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Join artists Katie Baldwin and Yoonmi Nam for an inspiring ten-day trip to Japan. We will split our time between Tokyo and Kawaguchiko. These enchanting locations offer two very different experiences of Japan. Tokyo is an urban metropolis, boasting contemporary art museums and famous shopping districts. Kawaguchiko is a quiet lake town where you will immerse yourself in a four-day intensive mokuhanga workshop with a stunning view of Mt. Fuji as a backdrop.

We will spend two days in Tokyo, then take a bus to Kawaguchiko, where the Mokuhanga Innovation Laboratory (MI-LAB) is located. After the four-day workshop at MI-LAB, we will return to Tokyo for a few days for additional sightseeing and art gallery and museum tours, including the Ukiyo-e museum, traditional paper shops, tool shops, and contemporary art venues.

MI-LAB is an internationally recognized artist residency located at the base of Mt. Fuji. In the shadow of the mountain, participants will learn how to make water-based woodblock prints (mokuhanga) from Katie and Yoonmi. A guest artist from Tokyo, Japan, will will join us for two days to share her work and expertise in contemporary woodblock methods. Mokuhanga is a non-toxic, water-based technique that uses a handheld baren, instead of a press, for printing. It is renowned for its elegant registration method that allows for complex multicolor printing, as well as a myriad of possibilities experimenting with carving methods, pigments, and papers.

Working together in a traditional tatami mat lined studio with large windows that look out towards a rural landscape and Mt. Fuji, participants will learn about tools and materials for carving and printing their own mokuhanga prints. All supplies will be provided. However, we encourage artists to bring their own personal tools, if they choose to. There will also be opportunities to purchase tools and paper in Tokyo before and after the MI-LAB workshop. The workshop will be scheduled for 9 – 5 daily and the studio at MI-LAB will be available in the evening for participants to continue working.

Workshop participants will leave Japan with new skills, inspiration, and friendships. One of the wonderful aspects of this print process is that it does not require a press, or a large workspace! Participants will gain the basic skills in this ancient technique and their studio work will be inspired long after we depart from Japan.

Accommodations:

In Tokyo, we will be staying at Citan, a hip hostel near a growing gallery district in East Tokyo. Citan is an ideal place for a budget traveler, with clean and comfortable rooms, and friendly staff. They have great coffee and pastry options for breakfast and a bar downstairs with live music every weekend. You will have the option to book a shared bunk-bed room or private double/queen/king room for the five days in Tokyo. Participants who want to stay in the shared bunk-style room pay $3,600 in tuition; participants wanting a private room pay $3,900 in tuition. Showers and toilets are shared, but they are private. Shared kitchen and laundry room are also available. In Kawaguchiko, we will be staying at a traditional Japanese inn, Sankokan. It is a short walk to and from the the MI-LAB studio. The rooms are a traditional Japanese style with tatami floors and futon beds are available for those who prefer them. There are lovely community spaces such as a tea ceremony room and outdoor gardens. We encourage participants to explore the area! The studio is a ten minute walk from Lake Kawaguchiko. There are a variety of local shops, restaurants, and onsens within walking distance or by a short taxi cab ride. If you have questions about accessibility during this trip, please call our office at (845) 658-9133.

Food:

All meals will be provided during the MI-LAB workshop period in Kawaguchiko. In Tokyo, participants will be responsible for purchasing their own meals. Breakfast will be available for purchase at the hostel. As long as we know well in advance, we will do our best to accommodate any dietary requirements or allergies. For vegetarians and vegans: it is very difficult to limit your diet in Japan, especially when we have to rely on our host institution for meals. We will do our best to try to accommodate everyone’s dietary needs, but it will be inevitable that you will eat some fish. A lot of food in Japan is prepared with fish broth, dried fish seasoning, etc., and you will not even know that you are eating fish (and sometimes meat). If you are traveling by yourself, you can probably follow your dietary restriction, but vegetarianism and veganism is not that common in Japan, and traveling as a group does not necessarily allow for those diets.

Travel:

Everyone will arrange their own transportation to and from Tokyo, arriving on Saturday, May 18th and departing on Tuesday, May 28th. Each person will be responsible for checking into the group lodging on May 18th before our first group dinner at 6pm. We have scheduled activities in Tokyo for May 19th and 20th. In the afternoon of May 20th, we will travel as a group by bus from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko. May 21-24 will be four full days of intense instruction and studio work at MI-LAB. On the morning of May 25th, we will return together by bus to Tokyo, where will have 2.5 days of scheduled activities, and the trip will conclude in the morning of May 28th. Please book your flight to leave on May 28th, allotting enough travel time from Tokyo to Narita airport. We also encourage participants to stay longer and explore Japan on their own. It may be possible to schedule additional nights at Citan in Tokyo, but this would be at the participants own arrangement and expense. Please note the schedule below for more detailed information.

Visa requirements vary by country of citizenship. American citizens can travel to Japan without a visa. If you’re joining us and are not an American citizen, please check the requirements for your visa needs.

Schedule:

Arrive in Tokyo, Saturday, May 18th, Lodging: Citan

Saturday, May 18: Arrive in Tokyo

Everyone will check into the hostel (check in time is 4pm-11pm). If you need to check in before 4pm, you can, but will not be able to get into your room until after 4pm, but they can keep your luggage for you.

Sunday, May 19: Tokyo, Lodging: Citan

Monday, May 20: Tokyo – Kawaguchiko Lodging: Sankokan

Tuesday, May 21:  Kawaguchiko, Lodging: Sankokan

Wednesday, May 22: Kawaguchiko, Workshop, Lodging: Sankokan

Thursday, May 23: Kawaguchiko, Workshop, Lodging: Sankokan

Friday, May 24: Kawaguchiko, Workshop, Lodging: Sankokan

Saturday, May 25: Kawaguchiko-Tokyo, Lodging: Citan

Sunday, May 26: Tokyo, Lodging: Citan

Monday, May 27: Tokyo, Lodging: Citan

 Tuesday, May 28: Tokyo, Depart