Hello Fellow Travellers!

I hope you enjoy the following links and short videos about the art & cultural destinations we will be visiting in May. We can catch up on background information as we travel – wherever we have wifi: in our hotels and on the Shinkansen trains.

The Meiji Shrine  is our first ‘cultural’ destination. This link includes a very useful map showing the shrine’s proximity to our hotel and other places we will be visiting.

     

Tokyo Art Museums: we are visiting four very different museums. These links and short videos provide insights into the exhibitions and places we will see.

At the Yayoi Kusama Museum:About Yayoi Kusama

At the Ota Memorial Museum we will see a very special anniversary exhibition of works by Hokusai: please click the Translate button, top right

At the The Nezu Museum: Collection highlights

At the Mori Art Museum:  please click Translate button

Kanazawa Art Museums: in Japan we should also think of gardens, shrines and temples as places of artistic expression…

At the Kenrokuen Castle Garden in Kanazawa we will discover the essence of Japanese garden design: the Garden

At the 21^st Century Museum of Contemporary Art:  lab.4 Space Syntax:

“Spaces” are where we live. We perceive spaces, by various means, and if a space changes, so does our behavior…

Outdoor beauty in and around Hiroshima: Miyajima is most famous for its giant orange Torii Gate, but the whole island is a scenic delight: if the weather is pleasant, we may wish to linger on Miyajima: there are cafes, shops, a museum, places to sit and compose haiku, and a mountain to climb: Things to do on Miyajima

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum: the Children’s Monument

Orizuru Tower Lookout: designed by Hiroshi Sambuichi

Kyoto Art & Cultural Highlights: The Netsuke Museum was originally a Samurai House, replete with folding hand-painted screens, books of poetry and a window looking out onto an immaculate, miniature ‘world-view’ garden.

One of the most beautiful places in Japan: The Silver Pavilion and Gardens

The Geisha District of Gion

The  Miho Museum designed by IM Pei is a 40 mins drive out of Kyoto and remarkable as much for its architecture and location as its art collection. Wonderful audio guide.

Enjoy!