Explore the varied cultural landscapes of Japan for a multi-sensory experience! Join us on this intimate and immersive tour . We arrive in Nagoya, Japan, on 10/19/2023, and over 19 days and nights, we travel to Kurashiki, Hagi, Matsue, Izumo, Tottori, Miyama Village, Kyoto, and Shigaraki. We conclude our tour and depart Japan on 11/07/2023. JTO-4 & 5 merge in Miyama Village.

Two novel shibori workshops are offered on this trip. The first is a rare opportunity to study with Kaei Hayakawa, the last practicing Arashi shibori artist in Japan.  This workshop is the first of its kind, introducing Hayakawa’s inventive approach to Arashi shibori and his tour de force contemporary creations. Participation in this workshop is optional, with a separate fee. 

This workshop is limited to ten students and one observer due to the nature of the specialized tools and space in Hayakawa-san’s studio. The observer is invited to observe the workshop activities each morning and join the group and Hayakawa-san for lunch. 

The second shibori workshop is an innovative two-day event in Arimatsu with the trio of master dyers and artists– Murase, Kuno, and Wada. All materials, tuition, and lunch are included.

Another exciting element of this tour is the Shibori Art Tapestry Exhibition being organized by The Shibori Community, a group based in five cities, that Hayakawa has led and mentored for decades. The Shibori Community develops its shibori expressions while studying shibori processes and using an authentic sukumo indigo vat. WSNF has been their collaborator since the early 2000s and will select 20 artists to exhibit their shibori tapestry at the 38th Anniversary Shibori Community exhibit. If you are a shibori artist, you are invited to submit your work!

Tapestry specifications 

W 100cm X  L 180cm  X D up to 3 cm

The shibori tapestry is required to have a seam or loops on top that allow for insertion of a 3 cm diameter dowel of 100 cm length. The dowel will have a small pin on each end so that the tapestry can be hung using a fishing line. Each tapestry will be hung against a wall. 

WSNF will call for entries and provide an online submission form in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! 

WSNF founder Yoshiko I. Wada has personally curated this trip in partnership with her many professional and personal contacts to bring intimate hands-on shibori learning and culturally immersive experiences to participants. Mayumi Fujio, WSNF staff, will accompany the group, joined by Yoshiko and her local friends when appropriate. 

In addition to the two shibori workshops and the Shibori Tapestry Exhibition in Hagi, this trip will include a stay in a traditional Ryokan in the village of Miyama with its traditional thatched roof homes and the Little Indigo Museum by Hiroyuki Shindo; a walking tour of Kyoto; a visit to a quilt artist studio on HieiDaira en route to the Miho Museum, a masterpiece by I.M.Pei; a stop at a paper-making studio and interior washi (Japanese paper) factory and showroom; exploring Hagi, a castle town on the Japan Sea which is famous for the Hagi pottery tea bowls. We will navigate the cities like natives using public transport and taxis when necessary. On the last night of our program, the third WSNF Forum will bring together a younger generation of makers and designers from Japan to share their projects and join us for dinner. This Forum event with English translation will be broadcast via Zoom worldwide.

All accommodations, transportation, and most meals are included. 

There will be a fee of $1250 for the five-day Arashi workshop with Hayakawa. All materials and boxed lunches are included. (Fee for a student vs. an observer  will be different)

Pre-registration for TOUR 4 is now open! 

Indicate your interest by pre-registering with a $500 deposit. When you pre-register, a Pre-registration Form, Tour Details, and Pricing will be emailed to you. Your registration will be confirmed within three weeks of submitting the Pre-registration Form in the priority listed: 

1. Patron WSNF Members, 
2. All other WSNF Members, 
3. General Public. 

Your $500 is refundable except for a $50 handling fee. 

Otherwise, your $500 will be applied in full toward the final published cost of the trip. 

Registration will open to the public on February 28.

Pre-registration with $500 closes on June 30, 2023

A waitlist will remain active until October 1, 2023

Tour details and pricing, inquire at info@shibori.org with the subject line

“Japan Tour Details”.