Practical information

October 9th: Festive gatering at the embassy

Getting there

The event takes place at The Japan Information and Cultural Centre in Brussels.

Public transportation

This location is readily accessible by public transportation.

It is about 20 minutes walking from Brussels Central Station
It is very close to the smaller train stations of Brussel-Luxemburg and Schuman.
There are several bus stops nearby, as well as the metro station Schuman.

Travel by car

If you travel by car, be advised that there is no parking space provided by the embassy. It is best to park in one of the many paid parking facilities in the area, like a BePark or Indigo Park facility.
Find the Japanese Embassy on Google Maps

Event schedule

16:30 doors open

17:00 welcome - opening words - festive tea gathering

18:30 reception

20:00 end of event

Please note that all timings may be subject to change.

Dress code

Kimono

For those of you who practice chado, wearing a kimono is preferred.

Women: we accept all formality levels. When in doubt, iromuji is always a safe choice.
Men: kimono with hakama is recommended.

There are no facilities to get changed at the venue, so participants in kimono need to arrive already dressed.

Western clothing

For those of you who do not practice chado or choose not to wear kimono, the recommended dress code is smart casual.

October 10th and 11th: Kenkyukai intensive study seminar at the Royal Museum of Mariemont

Getting there

The Kenkyukai takes place at the Royal Museum of Mariemont.

Chaussée de Mariemont 100
7140 Morlanwelz

Public transportation

From Brussels

Take an NMBS/SNCB train from Brussels-Midi, Brussels-Central, or Brussels-North to La Louvière-Centre (or La Louvière-Sud, depending on the connection).
From La Louvière-Centre, take TEC bus 82 and get off at La Hestre – Écoles.
Alternatively, from La Louvière-Sud, take TEC bus 30 to the same stop.
From La Hestre – Écoles, the museum is approximately a 10-minute walk through the Mariemont estate.
Exit the station and take TEC bus 82 towards Trazegnies/Morlanwelz.
Get off at La Hestre – Écoles.
Walk for about 10 minutes to reach the museum entrance.

From La Louvière-Centre Station

Exit the station and take TEC bus 82 towards Trazegnies/Morlanwelz.
Get off at La Hestre – Écoles.
Walk for about 10 minutes to reach the museum entrance.

Travel tip

Use the NMBS/SNCB journey planner for train schedules and the TEC app or website for local bus times, as connections may vary throughout the day.

Taxi

If you would like to share a taxi with other participants, please let us know. We will do our best to put you in touch with others travelling on a similar schedule so that you can arrange shared transportation together.

Carpool

We also expect to have a small number of volunteers available to offer rides to and from the museum. As the number of seats is very limited, priority will be given to participants attending the kenkyūkai in kimono, as this makes travelling by public transport more challenging.

Travel by car

The museum does not have parking space available. You can park your car along the edge of the road on Drève de Mariemont.

Walking

The museum is located in the center of a beautiful park and arboretum. To reach the museum from the entrance of the park takes about five minutes walking. Please take into consideration that the paths may be a little dirty if it has rained during the days before. It is advised to bring adequate rain gear for the walk through the park in case it rains on the day itself.

Find the museum of Mariemont on Google Maps.

Schedule

Day one - Saturday 10th of October

10:00 doors open

morning:

welcome
opening words
tea demonstration by Kimura sensei
warigeiko

lunch break

afternoon: konarai practice

16:30 end of practice

17:00 museum doors close

Day two - Sunday 11th of October

10:00 doors open

morning: shikaden practice

lunch break

afternoon: okuden

16:30 end of practice and closing ceremony

17:00 museum doors close

Please note that all timings may be subject to change.

We recommend that all participants allow some flexibility in their planning and arrive with sufficient time before the start of the programme.

Dress code

Day 1

People participating in temae either as host or guest: kimono required.

People in the audience: kimono preferred.

Day 2

Kimono required for everyone present.

Type of kimono

For women iromuji kimono with fukuro obi is recommended. If you do not have an iromuji kimono, other types of kimono are acceptable.

For men kimono with hakama is required. This means that you are kindly asked to not wear jitoku, even if you have chamei.

Practicalities

There are no facilities to get changed at the venue. Participants in kimono need to arrive already dressed.

We recommend that you wear western shoes to walk through the park as the paths can be a bit dirty and change into tabi and zori inside the museum. We will provide plastic bags to store your shoes securely along with your coat check.