Tours

Jane MacDonald leads wonderful tours around Japan showing the home, origins and highlights of Japanese textiles and stitching.

Delve into the world of Japanese textiles with your experienced host Jane and the many knowledgable textile artists you will meet along the way from Tokyo and back. Visit workshops, gardens, temples and enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine with other textile enthusiasts.

2025 Tours

Threads of Japan: Textile and Stitching Tour with Japan Hobby Show

16 April - 26 April 2025

Embark on an unforgettable exploration of Japan’s rich textile and craft traditions, discovering iconic cities like Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kyoto. Immerse yourself in the vibrant energy of Tokyo’s Japan Hobby Show and the bustling markets. Engage in hands-on workshops, including traditional dyeing techniques and Sashiko stitching techniques. Enjoy cultural highlights, local markets, and a memorable farewell celebration in Kyoto, capturing the essence of Japan’s rich artisanal heritage.

Visit Tokyo’s vibrant Japan Hobby Show
Explore bustling Nippori Fabric Town
Travel on the Shinkansen (bullet train) in Japan
Visit the historic Kamishichiken geisha district in Kyoto
Engage in hands-on workshops
Learn Shibori dyeing and Sashiko stitching techniques
Discover the lively flea market at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto
Enjoy farewell dinner in Kyoto

Japanese Textiles & Stitching Tour in May

6 May - 20 May 2025

This tour is fully booked with waitlist only.

https://opulentjourneys.com.au/tours/japan-textile-stitching-tour-in-may-2025/

Japan Textile & Stitching Tour with Yokohama Quilt Show

1-15 November 2025

This tour is fully booked with waitlist only.

https://opulentjourneys.com.au/tours/japan-textile-stitching-tour-in-autumn/

Japanese Textiles, Crafts & Sashiko Tour

17-30 November 2025

Designed and led by Jane MacDonald, this bespoke craft tour of Japan is focusing on a range of traditional crafts with the opportunity for hands on learning experiences with the masters of sashiko, temari, indigo and stencil dyeing, washi paper, and Kurume kasuri. The tour visits famous sites, cities, towns, villages and textile establishments on the main island of Honshu and the southwestern island of Kyushu.

Craft a temari
Visit Akie Ginza’s Sashiko Museum
View the Kubota Kimono Collection at Itchiku Kubota Museum
Learn traditional sashiko techniques from a talented teacher
Visit Matsumoto Castle and a local Sashiko shop in Takayama
Explore UNESCO Village and take a Washi paper-making workshop
Visit the spectacular Kinkakuji and Ryoanji Temples in Kyoto
Learn how to paint fabric for Yuzen dyeing
See the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine
Visit the Higashi Chayamachi District with its traditional tea houses
Participate in a roketsu (indigo) dyeing workshop
Visit specialist stores in Kyoto such as the hard-to-find needle shop
Enjoy an all-day aizome workshop and learn about Kurume kasuri
Watch traditional weaving and dyeing techniques
Visit a Yame green tea plantation