JAPAN’S ART ISLANDS & TOKYO

OVERVIEW

The revitalisation of the Seto Inland Sea is a Japanese success story. This series of islands in a picturesque landscape was almost abandoned in the later twentieth century due to industrial degradation and depopulation, and has been progressively restored through a dynamic philanthropic vision. Starting from the island of Naoshima, and later spreading to nearby islands such as Teshima, the Benesse Art Foundation has commissioned extraordinary architects and artists – from Tadao Ando to Hiroshi Sugimoto, Yayoi Kusama, Ryue Nishizawa and Lee Ufan – to create extraordinary buildings and artworks that harmonise with the region’s natural beauty.

This 10-day tour explores the so-called ‘art islands’ from a comfortable base in Takamatsu on Shikoku, the smallest and least-visited of Japan’s four main islands. Visits to Ritsurin Garden and the Isamu Noguchi Museum, both unique in their embodiment of the Japanese aesthetic, are included, along with three days of island hopping in the Seto Inland Sea to experience a wide variety of artworks and installations.

We then travel to Tokyo, for a survey of the city’s contemporary art galleries. These include leading museums such as the Mori Art Museum, as well as smaller galleries that are well off the map of the average visitor. A day trip to Enoura Observatory rounds out the experience with an immersion in the vision of Hiroshi Sugimoto, one of Japan’s most respected contemporary artists.

The expertise of tour leader Emily Wakeling, a curator at the Art Gallery of Ballarat with an expertise in contemporary Japanese art, enhances your appreciation of the stunning art and architecture on display.