Across Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the programme offers participants the rare privilege of encountering selected works in direct dialogue with the eminent Riken Yamamoto and the renowned Kengo Kuma, together with the acclaimed Naoko Horibe and FujiwaraMuro Architects. Within projects drawn from their own practices, each will illuminate the ideas, judgements and exacting decisions through which the work was conceived, resolved and realised. Each encounter is shaped by time and attentiveness. Participants are invited to remain within the work, experience it at full scale, and examine its structure, material intelligence, spatial order and detailing through the perspective of those who authored it. Between these sessions, curated city walks and heritage explorations across all three cities build the cultural and historical context from which the architecture emerged.
Across Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the programme offers participants the rare privilege of encountering selected works in direct dialogue with the eminent Riken Yamamoto and the renowned Kengo Kuma, together with the acclaimed Naoko Horibe and FujiwaraMuro Architects. Within projects drawn from their own practices, each will illuminate the ideas, judgements and exacting decisions through which the work was conceived, resolved and realised. Each encounter is shaped by time and attentiveness. Participants are invited to remain within the work, experience it at full scale, and examine its structure, material intelligence, spatial order and detailing through the perspective of those who authored it. Between these sessions, curated city walks and heritage explorations across all three cities build the cultural and historical context from which the architecture emerged.
An intimate setting of thirty selected peers, for close observation, informed conversation and meaningful exchange.
Times to be confirmed against the final flight schedule.
Visit to Yokosuka Museum of ArtRiken YamamotoView profile →Key visit · 15:00Museum visit with Riken YamamotoMuseum visit with Riken YamamotoYokosuka Museum of ArtKey visitYamamoto briefing + Q&AMuseum lecture spaceKey visitKey visit15:00Museum visit with Riken YamamotoYokosuka Museum of ArtKey visit17:30Yamamoto briefing + Q&AMuseum lecture space
Visit to Kengo Kuma landmarksKengo KumaView profile →Key visit · 15:10KKAA HeadquartersKKAA HeadquartersMinami-Aoyama 2-chōme — studio visitKey visitKey visit15:10KKAA HeadquartersMinami-Aoyama 2-chōme — studio visit
Kyoto to Osaka transfer, then Horibe AssociatesNaoko HoribeHoribe AssociatesView profile →Key visit · 1 hrConference hall meetingConference hall meetingWith Naoko HoribeKey visitN+ Café and White Rose schoolHoribe Associates site visitsKey visitKey visit1 hrConference hall meetingWith Naoko HoribeKey visit—N+ Café and White Rose schoolHoribe Associates site visits
Osaka city visit and Fujiwara Muro ArchitectsFujiwara Muro ArchitectsView profile →Key visit · AMMeeting with Fujiwara Muro ArchitectsMeeting with Fujiwara Muro ArchitectsStudio — to be confirmedKey visitSite visitProject TBCKey visitGala dinnerClosing celebrationKey visitKey visitAMMeeting with Fujiwara Muro ArchitectsStudio — to be confirmedKey visit—Site visitProject TBCKey visitEveGala dinnerClosing celebrationMeals included: breakfast. No guide services on the departure day.
Stop 01 — Day 01–04
Three days across Tokyo after an evening arrival. Riken Yamamoto hosts the cohort at the Yokosuka Museum of Art, a self-guided city architecture walk fills another day, and Kengo Kuma joins for a dedicated session inside one of his landmark works.
Focus: Riken Yamamoto · Kengo Kuma
Stop 02 — Day 05
A full day yours in Japan's imperial capital. Kyoto shaped Japanese architecture for over a millennium. Walk through Katsura Imperial Villa, sit in the stone gardens of Ryoan-ji, lose yourself in Higashiyama's timber lanes. This is the living source code that every architect you meet on this programme is responding to.
Focus: Self-Directed Architectural Exploration
Stop 03 — Day 06–08
Two distinct days in Osaka. Naoko Horibe takes the cohort to Cafe N+, her work within the historic Nomi Shrine grounds in Takatsuki. The next day, Fujiwara and Muro open one of their private residential projects for a close reading of Osaka's domestic architecture.
Focus: Naoko Horibe · Fujiwara & Muro
Connect with architects and teams behind the projects to gain insights into their creative process and decisions.
Get exclusive insights about areas regular tours miss, and see how these buildings work from details to operations.
Network with architects and professionals worldwide to build lasting connections.
City tours and sightseeing in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, activities and gala dinner.
Curated time with the businesses building the materials, construction behind the recognised projects.
Discover how architectural ideas develop from concept to completion, including challenges and sustainability.
Understand how local culture and environment shape architectural decisions, enhancing appreciation of place.
Exhibit your work to a global audience of architects, opening doors to feedback, recognition, and collaboration.
Step inside working studios of renowned architects to experience their environment, tools, and everyday creative process.
7 nights accommodation
All internal transport, including Shinkansen
Guided architectural analysis at every site
All entry and access fees
Evening seminars and roundtable discussions
Printed architectural research dossier
Welcome and closing dinners
Private tea ceremony experience
Professional peer network access
International flights
Travel insurance & personal expenses
7 nights boutique accommodation
All internal transport, including Shinkansen
Guided architectural analysis at every site
All entry and access fees
Evening seminars and roundtable discussions
Printed architectural research dossier
Welcome and closing dinners
Private tea ceremony experience
Professional peer network access
International flights
Travel insurance & personal expenses
Share your practice details, portfolio, and a brief statement of your core objectives for the programme.
Applications are reviewed to ensure a balanced, high-calibre peer dynamic across disciplines and practice scales.
On acceptance, a 50% deposit confirms your position. The balance falls due 60 days prior to departure.
Receive the research dossier, reading list and logistics pack — then meet the cohort in Tokyo on 21 October, 2026
Epochish is not a tour company. We are an architectural study platform that curates immersive programmes for practicing professionals. The difference is in who leads the sessions — not guides, not academics, but the architects who designed and built the buildings you are standing inside. Every programme is built around that access, which cannot be replicated by any conventional tour.
Epochish programmes are built for architects, interior designers, urban designers, landscape architects, and spatial practitioners who are actively practising — whether leading their own studio, working within a larger firm, or building an independent body of work. We welcome professionals at all career stages, provided they bring genuine curiosity and a serious engagement with the built environment. This is not designed for students, though exceptional postgraduate practitioners may apply.
The Japan Chapter 2026 is priced at USD $7,500 per participant. This covers seven nights of accommodation, all internal transport including the Shinkansen, guided architectural analysis at every site, all entry and access fees, welcome and closing dinners, all programme meals, a private tea ceremony, evening seminars and roundtable discussions, and the printed pre-departure research dossier. International flights, travel insurance, and personal expenses are not included.
Cancellations made more than 90 days before departure receive a full refund minus a £250 administrative fee. Between 60 and 90 days, a 50% refund applies. Inside 60 days, no refunds can be issued. We strongly recommend independent travel insurance regardless of when you book.
No two days are identical, but the structure is consistent: mornings begin with architectural site study — often in the direct company of the architect who designed the building. Afternoons blend further site sessions with curated city exploration, heritage visits, and free time for independent wandering. Evenings are for food, conversation, and the kind of roundtable discussion that only happens between thirty professionals who’ve spent the day looking at something extraordinary together. Every day has space to breathe.
Both are inseparable from the programme. Japan’s temples, bamboo groves, river valleys, food culture, and cities at night are not incidental — they are the context from which its architecture emerged, and they are woven into every day. The itinerary includes the Sagano scenic railway and Hozugawa river boat, the Fushimi Inari torii walk, Nara’s deer park, Dotonbori by night, a private tea ceremony, and a gala closing dinner. You will return with a full sketchbook and a full memory card.
Submit your interest at epochish.com/register with your practice background, a link to your portfolio, and a short note on what draws you to this programme. There is no formal interview. We review applications on a rolling basis and assemble each cohort to ensure a balance of disciplines, geographies, and scales of practice. You will hear from us within 3 working days of submitting.
A 50% deposit upon acceptance secures your place in the cohort. The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to departure. Payment details are sent with your acceptance confirmation. We accept bank transfer and major card payments.
A confirmation email with payment details arrives first. Roughly six weeks before departure, you receive the pre-departure briefing pack: the printed research dossier, a curated reading list, full logistics and packing guidance. By the time you land in Tokyo, the only unknown should be the architecture itself.
All cancellations must be notified in writing (email is acceptable) and refunds are processed within 14 business days of written notice. Cancellations made 30 or more days before the programme start date incur a 10% cancellation fee, while a no-show on the programme date results in 100% forfeiture of the full fee. Should Epochish cancel the programme due to insufficient enrolment, a full refund is provided. Independent travel insurance is strongly recommended regardless of when you book. Full terms and conditions are available at https://epochish.com/terms-and-conditions/
Yes, and this is one of the ways we work. Architecture firms, real estate developers, hospitality groups, and material companies regularly reserve blocks of seats — either for their own senior professionals as structured professional development, or to gift to architect clients and collaborators as a sponsorship investment. If you are interested in a block booking or a sponsorship arrangement, contact us directly at contactepochish@gmail.com and we will walk you through the options.
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Yes. Japanese and international companies whose products, materials, or services are relevant to the architectural profession can partner with Epochish as programme sponsors. Sponsorship typically involves reserving a number of participant places, which the company distributes to architects from their target markets, in exchange for product showcase time during the programme. This gives sponsors direct, curated access to an international audience of design decision-makers in a live, in-building context. Contact us to discuss what a partnership could look like for your organisation.
All sessions and communications run in English. Where a host architect presents in Japanese, professional interpretation is provided. Participants do not need any knowledge of Japanese.
Citizens of most countries — including the UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia, India, and most of Southeast Asia — can enter Japan visa-free or on arrival for stays of up to 90 days. We provide an official invitation letter to support any visa application where required. Please confirm your specific eligibility with the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country well before your travel date.
This is not a coach-window experience. You should expect 8,000 to 12,000 steps a day across urban streets, temple grounds, and the occasional hillside approach. Some sites involve stairs, uneven surfaces, or extended periods of standing. Comfortable walking shoes are non-negotiable. If you have specific mobility requirements, contact us before applying and we will advise on suitability.
Yes. The cohort does not dissolve at Osaka airport. Epochish maintains an ongoing professional network connecting all programme participants across chapters and years. Alumni receive early access to future programmes, invitations to Epochish events, and access to a private peer group.
Many participants do, arriving a day or two early to adjust or staying on to explore independently. We are happy to suggest accommodation and self-guided itineraries on request, though additional nights fall outside the programme fee.
