The most popular accommodation on Awaji Island, GRAND CHARIOT Hokutoshichisei 135°, will offer a collaboration overnight plan, “the Traditional Kyoto Craft Experience Plan” featuring traditional Japanese craftmanship. Join us on Awaji Island, the Birthplace of Japan, for this unique and enriching experience!
Table of Contents
Highlighting the Rich Culture of Traditional Kyoto Craftsmanship and Awaji Island
On Saturday, September 7th, the luxurious glamping facility GRAND CHARIOT Hokutoshichisei 135° on Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture, will host a special event featuring traditional Kyoto artisans. You can experience the “Traditional Kyoto Craft Experience Plan” at this iconic location, known as the Birthplace of Japan.
The program will feature bamboo fence craftsman Akihiro Mashimo and gold foil craftsman Norifumi Fujisawa. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the rich history of traditional crafts, observe skilled artisans at work with craftmanship that has been passed down from generation to generation, and engage in hands-on crafting experiences under their expert guidance.
Guests will have the chance to create their own unique chopstick rests using Awaji roof tiles, a renowned local specialty, adorned with inlaid gold leaves. They can also craft original bamboo chopstick sets from local Awaji Island bamboo.
Located in the serene northernmost part of Awaji Island and known in historical records as the “birthplace of Japan”, this accommodation offers a tranquil escape from everyday life and breathtaking panoramic views.
Traditional Kyoto Craft Experience Plan Overview
Date: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Hotel guests staying overnight from September 7th (Sat) to 8th (Sun) are eligible for this event.
Price: 60,980 yen (including dinner and breakfast, tax and service charge) per person
(per room, double occupancy)
Cuisine: <Dinner> HAL YAMASHITA Modern Japanese Full-Course Meal
A full-course modern Japanese meal featuring “Awaji Beef Surf & Turf Tomato Sukiyaki” cooked solely with the moisture of fresh Awaji Island vegetables and featuring the fantastic “Awaji Beef”, of which only about 200 cows are harvested annually, and fresh local sea urchin.
<Breakfast> Morning Start Meal
A platter of nine colorful dishes include crisp Awaji Island vegetables, protein-rich soy milk from Fukuyutaka soybeans, fresh grilled fish from the Seto Inland Sea, and the famous Awaji Dashi Rolled Egg, with freshly cooked Awaji Island rice.
<Special offer> Experience making traditional crafts under the direct guidance of Kyoto traditional craftsmen.
1. Original Awaji bamboo chopstick crafting with custom case (limited to first 9 pairs / 18 guests)
2. Original gold-pressed Awaji tile chopstick rest crafting experience
* Dinner may be enjoyed with the chopsticks and rests made by guests.
Note: Reservations for this plan must be made at least 3 days prior to one’s stay.
Cooperation: Mr. Kimitsugu Ueno; Office U boat, LLC.
Website: https://awaji-grandchariot.com/
Inquiries: +81 (0)799-64-7090
Akihiro Mashimo – Bamboo Crafts, Bamboo Fence Craftsman | Certified Kyoto Artisan
Born in Yokohama in 1977, Mashimo moved to Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture when he was 5 years old and grew up close to bamboo. Studied under Ichiro Mishima (a master craftsman in Kyoto) and engaged in bamboo fence making. Major works include Katsura Imperial Villa, Kyoto State Guest House, Heian-jingu Shrine, and Shokado Garden.
In March 2015, he was certified by the Governor of Kyoto Prefecture as a Certified Kyoto Artisan. He has held bamboo fence workshops and demonstrations in the U.S. and Italy since 2016, aiming to promote bamboo crafts overseas, and has also focused on activities to convey the appeal of bamboo in Japan, including media appearances and product development with Adventure World.
Norifumi Fujisawa – Gold Tooling Craftsman | Certified Kyoto Artisan
Born in Kyoto in 1975; graduated from the current Kyoto Traditional Crafts University in 1998 and studied under gold tooling craftsman Shoji Okamoto in the same year. After 17 years of training, Fujisawa became an independent “Kyoto Gold Leaf Presser” in 2015. In the same year, he became a Certified Kyoto Artisan.
He held workshops in Paris, France in 2018 and Taiwan in 2019, and exhibited booths at a 2023 Sydney exhibition and “KYOTO JAPAN IN DUBAI 2024”. As a gold leaf presser for Buddhist altars and ritual articles, he actively promotes not only traditional crafts, but also gold leaf processing for hotels and interior decorations, and tie-ups with artists in Japan and abroad.
About GRAND CHARIOT Hokutoshichisei 135°
GRAND CHARIOT Hokutoshichisei 135° has 23 cocoon-like villas, each offering spectacular views of the sunrise and starry skies through 5-meter-high skylights. All rooms are equipped with hinoki (Japanese cypress) baths for a soothing fresh scent.
Dining is overseen by Hal Yamashita, a renowned master chef with 13 restaurants in Japan and abroad as well as a “Food Advisor” for Hyogo Prefecture. He has been selected as a Master Chef for two consecutive World Gourmet Summits at which the world’s top chefs gather, embodies “modern Japanese cuisine” that maximizes the life and breath of the ingredients. Dinners and breakfasts are crafted from local ingredients sourced from Awaji Island, historically known as “miketsukuni”, an ancient treasure trove of culinary delights that traditionally supplied the Imperial Court with its food.
| Name | GRAND CHARIOT |
|---|---|
| Adress | 2425-2 Kusumoto, Awaji City, Hyogo Pref. 656-2301 Located at Nijigen no Mori in Hyogo Prefecture Awajishima Park |
| Tel | 0799-64-7090 |
| Website | https://awaji-grandchariot.com/ |
| Reservations | https://go-grandchariot.reservation.jp/en |
