Echigo-Tsumari Art Tour: Satoyama & Modern Art Experience in Niigata

• [Departure] 09:50, meet up at Echigo-Yuzawa Visitor Center. Meet your guide holding a JTB Sunrise Tours sign in front of Echigo-Yuzawa Visitor Center in the Echigo Yuzawa Station Concourse (2F).Latecomers or no-shows can't be refunded Please arrive at the location 10 mins before the departure time
• [Transportation] 10:00 By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 10:30, 1 hour(s), Guided tour, Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel, The Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel, reborn as MAD Architects' "Tunnel of Light," reflects the grand scenery of one of Japan's great gorges. The final observation deck offers a kaleidoscopic view
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 11:50, 25 min(s), Guided tour, "For Lots of Lost Windows", This window frame artwork on an Echigo-Tsumari hill offers seasonal views through swaying curtains. It subtly references windows lost in the 2004 Chuetsu Earthquake, conveying local memories
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 12:25, 35 min(s), Guided tour, "The Last Class", Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman's Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale work in the former Higashikawa Elementary School expresses human absence
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Dining] 13:20, Lunch, Echigo-Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo, Enjoy a buffet-style meal featuring plenty of rice from the rice terraces and fresh vegetables
• [Attraction/experience] Self-guided, [D053]Matsudai Nohbutai Center / MVRDV, After lunch, you'll have free time until 3 PM at the MVRDV-designed building, an artwork in itself, featuring works by world-renowned artists like Ilya & Emilia Kabakov and Yayoi Kusama
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 15:30, 1 hour(s), Guided tour, Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET, Reopened in 2021, this is the main facility for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, showcasing art integrated with local nature and culture, including Leandro Erlich's "Palimpsest: Pond of Sky"
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Return] 18:00, at Echigo-Yuzawa Station, Tour ends after arriving at Echigo-Yuzawa Station
• Day {num}

Eligibility

• Children up to 5 years old may join free of charge, but will not be provided with bus seats or lunch. If your children require a meal and separate seat, please book a child ticket
• Children aged 12+ will be charged the same rate as adults

Additional information

• Depending on vehicle availability, several vehicles may be provided
• Cancellation may occur due to traffic obstruction caused by heavy snowfall or inclement weather in the Echigo-Tsumari region
• The order of activities and arrival times may differ depending on road conditions and congestion at destinations
• Specific seats on board the bus cannot be requested
• The Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is 750 meters long and takes about 30-40 minutes to walk round-trip
• The Panorama Station ("water mirror") at the end of Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is walkable with a depth of about 0.5-2 cm, but as it is easy to get wet, please bring extra shoes, socks, towels, etc. In addition, as it is possible for multiple groups to take photos simultaneously without waiting in line at the Panorama Station, customers may freely enter and enjoy taking photos
• [About Matsudai NOHBUTAI Field Museum] The paid area artworks/facilities that can be viewed on this tour are as follows.- Blackboard Classroom, Art Drawers, 10 Albums, Labyrinth, The Artist's Library, The Palace of Projects, How to Make Yourself Better, The Rice Fields, Rotating Absence. *Customers will be viewing on their own. Please be mindful of the allotted viewing time
• [Rules and Etiquette for Visiting Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, MonET] Flash photography is strictly prohibited to protect the artworks. Please confirm with staff members in advance as some artworks can be photographed. The artworks on display will be changed regularly, and some areas may not be open to the public during the exhibition change period. Please do not touch the artworks. Please view the museum exhibits in silence. Please leave large luggage in a locker. Eating and drinking are prohibited outside designated areas
• [Lunch: Echigo Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo (Japanese/Western-style buffet)] This buffet-style meal uses plenty of rice from the rice terraces and fresh vegetables. The menu lineup has about 20 kinds of local flavors and homemade dishes. Drink charges are not included. As lunch is a buffet, requests for vegetarian meals cannot be accommodated
• [What to Wear/Bring] Please wear shoes and clothing which are easy to walk in. This tour involves walking outdoors. Please take measures against heat depending on the season. Summer: Temperatures can reach up to 35°C. Please bring items that protect from the heat such as sunglasses, hat, parasol, neck cooler, etc. As there may be a lot of mosquitoes in June to August, please bring insect repellent. In rainy weather, using a raincoat is recommended as it offers better visibility than an umbrella, won't break in strong winds, and keeps the hands free
• Large luggage such as suitcases cannot be brought during the tour. Please have them delivered in advance, or leave them in a locker or at your hotel before participating
• Depending on the number of tour participants, transportation to be used may be other than a small-size bus(minibus), a hired car (van, sedan), a taxi, etc

• [Departure] 07:50, meet up at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu B1F Bus Terminal Tokyo Yaesu. Meet your guide holding a JTB Sunrise Tours sign at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu B1F Bus Terminal Tokyo Yaesu in front of Information. Access: About a 3-minute walk from JR Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit.Latecomers or no-shows can't be refunded Please arrive at the location 10 mins before the departure time
• [Transportation] 08:00 By walking
• [Attraction/experience] Tokyo Station, Travel by Joetsu Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo Station to Echigo-Yuzawa Station with reserved seats in an ordinary car
• [Transportation] By train
• [Attraction/experience] 09:40, Guided tour, Echigoyuzawa station, Arrive at Ecihgo-Yuzawa Station. You may meet fellow travelers joining from Echigo-Yuzawa at Echigo-Yuzawa Visitor Center. Once everyone has gathered, you’ll board the tour bus to begin your tour
• [Transportation] 10:00 By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 10:30, 1 hour(s), Guided tour, Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel, The Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel, reborn as MAD Architects' "Tunnel of Light," reflects the grand scenery of one of Japan's great gorges. The final observation deck offers a kaleidoscopic view
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 11:50, 25 min(s), Guided tour, "For Lots of Lost Windows", This window frame artwork on an Echigo-Tsumari hill offers seasonal views through swaying curtains. It subtly references windows lost in the 2004 Chuetsu Earthquake, conveying local memories
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 12:25, 35 min(s), Guided tour, "The Last Class", Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman's Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale work in the former Higashikawa Elementary School expresses human absence
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Dining] 13:20, Lunch, Echigo-Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo, Enjoy a buffet-style meal featuring plenty of rice from the rice terraces and fresh vegetables
• [Attraction/experience] Self-guided, [D053]Matsudai Nohbutai Center / MVRDV, After lunch, you'll have free time until 3 PM at the MVRDV-designed building, an artwork in itself, featuring works by world-renowned artists like Ilya & Emilia Kabakov and Yayoi Kusama
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 15:30, 1 hour(s), Guided tour, Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET, Reopened in 2021, this is the main facility for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, showcasing art integrated with local nature and culture, including Leandro Erlich's "Palimpsest: Pond of Sky"
• [Transportation] By bus
• [Attraction/experience] 18:10, Echigoyuzawa station, Travel by Joetsu Shinkansen (bullet train) from Echigo-Yuzawa to Tokyo or Ueno Station with reserved seats in an ordinary car. No tour guide accompanies this journey
• [Transportation] By train
• [Return] 20:00, at Tokyo staion, Tour ends after arriving at Tokyo or Ueno Station
• Day {num}

Eligibility

• Children up to 5 years old may join free of charge, but will not be provided with bus seats, train tickets or lunch. If your children require a meal and separate seat at train and bus, please book a child ticket
• Children aged 12+ will be charged the same rate as adults

Additional information

• Depending on vehicle availability, several vehicles may be provided
• Cancellation may occur due to traffic obstruction caused by heavy snowfall or inclement weather in the Echigo-Tsumari region
• The order of activities and arrival times may differ depending on road conditions and congestion at destinations
• Specific seats on board the bus cannot be requested
• The Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is 750 meters long and takes about 30-40 minutes to walk round-trip
• The Panorama Station ("water mirror") at the end of Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is walkable with a depth of about 0.5-2 cm, but as it is easy to get wet, please bring extra shoes, socks, towels, etc. In addition, as it is possible for multiple groups to take photos simultaneously without waiting in line at the Panorama Station, customers may freely enter and enjoy taking photos
• [About Matsudai NOHBUTAI Field Museum] The paid area artworks/facilities that can be viewed on this tour are as follows.- Blackboard Classroom, Art Drawers, 10 Albums, Labyrinth, The Artist's Library, The Palace of Projects, How to Make Yourself Better, The Rice Fields, Rotating Absence. *Customers will be viewing on their own. Please be mindful of the allotted viewing time
• [Rules and Etiquette for Visiting Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, MonET] Flash photography is strictly prohibited to protect the artworks. Please confirm with staff members in advance as some artworks can be photographed. The artworks on display will be changed regularly, and some areas may not be open to the public during the exhibition change period. Please do not touch the artworks. Please view the museum exhibits in silence. Please leave large luggage in a locker. Eating and drinking are prohibited outside designated areas
• [Lunch: Echigo Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo (Japanese/Western-style buffet)] This buffet-style meal uses plenty of rice from the rice terraces and fresh vegetables. The menu lineup has about 20 kinds of local flavors and homemade dishes. Drink charges are not included. As lunch is a buffet, requests for vegetarian meals cannot be accommodated
• [What to Wear/Bring] Please wear shoes and clothing which are easy to walk in. This tour involves walking outdoors. Please take measures against heat depending on the season. Summer: Temperatures can reach up to 35°C. Please bring items that protect from the heat such as sunglasses, hat, parasol, neck cooler, etc. As there may be a lot of mosquitoes in June to August, please bring insect repellent. In rainy weather, using a raincoat is recommended as it offers better visibility than an umbrella, won't break in strong winds, and keeps the hands free
• Large luggage such as suitcases cannot be brought during the tour. Please have them delivered in advance, or leave them in a locker or at your hotel before participating
• Depending on the number of tour participants, transportation to be used may be other than a small-size bus(minibus), a hired car (van, sedan), a taxi, etc
• Please check the tickets and final itinerary for the train number and times. Changes may not be made to the scheduled Shinkansen
• The Shinkansen schedule may vary slightly due to unforeseen conditions
• No refunds will be issued even if the Shinkansen tickets are not used. In such cases, please use public transportation to the destination on your own
• If you must cancel your tour after receiving the Shinkansen tickets, please send the tickets back to JTB Sunrise Tours
• Changes may not be made to the scheduled Shinkansen. Customers who miss the designated Shinkansen may board a later departing Shinkansen in the non-reserved car section only (same day only)
• Customers will carry their own baggage. Please be aware that there is not much space on board the Shinkansen