Kyoto offers a vast array of traditional Japanese art and architecture, you'll find many historical, arts and cultural experiences. Osaka offers big city life with a vibrant urban ambiance, entertainment, and a diverse range of culinary options.
The Sketch Book Tour of Japan
Kyoto, Osaka & Nara
Tour Dates: 10 - 21 November 2024
12 Days fully guided. Traditional Townhouses & Luxury Hotels
$7950 per person twin share + $795 single. Small group 10 - 12.
Award winning Australian Landscape Artist, Craig Penny
4 + 5 STAR Luxury Accommodation.
Kyoto, Osaka Hotel 4 + 5 STAR Luxury Hotel inner city, overlooking Dojima river and close to shopping streets
Add OPTIONS - Our selection of tours and experiences to take in even more on your Artists Holiday Adventure.
Want more details of our itinerary? See this itinerary day by day >>
Kyoto, Osaka Hotel 4 + 5 STAR Luxury Hotel inner city, overlooking Dojima river and close to shopping streets
- Daily breakfast, other meals per our itinerary.
- All painting excursions, fees and taxes.
- Regular tuition and critiques.
- Urban sketching with our artist to some favorite locations.
- Taxi or Luxury Limousine bus transfer to and from the airport
- Transport by taxi, bus, train or tram to the Gardens, temples galleries and places of interest featured in our itinerary.
- Bi-lingual tour guide.
- Tour Guests who are not painting - Our guide will show you more of the sites of our tour destinations while the painters and artists are doing their thing.
- Tour of central Kyoto.
- Night Walking Tour of the infamous Gion district with our guide.
- Fushimi Inari Shrine & Sumi - E, classic Japanese brush calligraphy workshop.
- Heritage Train to/from Mt Arashiyama.
- Visit the famous Bamboo Forest.
- Historical shopping village walk.
- Sketch and walk the Philosopher's Trail alongside the Biwa canal in Kyoto's foothills.
- Night sketching at Dotonbori Arcades and canal in Osaka.
- Day trip to Nara, the old capitol of Japan, temples, the Reclining Buddha, shopping village, deer.
- Osaka Castle & urban sketching.
- Shopping streets and art supplies stores.
- Welcome and Farewell dinners.
Add OPTIONS - Our selection of tours and experiences to take in even more on your Artists Holiday Adventure.
Want more details of our itinerary? See this itinerary day by day >>
Kyoto, Osaka & Nara
Kyoto (京都) - Majestic temples, sublime gardens, colourful shrines and geisha scurrying to secret liaisons.
Temples, Shrines & Gardens
There are said to be over 2000 temples in Kyoto and Nara. You’ll find true masterpieces of religious architecture, such as the retina-burning splendour of Kinkaku-ji (the famed Golden Pavilion) and the cavernous expanse of Higashi Hongan-ji. Within the temple precincts are some of the world’s most sublime gardens, from the Zen masterpiece at Ryōan-ji to the riotous paradise of moss and blossoms at Saihō-ji. And then there are the Shintō shrines, monuments to Japan’s indigenous faith. The mother of all shrines, Fushimi-Inari-Taisha, has mesmerising arcades of vermillion torii (shrine gates) spread across a mountainside.
Osaka (大阪) - Few cities of this size offer such a range of excellent restaurants. Work your way through the entire spectrum of Japanese food, from impossibly refined cuisine known as kaiseki to hearty plebeian fare like rāmen. There’s also a wide range of French, Italian and Chinese restaurants, where the famed Japanese attention to detail is paired with local ingredients to yield fantastic results. Best of all, many restaurants are in traditional wooden buildings, to eye popping coloured fluorescent arcades or shopping streets where you sit and take in the vibrant atmosphere.
Nara (奈良) - Japan's first permanent capital, is one of the country's most rewarding destinations.The biggest draw is the awe-inspiring Daibutsu (Great Buddha), a towering effigy first cast in the 8th century. Historically important temples and shrines house treasures of Buddhist art. Stroll through the old merchant district of Naramachi and really immerse yourself in early Japanese history, art and architecture, for which Nara is famous.
The Japanese Way of Life
While the rest of Japan has adopted modernity with abandon, the old ways are hanging on in Kyoto. Take a morning stroll through the textile district of Nishijin and watch the old Kyoto ladies emerge from their machiya (traditional townhouses) to ladle water onto their stoops. Visit an old shōtengai (shopping street) and admire the ancient speciality shops: tofu sellers, fishmongers, pickle vendors and tea merchants. Then join the locals at a local sentō (public bath) to soak away the cares of the day. (Introduction by Lonely Planet)
Temples, Shrines & Gardens
There are said to be over 2000 temples in Kyoto and Nara. You’ll find true masterpieces of religious architecture, such as the retina-burning splendour of Kinkaku-ji (the famed Golden Pavilion) and the cavernous expanse of Higashi Hongan-ji. Within the temple precincts are some of the world’s most sublime gardens, from the Zen masterpiece at Ryōan-ji to the riotous paradise of moss and blossoms at Saihō-ji. And then there are the Shintō shrines, monuments to Japan’s indigenous faith. The mother of all shrines, Fushimi-Inari-Taisha, has mesmerising arcades of vermillion torii (shrine gates) spread across a mountainside.
Osaka (大阪) - Few cities of this size offer such a range of excellent restaurants. Work your way through the entire spectrum of Japanese food, from impossibly refined cuisine known as kaiseki to hearty plebeian fare like rāmen. There’s also a wide range of French, Italian and Chinese restaurants, where the famed Japanese attention to detail is paired with local ingredients to yield fantastic results. Best of all, many restaurants are in traditional wooden buildings, to eye popping coloured fluorescent arcades or shopping streets where you sit and take in the vibrant atmosphere.
Nara (奈良) - Japan's first permanent capital, is one of the country's most rewarding destinations.The biggest draw is the awe-inspiring Daibutsu (Great Buddha), a towering effigy first cast in the 8th century. Historically important temples and shrines house treasures of Buddhist art. Stroll through the old merchant district of Naramachi and really immerse yourself in early Japanese history, art and architecture, for which Nara is famous.
The Japanese Way of Life
While the rest of Japan has adopted modernity with abandon, the old ways are hanging on in Kyoto. Take a morning stroll through the textile district of Nishijin and watch the old Kyoto ladies emerge from their machiya (traditional townhouses) to ladle water onto their stoops. Visit an old shōtengai (shopping street) and admire the ancient speciality shops: tofu sellers, fishmongers, pickle vendors and tea merchants. Then join the locals at a local sentō (public bath) to soak away the cares of the day. (Introduction by Lonely Planet)
OPTIONS
Our itinerary offers a wide range of experiences. Some nights and days we choose to offer added adventures to indulge in while you are here. The very popular Night Life Dining Adventure continues on from our Gion District Hidden Alleyways tour and there are more. Places are limited in high season.
See OPTIONS Japan >>
Our Accommodation
We transfer to Osaka enjoy a beautiful modern hotel close to the famous Dotonbori Shopping Streets and city centre for late night shopping and dining. In
Osaka we stay in 4 and 5 STAR accommodation overlooking the Dojimo river, Osaka Castle and mountain ranges beyond.
Accommodation Japan - Add early arrivals or extra nights >>
Weather in central Japan
Autumn in November has very stable weather with 14 to 27°C and can be a little bit humid at times. Sunny days, very little rain and cool nights make Kyoto a great place to be in November. Always bring a jumper with you.
See OPTIONS Japan >>
Our Accommodation
We transfer to Osaka enjoy a beautiful modern hotel close to the famous Dotonbori Shopping Streets and city centre for late night shopping and dining. In
Osaka we stay in 4 and 5 STAR accommodation overlooking the Dojimo river, Osaka Castle and mountain ranges beyond.
Accommodation Japan - Add early arrivals or extra nights >>
Weather in central Japan
Autumn in November has very stable weather with 14 to 27°C and can be a little bit humid at times. Sunny days, very little rain and cool nights make Kyoto a great place to be in November. Always bring a jumper with you.
Craig Penny
The Sketch Book Tour Artist
Japan & Angkor Temples Born in Mildura, Craig has shown an interest in art and drawing from a very young age and has created a successful career as a professional artist. Craig taught both traditional drawing, illustration and digital drawing at both Victoria University and Swinburne University. Craig never lost his love of using traditional methods and specializes in watercolour, acrylic painting and illustration. In 2001, Craig had his first major solo exhibition in Mt Eliza, Victoria. There have been many exhibitions since. Craig's work has been accepted by Galleries and private collections in Australia and around the world and is in strong demand today. Glen at Painting Holidays |
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Travelling to Japan
Visa-free, independent travel to Japan was reinstated on October 1, 2022. Countries who enjoyed visa-free travel before the pandemic – “visa-waiver countries” – will be covered under the new system. That includes the USA, Canada, UK, most of the Eurozone, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. View the Japan Visa details >>
Visa-free, independent travel to Japan was reinstated on October 1, 2022. Countries who enjoyed visa-free travel before the pandemic – “visa-waiver countries” – will be covered under the new system. That includes the USA, Canada, UK, most of the Eurozone, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. View the Japan Visa details >>
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