21 Years of Japan Tours — What Makes Them Special

After 21 years of leading small-group, textile-rich cultural tours across Japan, I will soon be retiring — in May 2027, on my birthday. Until then, I’m running my final series of bespoke tours that focus on authentic Japanese living — indigo workshops, small family cafés, local craft studios, Shinkansen adventures, culture, connection and friendship. These aren’t ordinary “tourist trips”. We don’t travel by luxury coaches or stay in large hotels — unless requested. We sleep, eat, travel and experience Japan the way the locals do. From Kyoto to Hiroshima, Miyajima to Mt Fuji, we explore Japanese textiles, food, culture, Noren curtain workshops, and even karaoke the traditional way. My tours are fully personalised — every itinerary is adapted for the group. If someone loves frogs, I make sure there’s a frog hidden somewhere every day. If someone finds stairs difficult, we design an itinerary that avoids them. My guests often become friends, and many return year after year — one guest has been eight times. If you’d love to join me for one of my final tours — or simply have questions — you can contact me. There are no silly questions. Just curiosity, stories, and a shared love for Japanese craft and culture. — 🎥 Explore more videos on traditional Japanese fabric crafts, Sashiko, Furoshiki and culture🧵 Subscribe to learn Japanese textiles, stories and crafts told through film❤️ 21 Years of connection, culture and creativity. SUBSCRIBE for more traditional Japanese crafts: https://www.youtube.com/@FestivalofCraft?sub_confirmation=1 TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - The Big Announcement: Retiring in 2027 1:00 - Not just for "Textile People" 2:18 - The Two Itineraries (Kyoto vs. Tokyo) 3:30 - "Bespoke" Touring & The "Frog Lady" Story 5:00 - The "Everything You Need to Know" Book 6:30 - How we handle bookings & flights #JapanTravel #TextileTour #FestivalOfJapan #JapanTrip #Kyoto #Tokyo #Sashiko #CraftTour #TravelJapan