Day 1

• Head to Echigo-Yuzawa Station

  Head to Echigo-Yuzawa Station by a bullet train.

• Exclusive Day 1 of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale with a Private Guide

  Experience a personalized itinerary, including exclusive viewings of artworks not open to the general public.

• Dinner at a famous sushi restaurant

  Dinner at a prestigious hidden Sushi restaurant in the mountains, where the finest treasures from the sea are expertly combined with locally harvested seasonal mountain delicacies.

• Stay at a manor house hotel “ryugon”

  “Villa Suite Premium” has a vast garden spread out before your eyes. With its wide windows, you can experience the changing scenery of the snowy region’s four seasons as if having the Japanese garden all to yourself.

• Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

  


Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

Spanning approximately 760 square kilometers within Niigata Prefecture—equivalent to an area larger than Tokyo’s 23 wards—this is the world’s largest international art festival.
The festival showcases around 200 art pieces scattered across the rural landscape throughout the year. It aims to unearth diverse local values through art works, enhancing their allure and paving the way for regional revitalization. We truly hope you’ll indulge in an extended stay to fully enjoy this captivating art festival!

Ilya & Emilia Kabakov The Rice Fields photo Nakamura Osamu

• Kiyotsu Gorge—Tunnel of Light—: The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

  


Kiyotsu Gorge—Tunnel of Light—: The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

Kiyotsu Gorge, one of Japan’s three grand canyons, has undergone a remarkable transformation. The entire 750-meter tunnel has been revamped into an art installation titled Tunnel of Light for the ‘Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2018.’ Harnessing the natural ‘Five Elements’ (wood, earth, metal, fire, and water), it has been skillfully crafted to merge architectural space with an artistic ambiance, breathing fresh life into this historic tunnel.
A must-see attraction is the enchanting rural art at the farthest Panorama Station, where the canyon’s views reflect in a serene water basin. Anticipate the sensation of stepping into this one-of-a-kind landscape and art piece waiting at the end of the lengthy tunnel.
Why not plan a visit and experience it firsthand?

Ma Yansong/MAD Architects Tunnel of Light photo Nakamura Osamu

• ryugon

  


ryugon

A Manor House Hotel “ryugon” that captures the essence of Snow Country.
We offer the ‘VILLA SUITE Premium,’ a suite room renovated from a luxurious farmhouse estate. From the open-air bath on the terrace overlooking the expansive Japanese garden, you can indulge in a relaxing time while admiring the four seasons of the snowy region: spring blossoms, summer stars, autumn moons, and winter snow. For dining, we present a luxurious Japanese ‘feast’ that showcases the traditional cuisine of the snowy region, using locally sourced ingredients that have been passed down through generations. Enjoy the profound flavors of authentic Japanese cuisine, distinct from lavish banquet-style meals.
We provide a one-of-a-kind stay where you can experience the culture and climate of the snowy region, offering a unique way to enjoy their time here.

©︎ryugon

Day 2

• Exclusive Day 2 of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale with a Private Guide

  Create a personalized itinerary with a different experience from Day 1.

• Tanada Treks in Hoshitoge with Breathtaking Views

  Enjoy the terraced rice paddies from areas normally inaccessible to tourists, trekking through a landscape that resembles a painting of the authentic Japan, offering an encounter found only in Niigata. (Approximately 3 to 4 hours)

• Stay at a manor house hotel “ryugon”

  Stay consecutive nights in the “Villa Suite Premium.” Relax and soothe your pleasant fatigue from trekking in the hot springs. Dinner will also be provided within the hotel.

• MonET (Museum on Echigo-Tsumari): The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

  


MonET (Museum on Echigo-Tsumari): The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

MonET, the central hub of the ‘Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale,’ underwent a major renovation and reopened in 2021. Inside the museum, surrounded by a corridor, there’s a large reflecting pool with light on its surface, casting the sky and buildings as if in a mirror—a creation by the renowned contemporary artist Leandro Erlich, known as ‘Palimpsest.’ At first glance, it may seem like an ordinary sight, but when you ascend to the second floor and gaze down at the pool, you’ll witness the mesmerizing phenomenon of the building’s reflection becoming multi-layered and otherworldly. They exhibit works by contemporary art luminaries, both from home and abroad, ensuring that each visit holds the promise of fresh discoveries, no matter how many times you return.

Leandro Erlich Palimpsest: pond of sky photo Kioku Keizo

• The Last Class: The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

  


The Last Class: The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

An installation by the contemporary artists Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman, both hailing from France, set within a decommissioned elementary school to represent the concept of ‘human absence.’ This large-scale installation encompasses the entire three-story school building and features various elements, including a ‘gymnasium’ filled with countless flickering lightbulbs in a pitch-dark space and a ‘first-floor corridor’ where distant heartbeats can be heard towards powerful beams of light in the darkness. It stands as one of the signature pieces at the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale, drawing fans and visitors from around the world.

Christian Boltanski+Jean Kalman The Last Class photo T. Kuratani

• Matsudai “Nou-butai”: The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

  


Matsudai “Nou-butai”: The Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale

Designed by the Dutch architectural group MVRDV, the Matsudai “Nou-butai” facility serves as a starting point for a remarkable journey through approximately 2 kilometers of rural landscapes, leading to the mountaintop Matsudai Castle. Along this picturesque route, ’ll encounter around 40 pieces of art by world-renowned artists like Ilya and Emilia Kabakov’s The Rice Fields and Yayoi Kusama’s Blossoming Tsumari. Not only can you indulge in the works of global artists, but you can also experience the region's natural and cultural heritage, such as rice planting in spring, harvesting in autumn, and winter snow play.

MVRDV Matsudai “Nou-butai”

Day 3

• Lunch at the Culinary Gem of Uonuma, Showcasing Snow Country Gastronomy

  During the summer, you’ll dine amidst tranquil countryside landscapes, while in the winter, experience a course lunch set in the midst of snow-covered terrain, allowing you to savor the essence of Snow Country’s culinary traditions.

• Get to Echigo-Yuzawa station

  Transfer to Echigo-Yuzawa station by a chartered vehicle.

• Depart for your next destination...