- Days
- 4
- Participants
- 20 to 100 participants
- Cities
- Kyoto
Objectives
- Reward teams with an active cultural experience where everyone makes and takes part
- Show two former capitals, Kyoto and Nara, without changing hotels
- Spark exchanges between participants through small-group workshops
- Host a closing dinner in a historic setting, with the arts of Gion
Participant profile
Sales teams, distribution networks and challenge winners discovering Japan or returning after a first stay in Tokyo. The program suits varied profiles, including guests with little interest in sport, and combines easily with 2 nights in Tokyo beforehand.
Day by day
- 1
Day 1
Day 1 — Arrival in Kyoto and welcome dinner
- Arrival at Kansai Airport and Haruka train to Kyoto (about 80 min), or private coach (about 90 min); from Tokyo, Nozomi Shinkansen in about 2 hours 15 minutes, reserved cars
- Luggage sent straight to the hotel, check-in at The Westin Miyako Kyoto at the foot of the Higashiyama hills, or at Hyatt Regency Kyoto for groups under 60
- 5:30 pm — 45-minute welcome briefing: program, temple etiquette, team allocation for the workshops
- 7:00 pm — Welcome dinner in the banquet hall of Ganko Takasegawa Nijoen, a former residence on the Takase River with a garden and flowing water; kaiseki or sukiyaki
Takase River - 2
Day 2
Day 2 — Kimono in Higashiyama and artisan workshops
- 8:30 am — Kimono dressing by professional dressers, for men and women, in a salon reserved for the group; above 60 guests, two salons or two time slots
- 10:00 am — Guided walk and photo session through the Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka lanes up to Kiyomizu-dera, starting early to avoid the crowds
- 12:30 pm — Kimonos returned, yudofu tofu lunch near Nanzen-ji
- 2:00 pm — Parallel artisan workshops, each team in its own studio: Kyo-yaki ceramics (pieces fired then shipped), stencil yuzen dyeing (furoshiki to take home) or kintsugi, repair with lacquer and gold powder
- 5:00 pm — Return to the hotel, creations shared over a drink at the bar
- Free evening, with an optional guided walk through Pontocho and Gion and a list of restaurants reserved for sub-groups
Higashiyama, Kyoto - 3
Day 3
Day 3 — Nara, Tōdai-ji and gala with maiko
- 8:30 am — Coach departure for Nara (about 1 hour)
- 9:45 am — Guided visit of Tōdai-ji and its bronze Great Buddha, one of the largest wooden structures in the world; guidance on the sacred deer of Nara Park (shika-senbei crackers, closed bags)
- 12:00 pm — Kaiseki lunch at Kikusuiro, a ryotei from 1891 listed as a cultural property, in the Yamato room (90 seated) overlooking Mount Wakakusa, or the Oriental Room for up to 100; Kikusuiro closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so the day is scheduled accordingly
- 2:00 pm — Walk along the stone-lantern path to Kasuga Taisha shrine
- 3:30 pm — Coach back to Kyoto, free time
- 7:00 pm — Gala dinner at The Sodoh Higashiyama, the former home of painter Takeuchi Seiho at the foot of the Yasaka pagoda: maiko and geiko dance, ozashiki games and awards; above 80 guests, two groups of performers share the rooms
三日目 · Tōdai-ji, Nara - 4
Day 4
Day 4 — Morning zazen and departure
- 7:00 am — Optional zazen session led by a monk in a Zen temple, two 20-minute periods of meditation, then tea and a discussion with an interpreter; sessions of 40 people at most, a second temple for large groups
- 9:00 am — Breakfast and check-out
- Free morning depending on schedules: Nishiki Market or Fushimi Inari shrine, on the way to the station
- Transfers to Kyoto Station (Shinkansen to Tokyo) or Kansai Airport, with check-in assistance
Tōfuku-ji, Kyoto
Budget
From €3,200 per person, excluding flights
Indicative rate based on 60 participants in double rooms, 3 nights at a 5-star hotel in Kyoto. Included: transfers, coach to Nara, luggage shipping, kimono and artisan workshops, zazen, meals as per program including lunch at Kikusuiro, gala with maiko and geiko, guides and interpreters. Not included: flights, Kyoto accommodation tax, drinks beyond packages, international shipping of ceramics. April (cherry blossom) and November (autumn colors) are the most expensive months and should be booked 12 months ahead; July-August is very hot and humid.
Quick estimate
20100
€192,000
i.e. €3,200 per person, excluding flights
Indicative estimate based on the per-person rate shown for this programme. The exact quote follows your brief.
Frequently asked questions
Why not stay overnight in Nara?
Nara is an easy day trip from Kyoto, about an hour by coach or 35 minutes by Kintetsu limited express. Staying in Kyoto avoids a hotel change and gives access to a far wider choice of group hotels and evening venues.
Do the workshops work for 100 people?
Yes, by splitting the group: each studio takes 30 to 50 people, and we run three workshops in parallel (ceramics, dyeing, kintsugi). Guests choose their workshop when they register.
Are the Nara deer dangerous?
They are used to visitors but remain wild animals: they may push or nibble to get crackers. We give simple guidance (show empty hands, close bags) and take extra care in autumn, the rutting season.
Can guests photograph the maiko during dinner?
Yes, during a private dinner photos are generally allowed at set moments, often after the dance. We agree the rules with the ochaya beforehand. Guests should, however, avoid photographing maiko they pass in the streets of Gion.
