9:30 Meet at and depart from Echigo-Yuzawa station

50 min.

13:30 Roadside Station Crossten (restroom break)

20 min.

14:10 Dancing Ryōkan on a snowfield

Tanaka Min Performance “Ryōkan in the Snow”

The spirit of the Echigo region shines brightest in the winter season, when snow blankets the land. Ryōkan, a local 18th-century Buddhist monk, who entertained children while waiting for the return of the spring, is a religious figure embodying the winter spirit of Echigo. As we await the return of ETAT 2024, Tanaka Min dances Ryōkan through deep drifts of snow.

20 min

15:30 Contemporary art museum representaing the Echigo-Tsumari.

Museum on Echigo-Tsumari (MonET)

The base facility of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, featuring works by prominent contemporary artists such as Kohei Nawa, Michiko Nakatani, and 目 [mé].
A winter-only exhibit will be held in the pond in the center of MonET, which will be transformed into a field of pure white snow. (Photo shows last year's exhibition)

60 min.

17:30 To Akiyamago, an unexplored region

Katakuri House Check-in

Katakuri House is a renovated wooden schoolhouse. The school, which started as a terakoya, has now been transformed into an art festival accommodation. The former classrooms have been turned into guest rooms, the principal's office into a hot spring, and the gymnasium into a work of art that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. Due to the limited number of rooms available, same-sex guests are required to share a room. An additional charge of 5,000 yen per person is required for those who use the guest rooms alone.

18:00 Dinner

For dinner, you can enjoy a hot pot full of local Tsumari pork and large mushrooms. We will serve you with local vegetables and we will be pleased to serve you with all our hearts so that you can enjoy your precious meal.

7:30 Wake up and breakfast

8:30 Depart for Mikurabashi Bridge wearing KANJIKI (traditional Japanese footwear)

Mikurabashi Bridge wearing KANJIKI

While experiencing "Kanjiki", footwear filled with the wisdom of the snow country, a local guide will take you to Mikurabashi Bridge, which is also known as the setting of the movie "Yureru" (Yureru is a Japanese word meaning "to shake"). In the past, children used to cross this suspension bridge to go to elementary school (now Katakuri no Yado). Enjoy the spectacular view of the scenery as you imagine such a scene.

10:00 Check out

40 min.

10:40 Large-scale installation that transforms the entire abandoned school into a work of art

Christian Boltanski + Jean Kalman "The Last Classroom”

In an area that is closed by deep snow for nearly half of the year, this work densely and heavily traps the memories of a former elementary school in the entire school. A contemporary art artist and a lighting artist team up to take viewers into another world with an expression that appeals to all five senses.

30 min.

11:40 Enjoy a unique local "Hare Day" flavor for lunch.

【Lunch】Yukimi Gozen

Yukimi Gozen dishes, prepared with great care by the village mothers using local rice and vegetables, are not only nutritious but also delicious and satisfying to keep you going strong during the harsh winter months. The dishes are served in traditional lacquerware, which was once used for weddings and funerals in the village and has been treasured and stored carefully.

30min

13:30 The entire tunnel is a work of art.

Ma Yansong / MAD Architects, “Tunnel of Light”

Kiyotsu Gorge is one of the three most beautiful gorges in Japan, created by 16 million years of earth history. Visitors can view the fusion of the beauty of the gorge and art in the 750-meter-long tunnel. The spectacular natural scenery, which changes with the seasons, is also a must-see.
*There is a possibility that the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel will be closed due to heavy snowfall. In that case, the tour will be changed to a stopover at another artwork.

40 min

around 15:30 Returns to Echigo-Yuzasa Sta., the tour completes.