Feb. 28 Departure: “Akeyama” Symposium & Talk Session Tour [1-night, 2-day trip with accommodation at Katakuri house]
Open
This is a one-night, two-day tour that includes participation in the symposium and talk session “Exploring Ways for Cities and Mountains to Coexist”, held at Akeyama in Akiyamago with guest speaker Toshiaki Ishikura, an anthropologist of art.
The tour features a storytelling session with Akiyamago residents, a snowfield walk with Akiyama matagi (traditional hunters), and a special Yukimi Gozen lunch prepared by the mothers of the Kamigo area in Tsunan Town.
Accommodation is at Katakuri-no-Yado, a former school renovated into a lodge.
You will also visit popular artworks from the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, including “Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel” and “The Last Classroom.”
Enjoy two special days immersing yourself in the deep-snow hidden village of Akiyamago and its iconic artworks.
On the first day, the General Director of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, Fram Kitagawa, will serve as your guide.
The tour features a storytelling session with Akiyamago residents, a snowfield walk with Akiyama matagi (traditional hunters), and a special Yukimi Gozen lunch prepared by the mothers of the Kamigo area in Tsunan Town.
Accommodation is at Katakuri-no-Yado, a former school renovated into a lodge.
You will also visit popular artworks from the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, including “Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel” and “The Last Classroom.”
Enjoy two special days immersing yourself in the deep-snow hidden village of Akiyamago and its iconic artworks.
On the first day, the General Director of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, Fram Kitagawa, will serve as your guide.
10:00
Meet and Depart
50min.
10:50-11:20
Reflect on the layers of memories that a place holds.
The Last Class
This work, presented by Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman at the former Higashikawa Elementary School, allows visitors to experience the piece with their whole body—through faint light, the scent of straw, and the echoes in the hallways. Trace the history accumulated over many years in this school building, which remains blanketed in snow for long periods.
40min.
12:00-13:00
Enjoy a wholesome lunch at Katakuri house, a renovated former school
Lunch at Katakuri House
For lunch, you’ll be treated to a heartwarming meal made with wholesome, locally sourced ingredients that are gentle on the body.
The dining venue, Katakuri House, is a renovated wooden school building that now serves as an inn. Former classrooms have been transformed into cozy guest rooms, the principal’s office into a relaxing hot spring bath, and the gymnasium into an interactive art installation—creating a space that both adults and children can enjoy. After your meal, you can experience and enjoy the artwork “Tsumari Sugoroku” by Rintaro Hara.
The dining venue, Katakuri House, is a renovated wooden school building that now serves as an inn. Former classrooms have been transformed into cozy guest rooms, the principal’s office into a relaxing hot spring bath, and the gymnasium into an interactive art installation—creating a space that both adults and children can enjoy. After your meal, you can experience and enjoy the artwork “Tsumari Sugoroku” by Rintaro Hara.
Snowfall Observation Point
A snow gauge is installed on the grounds of Katakuri-no-Yado to measure the depth of snowfall. How many meters deep will the snow reach this year?
30min.
14:00-16:00
A symposium at Akeyama Arts Center
Akeyama Arts Center
Symposium: “Exploring Ways for Cities and Mountains to Coexist” We are pleased to host a keynote lecture and symposium featuring anthropologist of art Ishikura Toshiaki. Joining the symposium, in addition to Dr. Ishikura, will be artists Fukazawa Takashi (Akeyama Supervisor) and Aoi Nagasawa (participating artist of Akeyama). This symposium will focus on the theme of coexistence with bears, an issue that has recently drawn significant social attention. It aims to create a space where people living in both urban and mountain areas can come together to discuss and reflect on new ways of life that connect the city and the mountains.
16:00-17:00
Learn about traditional communal land systems, craftsmanship, and local beliefs
Akeyama Arts Center
The former Oakasawa Branch of Tsunan Elementary School, which was closed in 2021, has been reborn as a new cultural hub that carries on its history and shares the traditions and culture of Akiyamago through art. Under the supervision of artist Fukazawa Takashi, who has been conducting ongoing research in the region, the facility functions as a “school for reclaiming the power of human life.” Together with local residents, researchers, and artists, it explores and practices the traditional skills, knowledge, and spiritual beliefs related to communal land that have supported life in this remote mountain area. Please note: Admission fee is not included and must be paid individually on site. In case of temporary closure due to heavy snowfall, the itinerary may be subject to change.
17:30
Stay in a cozy inn renovated from a closed school building
Check-in at Katakuri house
ocated in Akiyamago, a remote mountain village straddling Niigata and Nagano Prefectures, which can become isolated during the heavy snowfall of winter, this inn was created by renovating a 108-year-old elementary school that had long watched over the local children.
Hot Spring Bath
The hot spring features a rare Boushō-sen (sodium sulfate spring), a type of spring that accounts for only about 4% of all hot springs in Japan. This mineral-rich water helps dilate blood vessels and improve circulation, making it effective in the prevention of arteriosclerosis. Many famous hot springs known as “Chūfū-no-Yu” (“baths for preventing strokes and paralysis”) are of this same type.
Dinner
Dinner features a variety of dishes prepared with ingredients unique to Akiyamago. These creative Japanese-style dishes make use of the region’s traditional preserved foods and wisdom born from life in a snowbound land. Each meal is prepared with heartfelt care, so you can fully enjoy your special time here.
A Storytelling Session about Life in Akiyamago
A Talk on Life in Akiyamago by Local Residents Join us for a storytelling session where local residents of Akiyamago share their experiences and unique ways of living in this remote region known for its heavy snowfall.
8:00-9:00
Day2
Breakfast
Breakfast features Koshihikari rice harvested from the terraced fields of the local village, homemade miso prepared by local mothers, and an abundance of fresh local vegetables—a wholesome meal that will delight both body and soul.
11:30
A tour led by traditional hunters
Snow Mountain Expedition with the Akiyamago Matagi
In Akiyamago, the traditional culture of the Matagi—mountain hunters—still lives on today. Together with a Matagi hunter, you will explore the Stone-Walled Terraced Rice Fields of KETTO, which have been selected as a “Heritage of Connected Terraced Rice Fields.” As we walk, your guide will share stories about hunting and the unique customs and practices of the Matagi.
11:30
Depart from Katakuri house
30min.
12:00-13:30
Community Hub of the Kamigō Area
Echigo-Tsumari "Kamigo Clove Theatre"
A Comprehensive Performing Arts Facility at the Former Kamigō Junior High School. This facility, located in a newly closed school within Echigo-Tsumari, preserves the unique atmosphere of the old Kamigō Junior High School. It mainly exhibits works themed around music.
Lunch YUKIMI-GOZEN
Enjoy a Special Winter Meal, “Yukimi-Gozen,” at Kamigō Clove theater Restaurant In the summer, the Kamigō Cloveza Restaurant is famous as a theater-style dining venue. During the winter tour, you can savor a special seasonal meal called Yukimi-Gozen. Prepared with locally sourced ingredients, the menu is carefully planned and cooked by the mothers of the village. Each dish is designed to be nutritious and satisfying, giving strength to thrive even during the harsh winter months. The meal is served in lacquerware that was once used for weddings, funerals, and other important ceremonies within the village, carefully preserved over generations.
40min.
14:10-15:00
The entire Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is a large-scale art installation
Ma Yansong / MAD Architects “Tunnel of Light” (Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel)
Formed over 16 million years of geological history, Kiyotsu Gorge is one of Japan’s three great gorges. Inside the 750-meter-long tunnel, visitors can witness a stunning fusion of natural beauty and contemporary art. Each season offers a completely different yet equally breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape. Please note: In case the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is closed due to snowfall, the itinerary may be changed to visit other artworks instead. Admission fee is not included and must be paid individually on site.
15:30
Tour ends at Echigo-Yuzawa Station
Notice
・Itineraries are subject to change or cancellation due to natural disasters or road conditions.
・We will select your seat on the bus. If you have a companion for another application, please enter them in the remarks column. There is also a possibility that you may share seats with other passengers.
・You will be walking on snow while viewing the artworks, so please bring waterproof snow boots or rubber boots that cover at least up to your ankles.
・Please come dressed appropriately for walking on snow (waterproof gloves, waterproof rainwear top and bottom, and rubber boots or snow boots).
・The arrival time at the final destination may be earlier or later. Please make your return Shinkansen reservations well in advance.
Summary
| Dates | Departure date: Saturday, February 28 |
|---|---|
| Admission | 45,000 yen (including bus fare, lunch/dinner/breakfast, accommodation, admission fees, symposium participation fee, guide fee, and tax) Additional 2,000 yen for single-room use. |
| Deadline | Until two days before the departure date, or until capacity is reached. |
| Origin / Destination | Echigo-Yuzawa Station East Exit Bus Terminal |
| Transportation | Chartered bus (Morimiya Kotsu Co., Ltd.) |
| Capacity | Minimum number of participants: 1 If there are no bookings by 6:00 p.m. two days before the departure date, the tour will be cancelled. |
| Note |
*Tour guides are for Japanese only. There are no interpreters on the tour. |
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