[August 14 (Fri) – 16 (Sun)] Echigo-Tsumari Forest School 2026 (2 nights, 3 days)
Open
[Region]
Come experience three unforgettable days of fun and learning.
《Tour Highlights》
・This tour is exclusively for elementary and middle school students. You’re welcome to join with friends or siblings, and solo participants are also very welcome. By the time you head home, everyone will be friends!
・Interact with artists and local residents of the Echigo-Tsumari region.
・Participate in the village’s summer festival, the “Costume Bon Odori Dance Contest,” and other performances.
Come experience three unforgettable days of fun and learning.
《Tour Highlights》
・This tour is exclusively for elementary and middle school students. You’re welcome to join with friends or siblings, and solo participants are also very welcome. By the time you head home, everyone will be friends!
・Interact with artists and local residents of the Echigo-Tsumari region.
・Participate in the village’s summer festival, the “Costume Bon Odori Dance Contest,” and other performances.
8:03–9:33
[Day 1] <FOR guests on the plan that includes a Shinkansen ticket> Take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Echigo-Yuzawa Station (guides will meet you in front of the ticket gates at Tokyo Station and lead the way)
9:40
Meet in front of the ticket gates at Echigo-Yuzawa Station
Let's tour the village with Mom and enjoy a delicious meal
Ubusuna House
Come enjoy traditional local cuisine made with vegetables grown by local mothers in a historic thatched-roof farmhouse over 100 years old. At the end of the event, you can learn the Tokamachi Kouta folk song from the mothers and dance along with them.
Feel the natural grass field with your whole body
[FC Echigo-Tsumari] Soccer Workshop
Join the coach of “FC Echigo-Tsumari”—a women’s soccer team born out of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field—and the players for some fun exercise on the natural grass field where they usually practice.
Let's soak in one of Japan's Three Great Medicinal Hot Springs!
[Bathing] Nast View Yuyama
Let's enjoy a soak at the day-trip hot spring facility in Matsunoyama Onsen, one of Japan's Three Great Medicinal Hot Springs.
Checking In at an Accommodation in a Repurposed School
Sansho House
A former school in Matsunoyama that was converted into lodging following the 2006 Echigo-Tsumari Art Field. You’ll spend three days in this wooden school building perched on a hill that still overlooks the village.
[Day 2] After breakfast, we headed to the NUNAGAWA Campus for a hands-on workshop with students from Nihon University’s College of Art and artist Kurakake Junichi.
Making "Offerings from the earth" Keychains
This space extends from the main entrance of the NUNAGAWA Campus into the entrance hall. It features *Offerings from the earth*, a sculpture that depicts various groves. Let’s create original keychains inspired by the forest creatures—such as “bears,” “owls,” and “rabbits”—that appear in this artwork’s world.
Practicing for the Bon Odori Festival Performance
Let’s all—students and everyone else—brainstorm ideas and bring them to life for the evening Bon dance festival.
[Lunch]
After getting some exercise, let's dig into a hearty meal.
*The photo is for illustrative purposes only.
*The photo is for illustrative purposes only.
Let's Dance Together! A Mind-and-Body Dance Workshop Created with Dancers
In addition to the students’ performances, we will observe a physical expression performance that incorporates movements created collaboratively by everyone during some of the workshops.
[Bath & Dinner]
Let's head back to Sansho House and get ready for the Bon dance festival.
Costume Bon Odori Festival
The highlight of the Bon Odori festival in the Sansho district is, without a doubt, the costumes. You can participate in the village’s Bon Odori competition wearing your own original, handmade costume. Bon Odori is a team event! Let’s all do our best to win a prize.
[Day 3] After breakfast, we said goodbye to Sansho House
Matsudai NOHBUTAI Field Museum
Join local dads for a stroll through the Matsudai NOHBUTAI Field Museum and try your hand at some traditional children’s games.
Let's enjoy the flavors of the season!
[Lunch] Echigo Matsudai “Satoyama Shokudo”
A lunch buffet featuring an abundance of locally sourced ingredients. Let’s all enjoy the flavors of the season together while savoring a colorful array of dishes.
[Art Tour] Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, MonET
Visit the art museum—one of the main venues of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field—and discover your favorite artworks. We hope you’ll enjoy our summer Special Exhibition as well.
2:10 p.m.
Arrival at Echigo-Yuzawa Station
2:49 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
<FOR guests on the Shinkansen ticket package> Take the Shinkansen from Echigo-Yuzawa Station to Tokyo Station (guides will accompany you to the ticket gates at Tokyo Station)
Notice
Please be sure to read this before applying.
≫ Important Notes for Participants in the “Echigo-Tsumari Forest School 2026 Summer Camp”
Summary
| Dates | August 14 (Fri) – August 16 (Sun), 2026 |
|---|---|
| Admission | Tour Price: Junior High School Students 53,000 yen, Elementary School Students 49,000 yen (includes bus fare, meals, lodging, hot spring admission, program participation fees, artwork exhibition admission, and consumption tax) [Plan with Shinkansen Tickets Included] Includes round-trip Shinkansen tickets departing from and returning to Tokyo Station: Junior High School Students 67,000 yen, Elementary School Students 56,000 yen (includes round-trip Shinkansen tickets, bus fare, meals, lodging, hot spring admission, program participation fees, artwork exhibition admission, and consumption tax) |
| Deadline | 4 days before the departure date or once capacity is reached: The 【Shinkansen Ticket Package】 is available until midnight on Thursday, August 6. |
| Origin / Destination | Echigo-Yuzawa Station East Exit Bus Terminal *For guests on the 【Shinkansen Ticket Included Plan】, guides will meet you in front of the ticket gates at Tokyo Station and escort you to Echigo-Yuzawa Station. |
| Transportation | Chartered Bus (Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus) |
| Capacity | 20 people (minimum number of participants: 10) *We will notify those who have registered whether the event will take place by Friday, July 31. |
| Host | Travel Planning and Operation: Niigata Prefecture Governor-Registered Travel Agency No. 2-440; NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization; 3743-1 Matsudai, Tokamachi city, Niigata Prefecture; Full Member of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA); 025-761-7749 / officialtour@tsumari-artfield.com |
| Note |
・Guides only; no tour escort will accompany the group. NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization: Standard Travel Agency Terms and Conditions [Inquiries] |
Official Tours / Itineraries
Contact us for consultation on group tours or travel agency original plans.
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