Kyoto: The Aesthetics and History of the Ancient Capital
with Fernanda De Icaza, Marie Mutsuki Mockett, and George Nobechi
Dates: OCTOBER 17th to 25th, 2025
OVERVIEW
Join the Nobechi Creative in Kyoto for an inspirational week exploring Japan’s eternal city with a talented team of artists.
Led by photographer and seasonal Kyoto resident Fernanda De Icaza, co-led by photographer George Nobechi and author Marie Mutsuki Mockett, this special guided offering takes the place of Laura Valenti’s retreat (now to be postponed to some time in 2026).
Fernanda, Marie and George will take turns leading the daily activities, which will involve lessons about Japanese aesthetics, experiences such as tea ceremonies, and Kyoto’s rich history and culture. There will also be photographic lessons (optional to partake) and guided excursions to both iconic and lesser-known sites.
Marie and George are both bicultural/bilingual and Fernanda has spent extensive time in Kyoto over the past two years and has amassed a wealth of local knowledge.
We will have a first night welcome dinner and activity in Tokyo, then take the bullet train to Kyoto to get started. We will be staying in the heart of the Gion district to take advantage of the proximity to many famous locations.
We will organize three group dinners and leave four nights in Kyoto free for you to explore the many culinary delights on your own. We are also happy to make recommendations!
This guided experience happens at an ideal time with favorable weather and avoids the worst crowds seeking fall colors in November. An excellent way to slow down and contemplate deeper into your photographic journey.
SCHEDULE
1 night in Tokyo at a 4-star art hotel
Meet in the afternoon of October 17th. Orientation, fun artistic excursion, welcome dinner.
7 nights in Kyoto (Contemporary, convenient modern Japanese-design hotel in the heart of the Gion district)
Days will consist of group excursions to temples, shrines, and gardens (both iconic and off-the-beaten path) where you will be given free time to explore.
Our local team will curate the best experiences. You can also choose to branch out on your own if you wish, and you'll have the freedom to do so.
There will also be daily lessons scheduled in some aspects of Japanese culture, history, arts and aesthetics - mostly conducted on location with actual examples there in front of us.
(Optional 1 night back in Tokyo) October 25th - in the morning, we will travel back to Tokyo by bullet train, with the option for you to carry on to other parts of Japan instead, or to stay in Tokyo at the art hotel with us providing arrangements for you.
Dates
October 17th - 25th, 2025
Participants should be in Tokyo by October 17th, preferably arriving in the morning or the day before, on October 16th, so as not to miss our afternoon activities. For your return trip, plan to fly out no earlier than 3pm on October 25th, or opt to stay a night (or more) in Tokyo and fly out in a leisurely fashion.
What’s included
8 nights’ accommodations (4-star hotel in Tokyo featuring Japanese art and a modern Japanese design hotel in Kyoto) w/ breakfast included
4 group dinners (One in Tokyo, three in Kyoto with four nights free on your own to explore Kyoto’s culinary delights)
Domestic transportation (round-trip bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto)
Admissions to temples, shrines, and museums in our group excursions, including reservations to temples and gardens that require them.
Detailed info pack on travel to Japan
Teaching and guidance led on alternate days by Fernanda, Marie, and George
What’s not included
International travel
Extra hotel nights in Tokyo (prior to October 17th and after October 24th)
Travel insurance (required unless additional waivers are signed)
Lunches (cheapest meal of the day in Japan, estimated $10~$20 depending on the meal)
Alcohol (except at designated events such as the welcome and farewell dinners)
Supplement for spouse to stay in your room (please write to us for more information)
Class Size
Maximum of 6 people. (Two spots available)
Tuition
$6,475 US per person, double occupancy (when paid by bank wire) + $240 for credit card. Single supplement $550.
Payment schedule:
$2,500 deposit to register
50% of the balance due when the trip hits our go number - this trip is a GO
Remainder due August 31, 2025
2025 Cancellation Policy:
Up to 120 days before the trip: 50% of the deposit
119~90 days prior to the trip: 100% of the deposit
89~60 days prior to the trip: 50% fee
59~0 days prior to the trip 100% fee
This trip is officially a GO
*Travel insurance is required unless a waiver release is signed.
THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL. TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN WE OFFER OUR KYOTO RETREAT AGAIN OR ANY PROGRAM WITH THE NOBECHI CREATIVE TEAM, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW:
About Marie Mutsuki Mockett
Marie Mutsuki Mockett, born and raised in California to a Japanese mother and American father, graduated from Columbia University with a degree in East Asian Languages and Civilizations. Her work bridges cultural divides, inviting dialogue without sacrificing identity, and reflects a deep understanding of the human need to connect across differences.
Marie’s acclaimed nonfiction includes American Harvest (2020), winner of the Northern California Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award, and Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye (2016), a New York Times Editors’ Choice and finalist for multiple literary prizes. Her work spans fiction, essays, and journalism, appearing in publications such as The New York Times, National Geographic, and Orion. A 2022–2023 Fulbright Fellow to Japan, she has received fellowships from the NEA, Japan–US Friendship Commission, and other prestigious institutions. She is a core faculty member at the Bennington Writing Seminars and co-edits Great Circle Books, an imprint dedicated to exploring the intersection of human experience and place.
About Fernanda De Icaza
Fernanda De Icaza obtained her degree in Photography from Escuela Activa de Fotografía in 2013. Born and raised in Mexico City, she grew up feeling overwhelmed by her surroundings and found in photographic praxis a way to process reality. Introspection and exploration of the human mind are the main components of her work.
In 2015 she traveled to Japan and became a student in a small Buddhist temple. Zen practice served as research to help start her ongoing project “月心 (Gesshin)”. During her time in Japan she met George Nobechi during a workshop with Magnum photographer Newsha Tavakolian.
In 2019 she was selected as a Top 30 Under 30 woman photographer by Artpil which led to an exhibition at Maison de la Photographie Lille and in Paris at Galérie Claude Samuel during Paris Photo. She is currently living in Mexico and works as a movie set photographer.
About George Nobechi
George Nobechi is a Japanese/Canadian photographer born in Tokyo, Japan, who graduated from the University of British Columbia with an Honours B.A. in History with International Relations. He is the Creative Director for Nobechi Creative and for the Karuizawa Foto Fest (kff).
Prior to finding his calling in photography in 2014 through the mentorship of Sam Abell, Kate Breakey, Brett Erickson, Arthur Meyerson and others, he was an equity trader and manager for several major financial institutions. He is best known for his quiet depictions of landscapes and the people who live in them, as seen from his perspective of being simultaneously an insider and outsider in Japan and in the West. His work has been exhibited in solo shows in Italy, Germany, New York, Johnson City, Lincoln, Hastings, Detroit, Buenos Aires and Tokyo.