Japan tradition and unique art culture is calling you!
Is nature your muse, inspiration, or collaborator?
This is the final program in a bi-annual series of residency on the road in Japan. If you would like to see brief synopsis of the 2024 or 2026 programs, please click on the highlighted date in this sentence.
JULY 24 - AUGUST 7, 2028
The exact dates may adjust by a few days. All will be notified before purchasing your flight.
With a maximum group of 12 (10 spots available as of September 2026), we'll take the creative flow on the road and SUMMER BON FESTIVAL SEASON in the natural splendor of the Japanese Alps region in the summer. Explore a special area of Japan beyond the popular tourist destinations.
You'll have a glimpse into the past and a slower pace of life in the small scale cities of Nagano and Matsumoto where we will plan around the annual summer festival - Bon. August 5th, 2028 is the annual Bon Bon Festival in Matsumoto which is the largest participation and attendance in the region. A nature immersion highlight of this agenda is a 5 nights in a ski village area where we'll share a big house with kitchen and sink into the summer splendor.
Two bucket list really unique art destinations are also on the list - an open air sculpture museum at 2000 feet elevation and an art colony village with unique architecture.
The goal for this trip is to have an art and nature immersion with fellow creatives who want to photograph, draw, paint, write/journal, doodle, and otherwise explore art and culture activities such as shrines, temples, gardens, and galleries or museums. If you are looking for a more enriching experience than photo ops for social media, travel with creative friends and spend time in walkabouts at various times of day or night, have sit spots for drawing/painting, and likely converse over meals about whatever we saw that day. If you love to explore with your visual sensibilities, but that annoys your regular travel mates then this experience is up your alley.
Have you ever wanted to travel to Japan, but worried about logistics, the planning, or the language?
This is the 3rd, and final, in a series of bi-annual group artist/writer travel experiences in Japan - each with their specific and unique itinerary. Translation apps are life-changing for this type of cultural exchange.
This is not a typical tourist trip where you can just click a button to book. It starts with a video chat conversation and a group organically develops.
$400 deposit (150 non-refundable) with signed contract and establish payment plan for balance due before April 30, 2028.
$2200 usd (contract & deposit) before June 1, 2027*
$2450 usd (contract & deposit) after June 1, 2027*
Once the maximum participation of 12 is confirmed, there will be a waitlist.
If you are concerned about a summer heat wave, the weather during the 2026 program witnessed regular summer temperatures and some rain in the northern region. The summer heat wave in Japan was primarily Tokyo and south, while the Japanese alps, which is the primary location of this trip with the mountain elevation, was not impacted by those extremes.
Basic agenda:
- Fly to Tokyo Haneda and one night near the airport
- Transport via train to Nagano for 2 nights
- Transport via a bus to the town of Hakuba (location dependent on final booking of house(s) in the Japanese Alps known for ski seasons with summer splendor for 5 nights.
- Transport via train to Matsumoto for 4 nights and one day will include a group trip to outdoor art museum - Utsukushigahara - that embodies our art and nature adventure.
- Transport via train to Kofu for a final night with a pitstop to visit the Kiyoharu Art Village
- You may decide to extend your trip on your own as you'll be close to Tokyo and can either fly domestically or get on a Shinkansen to go north or south.
A travel commentary on tourism in Japan:
Your agenda coordinator, assistant guide, and fellow artist traveler (val) started traveling as an inquisitive artist in Japan in 2011 in academic study abroad settings which eventually transitioned to personal travel and even a 5-week solo trip for a sabbatical project in 2015. She has now coordinated four small group experiences (this is the 5th and final) in Japan and it will be the 10th visit in total. She has also participated in professional development such as East Asian film studies course, an East Asian curriculum development program, and even attending the Infusing Institute program at the East-West center in Hawaii. Her interest in Japan actually began in her youth while her family lived in Okinawa twice, one of those times she was in first through third grade.
The statistics of tourism from 2011 to now in Japan is staggering. From around 4 million then to over 41 million this year, the intense amount of strangers and tourists in the landscape is extremely noticeable. Apparently, Japan has become an easy and affordable destination for other Asian countries and some people, for example, in Singapore are visiting for weekends five to seven times a year.
This is slightly heartbreaking to witness as it seems most of the people in this influx may not understand or respect the particular culture and way of life in Japan. Locals are setting up barriers near their homes or businesses to stop the amounts of people trying to get a particular photographic view. Some cities are instituting steep penalties including fines for people they find littering (as Japan does not have very many public waste receptacles because citizens carry trash with them for a very strict trash and recycling system). In addition, some municipalities are instituting tourist taxes often at lodging venues. Most recently in the summer of 2026, one or more of the shrines and temples in Kyoto are banning wearing kimonos as the kimono rentals and rogue 'photoshoots' are destroying the landscape and the overall intention of these spiritual places.
The itinerary for the 2028 program will take participants beyond the more typical tourist destinations. We will have at least one opportunity to stay in a house together to live like a local as it's potential that the Airbnb style of lodging may also be banned or heavily taxed while owners politely ask guests to adhere to quiet hours and general quiet respect of their neighborhoods. Other lodging will be double accommodations at hotels that may have a breakfast buffet. There will be 4 transit changes between locations so this opportunity is not for a person who wants to pack a giant suitcase and hang out in Tokyo or Kyoto for a couple of weeks just adding to the tourism impact.
If you have any questions, just start the application process today and that will begin the conversation.
Residency Eligibility
Residency Experience Summary
Application Information
- Applicants with nature as their muse, inspiration, or collaborator will receive priority.
- Any age or stage of career are welcome. Previous participant ages range from 20s to 60s
- Please note that walking is a component of this experience so if you are having mobility issues, please mention this in the application.
Individuals must demonstrate an interest in taking creative practice on the road and why the specific location of Japan would be beneficial.
Individuals must demonstrate ability to travel with a group and be amenable to either a shared house, possibly traditional sleeping on futons, or we may be booked in a double occupancy hotel (single upgrade available).
Participants must be willing to adjust personal habits to adapt to the culture in Japan such as not eating while walking, remaining relatively quiet on public trains and buses, not wearing shoes inside the house.
Participants should be honest about their sleeping needs or habits and request a single upgrade if you do not want any potential chance of being disturbed.
Participants who have any special diets are able to navigate on your own to find what you need have participated in the two previous programs without much issue.
Participants must be willing to travel light and not take luggage larger than a carry-on or medium size rolling bag meaning you may need to do laundry at some point during the trip. You must be able to carry your own luggage through train stations and up/down lots of stairs as elevators and escalators are not as often available or are really out of the way when traveling with a group.
Participants must be adaptable and willing to go with the flow. We may have a general itinerary for the day or it may be a spontaneous adventure. There are some days that you'll be able to split off on your own or in small groups depending on the particular place. Val will be coordinating the trip and act as a guide to get us to each destination, but much of the time will be on your own.
Participants should be more interested in the creative and cultural experience rather than partying all night or drinking like a salaryman having a bad hang-over. Reminder that smoking is still allowed in some restaurants, but not while walking on streets. Prefer participants who are non-smokers and non-vapers as well as those who are moderate or limited in alcohol consumption. Participants should be willing to try the cuisine or at least be open to the various options knowing that sometimes we cannot find a restaurant to suit each person in that moment.
Note: If you are on anti-anxiety or other medication, please note that some prescription medications in the U.S. are illegal in Japan. If you are uncomfortable in crowds or have any travel anxiety issues such as panic attacks in place or not knowing where we are going, this is probably not the trip for you. Vegetarians and other special diets are often okay in Japan, but if you don't want to deal with asking, seeing or smelling fish, etc. then this may not be the dream for you.
This is a special travel experience and the cost includes a variety of components - the agenda planning, lodging, transportation between locations and planned group outings, entrance fees to scheduled art spaces, and possibly a few meals.
$2200 usd (contract & deposit) before June 1, 2027*
$2450 usd (contract & deposit) after June 1, 2027*
$400 deposit will hold your spot ($150 is non-refundable).
Payment plans are available based on registration date.
If you are ready to make the commitment, the registration window is now open with 10 spots available as of September 2026.
Not included:
- Flight to Japan - Tokyo Haneda (or transport from one airport to Haneda)
- Food/meals
- Anything else personal from daily activities, daily transit choices, personal souvenirs, entry fees, etc.