DEPOSIT | NOV 2024 Quilting & Textile Tour of Japan
12-day Tour :: Fall Colors Quilting & Textile Tour
Including Yokohama Quilt Show
THU November 7 to MON November 18, 2024
Tour Deposit: $1,750
Total Tour Cost: $9,250 Single Occupancy
Tour limited to 16 participants
Tour Leaders: Patricia Belyea, co-owner of Okan Arts & Jane Sassaman, American quilting leader
Japanese Travel Expert and Guide: Yumi Sugai
5 nights in Tokyo | 6 nights in Kyoto
Let the allure of Japan captivate you with its dynamic contrasts.
You start in the modern metropolis of Tokyo for contemporary textile and quilting delights and end up in historic Kyoto, a mecca for masterly textile traditions.
This tour delivers a non-stop array of memorable activities with insider visits to textile studios, hands-on workshops, celebrity meet-ups, special group meals, and most importantly—the Yokohama Quilt Show!
NOTE: We are also traveling with our friend Caroline Fairbanks-Critchfield of SewCanShe.com
ITINERARY
B=Breakfast L=Lunch T= Tea D=Dinner
Day 1. Arrive at either Narita or Haneda Airport near Tokyo and be transported to your 4-star hotel, an oasis in the busy city.
Day 2. After group introductions, coach to the home of Amy Katoh, a beloved champion of Japanese arts and crafts. In the afternoon, check out Nippori Textile Town. For those needing a jet-lag nap, coach back early. Or, stay later and get back to the hotel on your own. Be sure to return in time for a fun Welcome Dinner! BD
Day 3. Today is the day! Travel to the nearby port of Yokohama for a full day of viewing the quilt exhibits at the Yokohama Quilt Show. B
Day 4. Start your day at the home of social media celebrity Sheila Cliffe, an expert on all things kimono. Lunch at the Enneste studio where you stitch a temari ball. Then visit the studio of quilting superstar Shizuko Kuroha. BL
Day 5. Be inspired by the creativity of Sora To Umi, a remarkable Special Abilities facility in Chiba. After lunch at the facility, continue to a quilter’s wishlist destination— the famed Quilt Party fabric boutique. If Yoko Saito is available, meet with this world-famous quilter in her classroom. BL
Day 6. Ride the Bullet Train to Kyoto. After stopping at your 4-star riverside hotel in the center of downtown, walk to a kyo-yuzen studio for a brush-dyeing workshop. On your return to the hotel, discover the Secret Needle Shop in the grand shopping arcade. B
Day 7. Adventure to rural Ohara! Meet a renowned dyemaster in his indigo workshop. Savor a group lunch in a rustic restaurant, followed by a natural-dyeing workshop at a near-by botanical farm. BL
Day 8. Experience a silk weaving workshop with a fourth-generation artisan. Meditate beside a dry landscape garden in a walled temple. Visit the Raku Museum with 450 years of Raku ware. Finish your day with tea and traditional treats at Japan’s oldest confectionery. BLT
Day 9. Explore the Nishijin Textile Center before meeting with Lady Mitsuko, the granddaughter of a samurai and a dealer of folk textiles. Cap your day with a gold-foil painting workshop at a neighborhood temple. B
Day 10. At Arashiyama, enter the grounds of the nearly 700-year old Tenryu-Ji temple, then walk through the magical Bamboo Grove. Spend the afternoon soaking in a hot-springs spa, or continue to explore local sights on your own. In the evening, attend an elegant Farewell Dinner. BD
Day 11. Start with a roketsu (wax-resist dyeing) indigo workshop, followed by a walk in the famous Gion geisha district. The afternoon is yours: you can head north to stroll the legendary Philosopher’s Path, roam Nijo Castle with its nightingale floors and famous gardens, discover the pottery district, or catch up on last-minute shopping. B
Day 12. Marvel at the iconic Golden Pavilion and stroll the temple grounds for a farewell meditation. Then coach to Kansai Airport (KIX Osaka) for your departure. B
NOTE: This itinerary is subject to change.
Mobility
Okan Arts tours explore vibrant cities, rural areas, and artist studios so mobility is important. Japan is a country that tends to build up and stairs are a common feature. You will be welcomed into private homes and ateliers where seating may be limited or even on the floor.
To experience this tour to the fullest and keep up with the rest of the group, we request that you are able to:
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Walk up to three miles throughout the day
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Walk on rustic pathways and stairs, often with no handrails
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Ascend and descend steep stairs with a handrail
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Stand for 40 minutes to one hour (for presentations in small artisan ateliers)
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Sit on the floor (not on your knees) for up to one hour
Food
Most traditional Japanese food is free of the common allergens of dairy and peanuts. However, on your trip to Japan we cannot guarantee allergen-free meals.
If you have severe allergies or food restrictions, please assess your comfort with eating in a different culture with a language barrier.
*Please note that if you have a gluten sensitivity or intolerance, most soy sauces —a common seasoning in Japanese foods— contain wheat.
Face Masks
Tour members may be asked to wear a face mask for some outdoor and indoor activities.
Tour Contract
Within 24 hours of paying your Deposit, you will receive the Tour Contract via email. You must return the completed and signed Tour Contract to Okan Arts within one week to finalize your tour booking.
Cancellation
Your Tour Deposit is non-refundable. That said, if you need to cancel and Okan Arts fills your place, you will receive a refund of your Tour Deposit less $150.
If your place is not filled, you will forfeit 100% of your Tour Deposit.
Okan Arts recommends that you purchase Comprehensive Travel Insurance with Trip Cancellation Coverage.
COVID-19
If your tour is canceled due to Japan closing its borders to travelers, a full refund will be made which constitutes a full settlement.
In the event of a tour cancellation, Okan Arts is not responsible for any additional expenses prepaid by you, such as airline tickets, passport fees, or visa fees.
With Okan Arts, you travel with like-minded textile and quilting enthusiasts who want to be inspired by the people, places, and traditions of Japan.
Okan Arts offers more than tailor-made itineraries and knowledgeable tour leaders—we care that all our travelers have an extraordinary experience!
- Japan, our only tour destination, is our specialty
- our tours cap at 16 participants–with two leaders and a Japanese Travel Expert
- we design trip-of-a-lifetime tours with insider events and hands-on workshops
- accommodations are single occupancy in 4- and 5-star hotels
- includes all breakfasts, a Welcome Dinner, a Farewell Dinner, and additional special group meals
- includes transit and transfers within Japan during the stated days of the tours
YOUR TOUR LEADERS
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Patricia Belyea, co-owner of Okan Arts, is crazy about Japanese textiles and everything quilty. Patricia, a quilting teacher, speaker and author, shares her passions with joy. Patricia’s knowledge and extensive travels throughout Japan are the foundation of the Okan Arts tours. |
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Jane Sassaman, a leader in the quilting industry, creates award-winning quilts and distinctive fabric collections filled with whimsical and bold botanical images. Jane brings her love of textiles and her generous spirit to this special tour. |
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Yumi Sugai, our Japanese Tour Expert, started working as a tour guide in 2000. Since then, Yumi has traveled all across Japan with many visitors from abroad. You will never feel a cultural gap once Yumi appears. |
Included
- A 12-day quilter and textile lover’s tour with exclusive visits, experiences, and workshops as stated in the Itinerary
- 11 nights in a 4- to 5-star hotel, single occupancy
- All breakfasts (B), and special group lunches (L) and dinners (D) as stated in the Itinerary
- Two co-leaders, and one Japanese travel expert
- All tour transportation and transfers within Japan
Not Included
- International airfare
- Passport and visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Emergency medical travel insurance – required
- Personal expenses, shopping money, taxis, and meals when on your own
It was such a great experience and the group was very special. I had a wonderful time.
Lynn H - Aiea HI
The workshops were great — so was the food. I especially enjoyed the Kyoto hotel where we stayed. It was well-located; we could walk many places from there.
Toni B - San Francisco CA
Thank you for being flexible and doing side excursions.
Lily K - Aiea HI
I hope that others will be able to have the rich and rewarding Japan experience that I had!
Ellen M - Santa Cruz CA
I had such a memorable experience, one I’ll never forget. No drama. No negativity. All love and respect.
Jude S - Los Angeles, CA
I do feel lucky indeed, to have had the special opportunity to travel with Okan Arts to Japan.
Mary K - Chattanooga TN
