Day 1 (THU OCT 27)
Arrive in Tokyo, and gather in Akasaka.

Day 2  (FRI OCT 28) Tokyo 

Tour starts around 10am after breakfast when we are assembled
We will do  a couple of art gallery museum of art hoppings in the morning checking out what is happening. In the afternoon, we will explore one of our feature artists of the tour, Okamoto Taro.

An arty strolling day ends with a dinner at a macrobiotic restaurant in Akasaka. Breakfast included.

Day 3 (SAT OCT 29) Tokyo
We will have our first chew on Chuo railway line famous for more arty off the beaten track suburbs where we take you to intentional public art walks, arcade walks, and incidental walks.  
We stay for three nights at a heritage listed inn, in one of the suburbs, built in 1938, to experience authentic retro kitsch Japanese style, sleeping on the tatami mat floor and using non digital bakelite phones. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 4 (SUN OCT 30) Tokyo 

After feasting on a traditional Japanese breakfast, we will chase more Taro Okamoto stuff, then an open air traditional house museum, and a museum that details one of Japan's secret WW2 military lab.
We will have dinner at a funky Asian cafe where the chef will spin your favourite vinyl disks.

Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 5 (MON OCT 31) Tokyo

We will have a further chew on  the Chuo line today, including some pretty innovative public art display, as well as the outdoor sculpture park, and a town reviving its fortune by preserving the old retro streetscapes. We may visit the house of torture, if we can fit it in, where the various objects of inflicting pain is on display. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 6 (TUE NOV 1 ) Osaka

Today we travel on the Shinkansen bullet train to the western capital, Osaka in the morning.

Our accommodation for next three nights is a former weekly rental flats, Western style, giving us enough room.We will stroll more off beat suburbs and streets, we may sample some of the weirdest food on offer, like a foot long spring roll. Dinner will be a former old school brothel in the red light area. Dinner will be included.

Day 7 (WED Nov 2)  Osaka

Today we will visit one of the world's most extravagant garbage handling complex, and we will leave it to you to decide is it Art or Rubbish, or could it be both? In the early evening we will explore the Osaka nightlife in a bit of a magical mystery bar hopping in Urban Archaeology fashion. Dinner included.

Day 8 (THU Nov 3, the day of Culture, public holiday) Osaka

Today we will spend a whole day in neighbouring Kobe, checking out some of the exciting works at Kobe Bienalle, and see the works of our other feature artist of the tour, Tadanori Yokoo. Along the way, we will see the world's largest Gigantor who stands 18 metres. After dark, we will have a drink or two at a bar streampunk fans would appreciate, and a great local Japanese izakaya pub with a difference. Osaka is reputed to be a culinary heaven. Dinner will be included.

Day 9 (FRI Nov 4) Heading to the Seto Inland Sea
Today we will travel from Osaka on bullet train then leaving the mainlandvia a ferry trip. We will stay overnight in a old fashioned Japanese inn, on Teshima one of tiny islands in the inland sea. It is another island reinventing itself with art. Dinner included.

Day 10 (SAT NOV 5) Teshima/Naoshima I

In the morning, we will explore the arty island of Teshima assisted by electric assisted bicycles, and see more Tadanori Yokoo collections. In the afternoon, we will catch a ferry across to the other island, Naoshima, where our accommodation tonight is a yurt by (inland) sea. Stroll on the beach, or swim, weather permitting. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 11 (SUN NOV 6) Naoshima

Today we will have a day trip around Naoshima by bus and foot to various installations and art museums, inc the world renowned Bennesse House, where we will have lunch. Following a late afternoon trip to a segregated psychedelic bath-house, designed by Otake Shinro, we will eat at a local restaurant with character ! Breakfast , set lunch at Bennesse and dinner included.

Day 12 (MON NOV 7) Himeji
We will leave the arty inland sea island today, via ferry on one of the world's longest bridge (in fact it is ten separate bridges) across the Seto inland sea back to the Honshu mainland in the morning. In the afternoon we will visit an other worldly theme park, where you can see the world's famous statues and structures. Unreal to believe. You will be asked again, is this rubbish or art? Fake, replica, copy, but what is authentic anyway? Will stay in a Western style hotel. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 13 (TUE NOV 8) Ise
This morning, you can explore Himeji at your leisure, perhaps the famous castle, or just strolling the shops. We will leave early afternoon by bullet train and local train to arrive at Ise, the ancient spiritual capital of Japan. Our accomodation for the final two nights in Japan may not be that ancient, but it is historic. We will stay at one of the oldest buildings in the region, a 200 year old former brothel. We will have this historical and architectural curiosity to ourselves. Dinner will be included.

Day 14 (WED NOV 9) Ise
This morning we will explore the Ninja theme a bit in a local theme park, and then a cruise around the bay on a converted junk, is it art or rubbish? We may visit the grand old shrine of Ise, may explore the urban landscape as well. The area may not remain the same as they will host a G7 summit next year.
The famed chef at our inn will cook us his special for our last dinner in Japan. It will be served just like they used to in a long gone by days. Breakfast included.

Day 15 (THU NOV 10)

Breakfast included. We will stroll around Ise in the morning, and head back to Tokyo where our tour will end. Will take you to the airport or help you to get to your next destination.
Sayo.