FROM VIENNA TO THE WORLD
ARCH ON TOUR 75_JAPAN 6
Osaka Expo - Kyoto - Naoshima -Tokyo
OCTOBER 08 - 22,2025
Concept and expert accompaniment: Marion Kuzmany / ARCH ON TOUR; as well as expert guiding by local architects and specialists: Norio Yoshinaga (ofea), Tetsuya Kitaguchi, Coil Kazuteru Matumura Architects, EXPO Austria, e.a.
Tour operator: Mondial GmbH & Co. KG
This early autumn ARCH ON TOUR to Japan will take place as a follow-up date due to the great demand for Tour 73 in May/June 2025 with a similar program plus several interesting variants.
We start with the fascinating city of Osaka, which we will experience from the extraordinary perspective of the Expo Osaka 2025 and dedicate two intensive days to it with visits to numerous country pavilions by internationally renowned architects as well as an exclusive reception in the Austrian pavilion. As a final highlight of our stay in Osaka the architect Norio Yoshinaga shows us one of his signature conversions, this time the transformation of three traditional row houses into an exclusive boutique hotel.
Our next destination is Kyoto, where our program leads us to special buildings and selected temples off the beaten path. A hike to “Kami Daigo”, the upper part of the Dago-ji temple complex, brings refreshment in nature, an overview of the city and an insight into Buddhist culture right at the beginning of the tour. Walks through the city let us admire Kyoto's famous handicrafts in architecturally interesting commercial buildings.
The joyful tour continues to the Seto Inland Sea and the Setouchi Islands, which are famous for their high-quality architecture and art projects - including buildings by Tadao Ando for permanent art exhibitions by Hiroshi Sugimoto, James Turrell and Walter de Maria and the Teshima Art Museum by Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA) in collabotation with Rei Naito for his spatial installation. As well as the Inujima Art House Project by Yuko Hasegawa and Kazuyo Sejima.
The mega-metropolis of Tokyo offers a fantastic experience in every respect, not at least as a splendid conclusion of our tour. From our perfect location - right in vibrant Shibuya - we immerse ourselves in the dense city life and enjoy the fascination of the largest city in the world with it´s 37.2 million inhabitants. A day trip to Yokohama and walks through the most interesting areas of Tokyo provide a wide variety of impressions.
Examples of traditional and contemporary timber constructions in Japan are a recurring theme throughout the extensive program. Starting with the the mighty, ring-shaped timber structure of Sou Fujimoto, which encloses the pavilions as a key building at the Expo Osaka, we explore the topic by a wide variety of buildings. Thease include the unique temple buildings in Kyoto - such as the 120 meter long hall of the Sanjusangen-do Temple - the historic wooden houses enriched with art interventions in a former fishing village on Naoshima, and last but not least the Rinshunkaku Villa from the Meiji period in Yokohama with its characteristic Shoji sliding windows.
The tour, which is composed of some highlights from the wide-ranging ARCH ON TOUR - Japan-repertoire in addition with many new discoveries, is, as always, enriched with selected culinary delights (all included in the tour price!), offers the opportunity to experience traditional baths in two of our hotels and also provides insight in Japanese culture and way of living beyond architecture.
I am very much looking forward to another wonderful tour to Japan and to exchanging ideas with interesting participants and local architects!
here to the ROUTE and TOUR PRICE
PROGRAM
as of 2025/01/15, subject to modifications
some visits and restaurants currently in request
approx. sunrise – sunset on our respective travel dates
Osaka 06:00 – 17:30
Tokyo 05:50 – 17:00
Wednesday, 2025/10/08 / departure from VIENNA
individual check-in
12:30 meeting directly at the boarding gate / Vienna airport, Term. 3
13:30 - 08:50 (+1) flight Vienna VIE - Tokyo Narita NRT by Austrian Airlines OS 51 (BOEING 777-200/200ER)
Thursday, 2025/10/09 / TOKYO - OSAKA
08:50 arrival at Tokyo Narita airport, Term. 1
Narita Express NEX to Shinagawa station
by Shinkansen "Nozomi 31" from Shinagawa to Shin-Osaka
by subway to the hotel
check-in Hotel Royal Classic, Osaka Namba / KKAA Kengo Kuma & Associates, 2020
siesta
walk through Osaka Namba-Shinsaibashi: Dotombori shopping- and restaurant street, Ebisu bashi bridge, Galleria Akka / Tadao Ando, 1988, Hozenji Temple, e.a.
common Welcome-Dinner in Osaka
1st night at the Royal Classic Hotel, Osaka
Friday, 2025/10/10 / OSAKA: Expo
breakfast at the hotel
public transportation, walks
visit of selected participants´pavilions (will be specified)
common lunch at the Expo site
other common and individual visits at the Expo
(opening hours of the Expo 09:00-22:00)
free evening
2nd night at Hotel Royal Classic, Osaka Namba
Saturday, 2025/10/11 / OSAKA: Expo
breakfast at the hotel
public transportation, walks
visit of selected participants´pavilions (will be specified)
reception at the Austrian pavillon: meeting with the pavilion director, Expo Austria, guided visit of the pavilion and common lunch (incl. beverages)
other common and individual visits at the Expo
free evening
3rd night at Hotel Royal Classic, Osaka Namba
Sunday, 2025/10/12 / OSAKA - KYOTO
breakfast at the hotel, check-out
coach
Contexted House, Osaka / ofea - Office for Environment Architecture, 2019 (guided visit with the architect Norio Yoshinaga / ofea)
coach transfer to Kyoto
check-in Hotel Sora Niwa Terrace, Kyoto
walk:
Rokkaku-do Tempel / 1125, reconstructed after fire 1877
Issey Miyake Store in a historical Machiya house / Naoto Fukasawa, 2018
Hakuhodo Cosmetic Brush Shop / Waro Kishi, 2014
Zohiko Urushi (Japanese Fine Lacquer Ware) Museum and Shop / Waro Kishi, 2014
Kyukyodo Monkoudokoro stationery shop / Naito Architect & Associates, 2020
Times I, II Building / Tadao Ando, 1983, 1991
Ponto-cho, historic Ponto-cho alley
K8 Space / Florian Busch Architects, 2016
Pass The Baton Gion shop / Masamichi Katayama, 2015
common dinner
1st night at Hotel Sora Niwa Terrace, Kyoto
Monday, 2025/10/13 / KYOTO
breakfast at the hotel
meeting with Tetsuya Kitaguchi
public transportation, walks
hike on the mountain trail to Kami Daigo (upper part of the Daigo-ji complex)
common lunch at Restaurant Tobajin Fushimi
Daigo-ji tempel complex / founded: Heian -era, 874, since 1994 UNESCO world heritage (visit of the vast complex and gardens with numerous buildings, gates, 5-storied pagoda, etc. )
back to the hotel
optional: open-air hotsprings at out hotel Rooftop-Spa
free evening
2nd night at Hotel Sora Niwa Terrace, Kyoto
Tuesday, 2025/10/14 / KYOTO
breakfast at the hotel
meeting with Tetsuya Kitaguchi
public transportation, walks
Kyoto Wand café / Coil Kazuteru Matumura Architects, 2022 (interior visit)
Sanjūsangen-dō Hall, Rengeō-in Tempel / 1164, main hall reconstructed 1264 (with 120 m Japans longest timber hall, contains 1001 Kannon-statues)
common lunch at Yakitori Kushikura Honten
Shoren’in Tempel complex and garden / 13th century, main hall reconstructed 1895
ev. Shogunzuka Mound / observation deck
back to the hotel
optional: open-air hotsprings at out hotel Rooftop-Spa
free evening
3rd night at Hotel Sora Niwa Terrace, Kyoto
Wednesday, 2025/10/15 / KYOTO - NAOSHIMA
breakfast at the hotel, check-out
coach transfer to Kyoto Station
by Shinkansen "Nozomi 99" to Okayama
coach
Ferry (with our coach) to Naoshima island / Miyanoura Port
Yayoi Kusama "red Pumpkin"
Chichu Art Museum / Tadao Ando, 2004
individual lunch at Chichu Café
Benesse House Museum / Tadao Ando, 1992
Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery: Time Corridors
coach
Art House Project: Conversions and extensions of 7 historical Machiya houses (Gokaisho, Kadoya, Minamidera, e.a.) in cooperation with architects & artists: Tadashi Yamamoto & Tatsuo Miyajima, Tadao Ando & James Turrell, Rei Naito & Masaru Kimura, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hiroshi Senju, Yoshihiro Suda, Shinro Ohtake
Ando Museum / conversion by Tadao Ando, 2013
Go´o Shrine / glass steps by Hiroshi Sugimoto, 2002
Ring of Fire - Solar Yang & Lunar Weerasethakul
The Naoshima Plan "The Water"
Honmura Port: Taxi-ship to Shodoshima island / Tonosho Port
Hotel-Shuttle, check-in Tenku Hotel Kairo Tonosho
common dinner at the hotel
1st night at Tenku Hotel Kairo Tonosho, Shodoshima
Thursday, 2025/10/16 / INUJIMA, TESHIMA
breakfast at the hotel
walk to "Angel Road" (sand road)
Hotel-Shuttle to Tonosho Port
Taxi-ship to Inujima island
Inujima Seirensho Art Museum in former copper refinery / Hiroshi Sambuichi & Yukinori Yanagi, 2008
Inujima Art House Project / Yuko Hasegawa & Kazuyo Sejima (SANAA), 2010 (Galleries and art interventions in vernacular houses of the village)
Inujima Life Garden / Kazujo Sejima (SANAA), Akaruiheya garden planner, 2010
Taxi-ship to Teshima island / Karato Port
walk
Teshima Art Museum / Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA), Rei Naito, 2010
Taxi-ship to Shodoshima island / Tonosho Port
Hotel-Shuttle
japanese bath and common dinner at the hotel
2nd night at Tenku Hotel Kairo Tonosho, Shodoshima
Friday, 2025/10/17 / SHODOSHIMA - TOKYO: SHIBUYA
breakfast at the hotel, check-out
Hotel-Shuttle to Tonosho Port
Ferry: Tonosho to Shin Okayama-ko
coach transfer to Okayama Station
by Shinkansen "Nozomi 96" from Okayama to Tokyo (Shinagawa Station)
Yamanote Line to Shibuya
check-in Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu
walk through Shibuya:
Shibuya Yokochoo Food court
Shibuya Miyashita Park / Takenaka Corporation + Nikken Sekkei, 2020 (walk through the shopping complex)
Tokyo Toilet Project (2020-2024): Jingu Dori Park / Tadao Ando
Shibuya Fukuras / Tezuka Architects, Nikken Sekkei Ltd., 2019
common dinner in Shibuya
1st night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
Saturday, 2025/10/18 / TOKYO: SUMIDA - ROPPONGI - OMOTESANDO
breakfast at the hotel
public transportation, walks
Sumida Hokusai Museum / SANAA, 2016 (visit of the current exhibition)
subway
2121 design sight / Tadao Ando, 2007 (visit of the current exhibitions)
common lunch
Toto Gallery MA / visit of the "Exhibition of Architects Born after 1980"
subway to Omotesando Crossing
individual wals or in smaller groups with map and instructions:
Aoyama Stores: Issey Miyake Pleats Please / Tokujin Yoshioka, 2009; me Issey Miyake Aoyama / Naoto Fukasawa Design, 2016 ; Comme des Garcons / Takao Kawasaki, Future Systems, 1999; Yoshi Yamamoto; Miu Miu / Herzog & de Meuron, 2015; Prada / Herzog & de Meuron, 2005; Collezione / Tadao Ando, 1989; Nezu Museum / Kengo Kuma, 2009 (with Japanese garden and modern tea house, exhibition: "Yakishime Ceramics: Feel the Clay")
Omotesando: Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo / Jun Aoki, 2011 (ev. visit of the current exhibition) ; Dior Omotesando / SANAA, 2004 ; Omotesando Hills / Tadao Ando, 2005; GYRE, Maison Margiela / MVRDV, 2007
Spaziergang über die Cat Street nach Shibuya
freier Abend
2. Nacht im Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
Sunday, 2025/10/19 / TOKYO: TENNOZU, GINZA
breakfast at the hotel
public transportation, walks
Pigment art supply shop / Kengo Kuma, 2015 (interior visit)
WHAT Museum and Archi-depot (visit of the architecture model depot and current exhibition)
common lunch, ev. at WHAT Café
Monorail, Yamanote
walk through Ginza:
Tokyo International Forum / Rafael Viñoly, 1996
De Beers V88 Ginza Building / Jun Mitsui & Associates Architects, 2008 (from outside)
Pola Ginza Building / Nikken Sekkei Ltd + Yasuda Atelier, 2009
Pola Museum Annex / (visit of the current exhibition)
Higashiya Ginza (short interior visit)
Ito-ya stationery shop (individual visit)
Ginza Place / Klein Dytham Architects, 2016 (from outside)
Ginza Wako / Jin Watanabe, 1932 (from outside)
Issey Miyake Ginza 442 (visit of the Cube Gallery)
Maison Hermès / Renzo Piano, 1999, 2004 (visit of the current exhibition at Hermès Forum)
Ginza Six / Yoshio Taniguchi, 2017 (visit of the shopping mall, Tsutaya Bookshop and roof terrace)
Shiseido Parlour Ginza / Ricardo Bofill, 2001 (visit of the Shiseido Gallery)
Louis Vuitton Ginza Namiki / Jun Aoki and Peter Marino, 2021 (from outside)
common Sushi-dinner in Ginza
3rd night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
Monday, 2025/10/20 / TOKYO - day tour to YOKOHAMA
breakfast at the hotel
public transportation, walks
by train to Yokohama, bus
Rinshun-kaku Villa, Yokohama / Meiji-Zeit (visit of the villa with numerous buildings, shrines, temples, pagodas in the extensive garden)
common lunch at the Soba-Restaurant Taishunken
bus
Yokohama China-town: Zenrimon gate, Yokohama Kuan Ti Miao Tempel
free evening in China-Town, Yokohama
by train back to Tokyo
free evening
4th night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
Tuesday, 2025/10/21 / TOKYO: DAIKANYAMA - HARAJUKU - YOYOGI - SHIMOKITAZAWA
breakfast at the hotel
public transportation, walks
Hillside Terrace / Maki and Associates, 1969-92 (walk through the publivc areas, Hillside Gallery)
Daikanyama T-Site: Tsutaya bookstore / Klein Dytham Architecture, 2012 (individual interior visit)
train
Meiji Jingu: walk through the garden and visit of the shrine complex
Meiji Jingu Museum / KKAA Kengo Kuma & Associates, 2019
Yoyogi National Gymnasium / Kenzo Tange, 1964 (from outside)
walk through Yoyogi Park
Tokyo Toilet Project (2020-2024):
Yoyogi Hachiman / Toyo Ito; Haru no Ogawa Community Park, Yoyogi / Shigeru Ban
train
walk through Shimokitazawa
Cocktail and exclusive common dinner at Vin Sante / Shigeru Ban, 2016
5th night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
Wednesday, 2025/10/22 / TOKYO – VIENNA
breakfast at the hotel, check-out
coach transfer
11:10 – 18:25 flight Tokyo Narita NRT (Term. 1) – Vienna VIE by Austrian Airlines OS 52 (BOEING 777-200/200ER)
18:25 arrival in Vienna (Term. 3)
ROUTE
2025/10/08 / 13:30–08:50 (+1) direct flight Vienna VIE (Term. 3) - Tokyo NRT by Austrian Airlines OS 51 / flight duration: 12h20min
2025/10/09 / arrival in Tokyo Narita, Terminal 1 / Narita Express NEX to Shinagawa Station / by Shinkansen to OSAKA / walks in Osaka / 1st night at the Royal Classic Hotel, Osaka
2025/10/10 / public transportation and visits by foot at the Expo Osaka / 2nd night at the Royal Classic Hotel, Osaka
2025/10/11 / public transportation and visits by foot at the Expo Osaka / 3rd night at the Royal Classic Hotel, Osaka
2025/10/12 / by Shinkansen to KYOTO / walks in Kyoto / 1st night at Sora Niwa Terrace Hotel, Kyoto
2025/10/13 / mountain hike and visits by foot and public transportation in KYOTO / 2nd night at Sora Niwa Terrace Hotel, Kyoto
2025/10/14 / visits by foot and public transportation in KYOTO / 3rd night at Sora Niwa Terrace Hotel, Kyoto
2025/10/15 / by Shinkansen to Okayama, coach and ferry to NAOSHIMA / visits by coach and by foot on Naoshima island / Taxi-ship to Tonosho / 1st night at Tenku Hotel Kairo Tonosho, Shodoshima
2025/10/16 / Taxi-ship to INUJIMA and TESHIMA / visits by foot on Inujima and Teshima island / 2nd night at Tenku Hotel Kairo Tonosho, Shodoshima
2025/10/17 / by ferry, coach and Shinkansen to TOKYO / walk in Tokyo / 1st night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
2025/10/18 / visits by foot and public transportation in TOKYO / 2nd night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
2025/10/19 / visits by foot and public transportation in TOKYO / 3rd night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
2025/10/20 / day tour by public transportation to YOKOHAMA / 4th night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
2025/10/21 / visits by foot and public transportation in TOKYO / 5th night at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo
2025/10/22 / airport transfer by coach / 11:10-18:25 direct flight Tokyo Narita NRT (Term. 1) – Vienna VIE by Austrian Airlines OS 52 / duration of flight: 14h15min / arrival in Vienna, Terminal 3
TOUR PRICE per person in a double room: 7.685 EUR (incl. tax.); single room supplement: 1.450 EUR
INCLUDING: direct flights (Economy class) by Austrian Airlines Vienna - Tokyo Narita and return; 13 nights incl. breakfast in selected and particularly centrally located hotels: 3x at the Royal Classic Hotel 4* in Osaka; 3x at Sora Niwa Terrace Hotel 5* in Kyoto; 2x at Tenku Hotel Kairo Tonosho 3* on Shodoshima; 5x at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu 4* in Tokyo ("Excel-rooms" in high floors!), 14 common meals in specially selected restaurants (among them min. 3x including beverages e.g. at: Welcome dinner in Osaka, lunch reception at the Austrian Expo-pavilion, cocktail and dinner at Vin Sante in Toyko); all entrance fees to museums, temples, etc. according to the program; Expo tickets; all transports: airport transfers, public transportations, Shinkansen, private coach, Taxi-ship; tourist tax, tips; expert guidings, program and expert accompaniment by DI Marion Kuzmany
SOLD OUT
maximum number of participants: 30 persons
IMPORTANT: VERY good walking ability is required for this tour!
here to the TRAVEL- and CANCELLATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS