We’ll begin on the western edge of Ishikawa, settling on a farm in a tiny village at the end of a green valley. The property is owned by one of Japan’s most enigmatic collectors, like a Japanese Karl Lagerfeld, sunglasses at night, his fingers in many interesting pies. We’ll stay all together in this unique property, visit local hot springs, explore the bamboo forests and hiking trails. Working together with the team we’ve developed a beautiful collection of learning experiences for the whole family, focusing on the relationship between Japanese food and the nature around us. Some highlights may include a 30-foot long bamboo noodle slide with the neighbors, foraging and chopstick-making workshops, a day of hands-on learning at a local ceramics studio, a wood-fired pizza evening with ingredients from the farm, a visit to the local shrine and nearby onsen. From Ishikawa we’ll travel by train south along the shores of Lake Biwa to Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto. We’ll spend some days exploring the balance between Kyoto’s deep history and its energetic present, driven by the newly arrived and the recently returned. History runs deep in Kyoto, but it’s the way new ideas can grow from ancient tradition that really makes this city remarkable. We’ll spend some time with a dear friend, a photographer and 16th generation owner of a local restaurant that’s been selling soba noodles for over 500 years. We’ll spend a secret evening with a team of performers, members of what they call “The Resistance”, bringing new ideas and forms into the ancient art of Noh theatre. We’ll crisscross the river on bicycles on a hunt for the best ramen (spoiler alert, the man behind the city’s most memorable bowl has dreads and loves reggae). We’ll browse for treasures at the flea market in the shadow of a temple. We’ll join an artist working in indigo whose dye vat has a human spirit and another artist working in the mysterious craft of kintsuji.