bus (Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus)
Capacity	15-20 persons (min. 1 person)
Host	Travel planning and execution: Niigata Prefecture Governor's Registered Travel Agency Region-440, NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization 3743-1 Matsudai, Tokamachi-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan Travel Agents Association regular member 025-761-7749 / officialtour@tsumari-artfield.com
Note	Tour guides are for Japanese only. There are no interpreters on the tour. Please read the terms and conditions of this tour, including the cancellation policy, before participating. NPO法人越後妻有里山協働機構　旅行条件書 NPO法人越後妻有里山協働機構　標準旅行業約款【Inquiries】 Echigo-Tsumari Art Field Information Centre TEL : +81 (0)25-761-7767 (9:00-18:00, closed on Tuesday and Wednesday) MAIL : officialtour@tsumari-artfield.com

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