[Two-Day Trip] Recommended course for familiy, staying at the "Katakuri House",
This course focuses on viewing artworks that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. This course includes an overnight stay at Katakuri House, which was built in an abandoned school in the unexplored region of Akiyamago in Tsunan Town. After enjoying the artworks, please relax in the natural surroundings of the Katakuri House and enjoy a meal made with local ingredients.
*Please note that the facilities closes at 4pm from October onwards.
*Please note that the facilities closes at 4pm from October onwards.
10:00
［Day1] Rent a car at Echigo-Yuzawa Station.
35 min.
10:35-11:00
Echigo-Mizusawa Station / Doichi Station
[New] "Kiss & Goodbye" Jimmy Liao
The artwork was installed next to Doichi and Echigo-Mizusawa stations, centred on the new picture book, which is set on the JR Iiyama Line. The story is about a boy who has lost his parents and his dog who takes a train to visit his grandfather in the countryside. Like a train moving forward, the artwork gives the courage to open up one's life.
10 min.
11:10-12:40
A colourful museum where you can interact with goats.
[New] Hachi & Seizo Tashima Museum of Picture Book Art
Tashima Seizo has been working for many years on an art museum in a village. Formerly an elementary school, it is a magnificent "spatial picture book" with "three current students who were there when the school closed" as the main characters. New artworks are being developed in conjunction with this exhibition.
[Lunch] Hachi Café
The Curry with plenty of vagetables, which reproduces the taste of the curry in the picture book "The school will Never Become Empty", is available for a limited time only during the exhibition. The Topepelatoto Curry, which is less spicy and popular with children, can also be enjoyed. You can also enjoy ice cream made from pumpkins lovingly grown by the village mothers and original coffee blends, while enjoying the view of the mountains.、
20 min.
13:00-14:30
Museum representing Echigo-Tsumari
[NEW] Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, MonET / Akashinoyu
This is the base facility of the "Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale," which features works by prominent contemporary artists such as Nawa Kohei, Nakatani Michiko, and "目 [mé]. The exhibition features the special exhibition that take up the entire area of MonET's corridor and garden, as well as works by Ukrainian artists.
15 min.
14:50-15:30
Let's enjoy Nakago Green Park
[NEW] Nakago Wonder Land―Breath and Rebirth of Animals
Animals created with art will be on display on the vast lawns of the Nakago Green Park. Workshops by the artists will also be held from time to time. *'Nakago Wonder Land―Breath and Rebirth of Animals' will be open to the public until Sunday, 6 October, 2024.
30 min.
16:00-17:00
“Children's Museum of Five Senses Experience”
[NEW] NUNAGAWA Campus
A school for practical learning of local values has been renovated into a museum for the five senses. With artists we will create a place where visitors can experience wood, light and sound with all five senses.
*Please note that the facilities closes at 4pm from October onwards.
*Please note that the facilities closes at 4pm from October onwards.
45 min.
17:45
Dinner of seasonal vegetables
[Dinner] Check in at Katakuri House
The inn is a renovated elementary school that has watched over the local children. The former classrooms have been turned into relaxing guest rooms, and the principal's office has been turned into a hot spring bath. The meals are prepared by the staff, who were attracted by the rich nature and history of the area and moved to the area, using ingredients from the mountains.
"Tsumari Sugoroku" Hara Rintaro + Hara Yu
A Sugoroku (Japanese folk game) hall has been opened at "Katakuri House," a former elementary school. The wooden gymnasium of the inn, which will serve as the exhibition hall, has been preserved in its original appearance, and playground equipment and musical instruments such as a basketball goal, piano, and organ have been incorporated into the Sugoroku, combined with an original ping-pong table and sculptures to create a giant Sugoroku field for everyone to play on.
8:00-9:50
[Day 2] Explore nature-rich tourist attractions.
[Breakfast] Katakuri House / "Mikura Bridge" or "Terraced rice paddies in Ketto" walk
The Mikura Bridge is an unusual wooden suspension bridge connecting the villages of Ketto and Mikura. It has been selected as one of the 50 best bridges in Niigata, and the Nakatsu River valley below the bridge is spectacular. The Ishigaki Paddy Fields of Ketto are terraced paddy fields with stone walls, selected as one of the 100 best rural landscapes in Japan. Visitors can feel the history of the hard work of our ancestors who carved out a place that was once covered with stones, as well as the beautiful scenery. *There is an early morning walk from 6:00 am, free of charge. A local guide will take you to ‘Mikura Bridge’ or ‘ketto's Stone Walled Rice Terraces’.
9:45
Check out at Katakuri House
15 min.
10:00-11:00
Learn about the techniques and beliefs of the "commons."
[NEW] Akeyama Arts Center
Oakasawa Elementary School, which was founded in 1924 as a long-awaited school in an area exempted from compulsory education, was closed in 2021. Taking up its history, the school will be reborn as a place to convey the history and culture of Akiyamago through art. The project will work with a variety of people, including residents, researchers, and artists, to learn and practice the techniques and beliefs of the "common land".
45 min.
11:45-13:15
Performing Arts Centres
[NEW] Echigo-Tsumari "Kamigo Clove Theatre"
Utilizing the atmosphere of the former Kamigo Junior High School, one of the newest abandoned school buildings in Echigo-Tsumari, it is now growing into a comprehensive facility that includes a temporary theater in a renovated gymnasium, as well as an exhibition space, restaurant, and residency space.
[Lunch] Restaurant Kamigo Clove Theatre
This is a theatre restaurant where dishes using seasonal ingredients from Tsunan are served in a cheerful and fun theatrical style by local mothers, called "onnasho". You can enjoy a unique lunch experience where you can enjoy food and theatre together and be smitten by the smiling faces of the mothers.
*Meals and performances are only available from 12:00-12:45. Advance booking recommended due to limited seating.
*Meals and performances are only available from 12:00-12:45. Advance booking recommended due to limited seating.
[NEW] Hong Kong House
As a base for international exchange in the Kamigo region, this residency and gallery is a permanent cultural exchange with Hong Kong. This time, Matthew Tsang & Cordelia Tam will stay in Echigo-Tsumari to deepen their knowledge of the local natural environment and agricultural culture, and to create artworks from the perspective of city dwellers.
10 min.
13:25-14:40
Main street of Oowarino.
[New] Oowarino Shopping Street Artworks.
Four artists will create works using shops and empty houses in the Oowarino shopping street, the main street of Tsunan town. Many of the artworks are in line with the local area, and you will also enjoy artworks, workshops and other events.
10 min.
14:50-15:00
Experiencing the nature of Satoyama
"For Lots of Lost Windows" Utsumi Akiko
The window that reflects different landscapes depending on the season instills a sense of awe in viewers towards the nature of Echigo-Tsumari. The curtains, swaying differently depending on the weather, evoke the feeling of sunlight and the gentle breeze. The window, standing in harmony with nature, invites people to the breathtaking scenery of Echigo-Tsumari.
*Please do not climb on the artwork. It is extremely dangerous and may lead to damage to the artwork.
*Please do not climb on the artwork. It is extremely dangerous and may lead to damage to the artwork.
15 min.
15:15-17:00
The whole tunnel is art
"Tunnel of Light" Ma Yansong / MAD Architects
The trip ends at the Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel, which has been popular since it first opened to the public.
Kiyotsukyo Gorge is one of Japan's three most beautiful gorges, the result of 16 million years of earthly history. The 750 m long tunnel offers a fusion of canyon beauty and art. The spectacular natural scenery, which changes with the seasons, is also a must-see.
*During the exhibition period (13 Jul-10 Nov) on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and from 21 Oct (Mon) onwards, advance booking is required.
Kiyotsukyo Gorge is one of Japan's three most beautiful gorges, the result of 16 million years of earthly history. The 750 m long tunnel offers a fusion of canyon beauty and art. The spectacular natural scenery, which changes with the seasons, is also a must-see.
*During the exhibition period (13 Jul-10 Nov) on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and from 21 Oct (Mon) onwards, advance booking is required.
30 min.
17:30
Return rental cars at Echigo-Yuzawa Station.
Summary
| Dates | 13 July - 10 November, 2024. |
|---|---|
| Origin / Destination | Echigo-Yuzawa Station |
| Transportation | Rent a car |
| Note |
[STAY] Katakuri House (450-1, ketto, Tsunan-cho, Naka-uonuma-gun, Niigata Prefecture) |
Recommended Tours / Itineraries
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