12-day Tour :: Blue Japan Indigo Tour
WED October 1 to SUN October 12, 2025
Tour Deposit: $1,750
Total Tour Cost: $10,950 Single Occupancy
Tour limited to 16 participants
Tour Leaders: Victoria Stone & Patricia Belyea, co-owners of Okan Arts
Japanese Travel Expert and Guide: Yumi Sugai
You venture into the mountains to dye indigo at a 13th-generation family business that makes huge koinobori. You go behind the scenes at a banner factory to dye a koi wall hanging. You tour an indigo farm in Tokushima prefecture. You make paper embellished with indigo at a famous washi factory. You wander Kojima Jeans Street, the heart of Japanese denim. And more!
Your tour gives you a more in-depth understanding of indigo, as well as memories for a lifetime.
Your home base for your indigo adventures is Hotel Okura Kyoto. When you head off to Tokushima Prefecture, the indigo-growing region of Japan, you maintain your room in Kyoto and just take your carry-on bag! On the third night of your getaway, you return to your Kyoto nest for the last few nights of the tour!
ITINERARY
B=Breakfast L=Lunch T=Tea D=Dinner
DAY 1 Arrive at KIX | Transfer to Kyoto Hotel
DAY 2 Philosopher’s Path | Temple Lunch | Museum of Crafts & Design BL
DAY 3 Day Trip to Miyama: Little Indigo Museum | Naoko Omae Visit BL
DAY 4 Koi Banner Dyeing Workshop | Netsuke Museum B
DAY 5 Day Trip to Gujo: Indigo Dyeing Workshop at Watanabe Dye House BD
DAY 6 Botanical Dyeing Workshop at Tezomeya | Nijo Castle B
DAY 7 Day Trip to Ohara: Persimmon Dyeing Workshop at Mitsuru Kogei | Jakko-in BL
DAY 8 Tokushima Area: AiAii Visit | Indigo Dyeing Workshop at Aizumicho Historical Museum BL
DAY 9 Tokushima Area: Tour of Watanabe Indigo Farm | Washi Paper Workshop at Awagami BD
DAY 10 Kurashiki: Kojima Jeans Street | Bikan Historical Quarter B
DAY 11 Kumihimo Workshop at Adachi | Tea Party | Free Afternoon BT
DAY 12 Shosei-en Garden | Transfer to KIX B
NOTE: This itinerary is subject to change.
To read many blog posts about indigo adventures in Japan +click here
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:
Walk up to three miles throughout the day
Walk on rustic pathways and stairs, often with no handrails
Ascend and descend steep stairs with a handrail
Stand for 40 minutes to one hour (for presentations in small artisan ateliers)
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 $175.
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!
YOUR TOUR LEADERS
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Included
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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