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6Days/ 5Nights - Contemporary Art Museums in Tokyo and Tochigi

There are a considerable number of new contemporary art museums in Tokyo and nearby Tochigi which exemplify a highly personal approach to collecting and exhibiting art. Often small in scale, holistic in concept and exquisite in setting, they offer a unique aesthetic experience to the discerning visitor.

Alex Hui, architectural historian and Director of the Hong Kong Arts Centre, will be leading the Friends through an aesthetic and culinary exploration of some of the most unique new museums and cultural experiences in these tow cities.

April 4	Hong Kong to Tokyo Dinner and overnight at the Okura Hotel
April 5	Breakfast in the Orchid Room at the Okura Hotel followed by a visit to the newly opened Yokosuka Museum of Art in Kanagawa. This museum was built on the concept that the surrounding environment is itself part of the museum experience. Located inside the Kanagawa National Park, surrounded by deep forests and the ocean, the museum has over 4,500 works of art by modern and contemporary Japanese artists. Then, visit the BankART facilities in Yokohama. One hour from Tokyo, the BankART project is housed in the premises of two renovated former banks. Founded in 2004 as a pilot program to promote the arts by reusing two historical buildings, the Fuji and Dai-ichi banks, the project focuses on two themes: to be the instrument of cultural programs, and to revitalize the city through the use of old buildings. Dinner and overnight at the New Grand Hotel Yokohama
April 6	Travel for three hours by coach to Tochigi, the homes to at least five world-class museums and outstanding restaurants. Tochigi Prefecture is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu and is well-known for its historical sites and beautiful scenery. Nikko is home of the mausoleums of the Tokugawa Shoguns which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Unlike other temples and shrines in Japan, the buildings here are gaudy and ornate and show heavy Chinese influence. They are complimented by a magnificent forest of 13,000 cedar trees. Ashikaga is a small city nearby packed with mound tombs and mountain-top shrines of the pre-Buddhist Japan, and dozens of temples built by the Ashikaga clan, notable patrons of classical Noh theatre, Ikebana flower arranging and tea ceremony and architecture. Dinner and overnight at the Mashiko Park
April 7	Visit sights around Tochigi including the BatoMachi Hiroshiga Museum by Kuma Kengo. The family of Aoki Tosaku, a successful local entrepreneur, donated his extensive collection of the works of Utagawa Hiroshige to form the museum collection. The museum building is designed by architect Kuma Kengo who has transposed the art of Hiroshige to the traditional, subdued exterior. The entire museum is wrapped in wooden lattice work made of local Yamizo cedar, so that the lighting in the museum changes continuously throughout the day. Dinner, onsen and overnight at the Niki Club. This area has been the summer home of the Japanese imperial family and is renowned as a fine resort area with only 42 rooms on 85 acres that preserve the natural beauty of the surroundings.
April 8	Travel back to Tokyo to visit Hara Museum of Contemporary Art which has a large and varied collection of artworks from the 1950s onward. It includes the works of European, US, South American and Asian artists. Free time for shopping. Dinner in Ginza area and overnight at the Okura Hotel
April 9	Explore mid-town Tokyo and have lunch before boarding the plane back to Hong Kong

Prices & notes
Package price HK$25,000- per member on twin share basis. Since Mashiko Park only has ten rooms and we may not be able to secure all of them, it is strongly recommended that single member will be willing to share room with another member. Price for single traveller will be available only on request. The above price is based on a minimum of 15 people, cost of the trip may vary depending on the final number of participants.

Package price includes
Economy return airfare from Hong Kong to Tokyo, accommodation, meals, coach transportation, Hong Kong escort, accompanying speaker, basic gratuity to guide and chauffeur, and entrance fees to all sights listed in the itinerary.

Package price excludes:
-excess baggage charges
-travel document expense and visa fees
-personal expenses such as wine, beverages, laundry charges and long distance calls, room service charges, and any expenses which are of a personal nature.
-extra cost for meals and accommodation as a result of flight delays, cancellations, road or weather conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances, etc.
-extra charges for additional tours and special meals or coach service not specified in the itinerary

Registration procedure
We accept an ‘indication of interest’ on a first-come first served basis before 25 February 2008. Formal registration is accepted upon sending in a non-refundable deposit of HK$5,000- and the full name on or before 7 March 2008. Please attach your crossed cheque made payable to the ‘The Friends of the Hong Kong Museum of Art’ and mail it to:
The Executive Secretary
The Friends of the Hong Kong Museum of Art
Museum Friends Room
Basement, Hong Kong Museum of Art
10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Enquires: hkmafrds@netvigator.com
Tel: 2734 2196 Fax 2367 5138

Notes
Yours passport must be valid for 6 months at the time of travel;
Participating applicants will be informed individually regarding the deadline of full payment.

Liability Disclaimer
The Friends of the Hong Kong Museum of Art and their respective officers, directors, employees or members shall not be liable to the participant for:

any injury, damages, death, loss, accident, delay to persons or property directly or indirectly attributable to or arising out of this tour,
any refund due to the cancellation of the tour or portion thereof unless such refund is received by the respective society from the appointed travel agent.