Expressions of interest for the 2025 Japan Arts, Design and Languages Tour

This 12-day tour will explore the creative and cultural aspects of Japan during cherry blossom season, including those found in significant rural and urban sites, their rich Shinto traditions, and diverse physical environments. The tour will immerse students in a range of creative and cultural experiences including participating in food and Visual Arts workshops, site visits, tasting a range of traditional Japanese cuisine, visiting permanent and traveling exhibitions and museums including Naoshima art island, discovering modern and historic Japanese architecture, and experiencing Shinto culture through visits to serene temples and shrines. Spending five nights in Tokyo, two nights in Kyoto, two nights in Okayama and one night in Osaka leaving for an overnight flight on our return to Sydney.

Open to students in Year 9 – Year 12 who study Visual Arts, Photography and Digital Media, Textiles, Design and Technology, Multimedia, Food Technology and Japanese Languages or are doing their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award

This tour meets the requirements for 20% of the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award as a Residential Project (not required for Silver or Bronze).

*** please note this tour will be away over the Easter long weekend, opportunities to observe religious customs will be accommodated where possible. ****

A parent information evening will be arranged shortly for any further questions please contact Sally Marks Head of Department – Visual Arts on smarks@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au or Natasha Collins Japanese teacher on ncollins@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au

Draft Itinerary some activities may change relative to availability

Monday 14 April 2025 – Sydney-Haneda – arrive meet and greet with Guide, stay Tokyo
Tuesday 15 April 2025 – TeamLab Borderless, Mori Art Museum, 21_21Design Sight, Tokyo Tower, stay Tokyo
Wednesday 16 April 202a5 – Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Watari Museum, Akihabara, stay Tokyo
Thursday 17 April 2025 – Tokyo National Museum, Sushi making class with lunch, Yanaka strolling, Scai the Bathhouse, stay Tokyo
Friday 18 April 2025 – Japanese School visit, Ghibli Museum, stay Tokyo
Saturday 19 April 2025 – Tokyo to Kyoto – Fushimi Inari Shrine, Gion District, stay Kyoto
Sunday 20 April 2025 – Kiyomizu Shrine, Sannennzaka Street, Pottery Workshop, Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion), stay Kyoto
Monday 21 April 2025 – Kyoto to Okayama – Nijo Castle, Kyoto International Manga Museum with Manga workshop, stay Okayama
Tuesday 22 April 2025 – Okayama/Naoshima/Okayama – Benesse House Museum, Chichu Art Museum, Art House Museum, stay Okayama
Wednesday 23 April 2025 – Okayama/Himeji/Osaka – Okayama Castle (from bus window), Himeji Castle with Kokoen Garden, Umeda Sky Building Floating Observatory, stay Osaka
Thursday 24 April 2025 – Osaka – Kansai – departure
Friday 25 April 2025 – Arrive Sydney

Click Here to register your interest

Should you have any enquiries, please contact me by email here.

– Sally Marks
Head of Department – Visual Arts