[From/to Echigo-Yuzawa Station] C:Nakasato and Tsunan route

Open
This tour visits the Nakasato and Tsunan areas at the southern tip of Echigo-Tsumari. The highlight of the tour is the village of Oakasawa in the unexplored Akiyamago region. You will be able to feel the dynamic nature and history rooted in the region. Those who do not feel comfortable driving on mountain roads can take the bus.
*Itineraries are subject to change. We will update this page as changes occur.

Details

9:10 Echigo-Yuzawa Station Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Information Center (East Exit Side)   Reception starts *Registration will close 5 minutes before departure
9:30 Departure Echigo-Yuzawa Station East Exit Bus Terminal
The Art Festival's ideological transition and the artist's history
[NEW]Isobe Yukihisa Memorial Echigo-Tsumari Kiyotsu Soko Museum of Art [SoKo]
An elementary school was renovated and opened as an art museum in 2015, displaying a collection of works by artist Yukihisa Isobe, who has been involved with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale since 2000. This year's exhibition features the artist's project on the theme of ”Akiyama Kiko”. Focusing on the Shimizugawara community, the exhibition quotes texts and drawings by Bokushi Suzuki and attempts to speculate on the local weather and water cycle from a scientific perspective, presenting the results in panels, videos, etc.
Facing environmental issues through art
POTEMKIN/Architect Office Casagrande & Rintala
The riverbank, which was a concern due to illegal dumping of waste, has been restored to its natural beauty through a collaborative public project involving architects. White pebbles, magnificent trees, a grand river, and remnants of industrial waste blend together to create a unique space that can only be found in this location.
Encountering sound, a once-in-a-lifetime space
[NEW]Cakra Kul Kul at Tsumari/Dadang Christanto
This piece is a recreation of one from 2006 at a different location. “Cakra Kul-Kul” are windmills made of bamboo that are a common part of landscape of Bali, the artist’s homeland. These are woodcrafts set up in the fields by farmers before and after the harvest period to offer thanks to the gods. Visitors are engulfed by the lovely sound produced by the chorus of the bamboo moving in the wind and the smells of the fields and grasses. This piece connects Bali and Echigo-Tsumari as two areas that base their livelihoods on agriculture, and offers a universal prayer celebrating prosperity.
*N078 "A Hand is a Beautiful Thing" will not stop by.
Performing Arts Center
[NEW]Echigo-Tsumari "Kamigo Clove Theatre"
Utilizing the atmosphere of the former Kamigo Elementary School, one of the newest abandoned school buildings in Echigo-Tsumari, it is now growing into a comprehensive facility that includes a temporary theater in a renovated gymnasium, as well as an exhibition space, restaurant, and residency space.
Restaurant Kamigo Clove Theatre
This is a theatrical restaurant where dishes made with seasonal ingredients from Tsunan are served in a cheerful and fun theatrical style by local mothers called onnasho. Enjoy a unique lunch experience where you can enjoy both food and theater together and be comforted by the smiling faces of the mothers.
Hong Kong House
As a base for international exchange in the Kamigo region, this residency and gallery is a permanent cultural exchange with Hong Kong. This time, Matthew Tsang & Cordelia Tam will stay in Echigo-Tsumari to deepen their knowledge of the local natural environment and agricultural culture, and to create works from the perspective of city dwellers.
What sound connects
Air for Everyone/Ann Hamilton
I created a workshop imagining a craftsman who creates mysterious tools to send bells and prayers into the sky in a vacant house that was once inhabited by a sheet metal worker. This installation connects the village and homes with the sound of bells, evoking the presence of unseen people. The village and the mountains are connected by the line of sound.
Let's explore the shopping street
[NEW]OWARINO shopping street
In Tsunan Town's main street, the Owarino Shopping Street, artworks utilizing shops and vacant houses will be showcased by four artists. Many site-specific artworks will be displayed, offering interactive experiences and hosting events such as workshops.
Learn about the techniques and beliefs of the "commons."
[NEW]Akeyama Arts Center
Oakasawa Elementary School, which was founded in 1924 as a long-awaited school in an area exempted from compulsory education, was closed in 2021. Taking up its history, the school will be reborn as a place to convey the history and culture of Akiyamago through art. The project will work with a variety of people, including residents, researchers, and artists, to learn and practice the techniques and beliefs of the "common land".
Tsumari Sugoroku/Hara Rintaro + Hara Yu
A Sugoroku (Japanese folk game) hall has been opened at "Katakuri no Yado," a former elementary school. The wooden gymnasium of the inn, which will serve as the exhibition hall, has been preserved in its original appearance, and playground equipment and musical instruments such as a basketball goal, piano, and organ have been incorporated into the Sugoroku, combined with an original ping-pong table and sculptures to create a giant Sugoroku field for everyone to play on.
Katakuri House (possible to get off the tour)
Katakuri House (possible to get off the tour)
Would you like to take a tour and stay at Katakuri House? The inn is a renovated elementary school that has watched over the local children. The former classrooms have been turned into relaxing guest rooms, and the principal's office has been turned into a hot spring bath. The meals are prepared by the staff, who were attracted by the rich nature and history of the area and moved to the area, using ingredients from the mountains.
*Accommodation is not included in the tour. Please make your own reservations.
Tsunan Town Hall (get off only)
17:30 Echigo-Yuzawa station Arrival/Dismissal
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.

・Some art works require a short walk after getting off the bus. Please bring shoes that are easy to walk in and take off, a hat and drink on hot days, and rain gear in case of rain.

・The arrival time at the final destination may be earlier or later. Please make your return Shinkansen reservations well in advance.

Summary

Dates Every Friday and Sunday from July 13 (Sat.) to November 10 (Sun.)
*Please check the online reservation page for details on operation dates.
Admission [Price] Adults: ¥13,000
[Price] Children 6-18 years old: ¥11,000
Toddler (3-5 years old) ¥3,000
Under 3 years old: Free *In case a meal or a bus seat is required, toddler fee will be charged.
(including bus fare, lunch, guide fee, and tax)
Note: An Admission passport is required to take the tour. If you do not have a passport, please purchase one at the time of your tour purchase.
Deadline Until 6pm the day before the service day
Origin / Destination Echigo-Yuzawa Station East Exit Bus Terminal【Inquiries】 Echigo-Tsumari Art Field Information Centre TEL : +81 (0)25-761-7767 (9:00-18:00, closed on Tuesday and Wednesday) MAIL : officialtour@tsumari-artfield.com
Transportation Charter bus (Minami-Echigo Kotsu)
Capacity 25 persons (min. 1 person)
Host Travel planning and execution: Niigata Prefecture Governor's Registered Travel Agency Region-440, NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization 3743-1 Matsudai, Tokamachi-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan Travel Agents Association regular member 025-761-7749 / tour@tsumari-artfield.com
Note

* There are no interpreters on the tour.
*Please read the terms and conditions of this tour, including the cancellation policy, before participating.
NPO法人越後妻有里山協働機構 旅行条件書
NPO法人越後妻有里山協働機構 標準旅行業約款
【Inquiries】
Echigo-Tsumari Art Field Information Centre
TEL : +81 (0)25-761-7767 (9:00-18:00, closed on Tuesday and Wednesday)
MAIL : officialtour@tsumari-artfield.com

Contact us for consultation on group tours or travel agency original plans.
Stay In Touch

Stay connected with the ETAT official social media to receive the latest news and event information, and the many seasonal faces of Echigo-Tsumari as well as new issue of the ETAT official media, “Art from the Land”.