Tracing the origins of making — a journey into nature, culture and human creativity.
Go to the Source of What Japan Makes.
Walk the land. Touch the materials. Meet the makers.
Explore the landscapes, materials, techniques, cultures, and people behind Japanese making.
Small-group journeys for artists, designers, architects, researchers, and curious minds visiting Kyoto.
Each journey is one day, on foot, in a small group. Two journeys run in parallel on 17 October — choose one.
10.09
Friday
Water Kitchen
Origin of sushi, kitchen and sake
A journey into Shiga’s food culture, where water is the beginning of taste, craft, and everyday life. Follow the flow from mountain springs to Lake Biwa, discovering the wisdom of fermentation and the intimate relationship between water, food, and people.
10.11
Sunday
Ma (間) Reset
Wellness through Zen, space, and craft
Step into the spaces between things - between light and shadow, nature and architecture, movement and stillness. Through craft, sacred spaces, and Zen, discover the Japanese sense of MA (間) and create a little more breathing room in your everyday life.
10.13
Tuesday
Tracing the Origins of Making
Earth
From a museum embedded in the mountains to a Japanese meal and a research farm, explore the connections between place, nature and human creativity. What happens when we stop seeing nature as a resource and start seeing it as a partner in creation? Trace the origins of making from beneath our feet, and discover a different way of seeing how things are made.
10.15
Wednesday
Water, Wagashi & Knives
The Making of Kyoto's Taste
From the source of Kyoto’s water to seasonal food, wagashi and a knife made to last. Follow the journey of water from the mountain forest to the farm, from groundwater into Kyoto confectionery, and into the care of tools used in everyday life. Along the way, discover how water connects nature, food, craftsmanship and culture.
10.15
Thursday
The Art of Living
When Making Becomes Life
Visit the home and studio where Kawai Kanjiro lived and made, then share a seasonal Kyoto meal as we explore a simple question: Why do we make? From the objects around us to the hands, time, and values behind them, trace the relationship between making and living – and discover how making can become part of the way we live.
10.16
Friday
The Meaning of Making
Craft, Culture & the Art of Living
Begin with the world of Kawai Kanjiro, where making and living were deeply intertwined. From his home and studio, we journey into Kyoto’s craft workshops, meeting makers and craftspeople who continue to work with their hands today. Through these encounters, discover the people, skills and stories behind what is made – and experience the meaning of making through the people who keep it alive.
10.17
Saturday
How Japan Sees Beauty
Kyoto's 600-Year Forestry & Tea House Craft
Trace the journey of a single cedar, from a 600-year-old forest in Kyoto’s Kitayama mountains to the hands of master craftsmen who transform wood into architecture. Along the way, discover the quiet principles behind Japanese aesthetics: leaving knots visible, concealing joints, and creating space where nothing seems to be added.
10.17
Saturday
Beyond Bamboo
Exploring Kyoto’s Nature, Culture & Craft
Follow bamboo from the forests of western Kyoto to mountain temples and contemporary craft galleries, discovering how this versatile plant has shaped both landscapes and culture. Learn how people have grown, used, and transformed bamboo over generations, from living fences and sacred boundaries to refined works of art. And discover the wisdom and aesthetics woven into this humble material.