Announcements

Thank you I Arigato Gozaimasu: Recapping our Travel Program Trip to Japan

From April 3–10, 2024, twenty five GAS Members hailing from Argentina, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, and several states across the USA joined GAS for its inaugural GAS Travel Program tour to Japan. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone.

The group met in Tokyo and over seven days, journeyed together to Toyama, the Noto Peninsula, and the historic town of Kanazawa. The pink cherry blossoms were stunning and in full bloom as the group enjoyed a curated tour of Japan’s distinctive glass culture. The tour included visits to shrines and temples, museums, artist studios, and local restaurants. Highlights include the exhibitions and a beautiful bento lunch at the Toyama Glass Museum; a hotshop demonstration and make-your-own glass experience at the Toyama Institute of Glass Art; the tour of Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kobo; the cruise down the Matsukawa River; the visit to Shirayama Hime Jinja Shrine and its holy grounds; leisurely strolls through Iwase Town and the Higashi Chaya geisha district; and the traditional Japanese tea ceremony on the grounds of the 21st-century Museum of Contemporary art. Memories were made every day.

Our guests shared:

“The GAS Travel Program to Japan was superb: excellent sites, glass education, and a mix of culture and the arts. The GAS team could not have been more caring, concerned, happy, and energetic!”

“I don’t believe you could pack more experiences into a travel plan you organized by yourself. The organizers, the guides, and the interpreters knocked themselves out, coordinating visits to museums, artist studios, galleries, parks, temples, and shrines. The entire stay was friendly, and we were treated as individuals, fulfilling our individual needs. Bravo.”

“An opportunity for antique art/glass experience with like-minded individuals. The ability to explore a new country and its people. Amazing support from our tour leaders.”

“It was wonderful to meet people from different countries, share their culture, see different glass techniques, and form future friendships.”

Perhaps one of the greatest and most unexpected highlights from our first GAS tour is the friendships we made. Japan is a wonderland of extraordinary tradition, impeccable service, a deep sense of politeness, and a feast for all the senses—it was truly a privilege to experience all these things with our pioneer group of GAS Travelers and the many exceptional artists and hosts we met along the way. Their unique energy and positivity were instrumental in making this tour a success, and we are immensely grateful to everyone involved.

Our trip to Japan would not have been possible without the support and participation of individuals, artists, studios, and world-class institutions who provided an international glass-lovers’ itinerary of artist and studio visits, guided VIP talks and tours, up-close cultural encounters, and so much more. We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all our dear friends in Japan who made our first glass tour a phenomenal success: