Eat Your Heart Out Tours

Eat Your Heart Out Tours Special Interest travels: textiles, historical, architectural, and wildlife. No horizon too far! I am Shila Desai, owner and founder of E.Y.H.O. Tours. E.Y.H.O.

Sensitively curated small group and custom travel to traditional societies that make their own textiles, grow their own food, and live amidst historical and architectural splendour. I conceptualise, plan, organise, and lead my tours. Add expert leaders and scholars for depth of knowledge. Every trip is an intimate travel experience with like-minded people. At all times, you’ll have our personal at

tention. Our tours thrive on longterm connections with communities we visit. travellers hail from all over the world, take repeat tours, and are lively, engaged, and passionate. Follow the discussion on fb group "India Textiles and Heritage", sign up for virtual events, and subscribe to my newsletter at www.eyhotours.com

I invite you to join us! Shila

Textile encounters on our fall Japan Kimono tour. Safflower dyeing from Yamagata is one of Japan’s rarest and most luxur...
02/25/2026

Textile encounters on our fall Japan Kimono tour.
Safflower dyeing from Yamagata is one of Japan’s rarest and most luxurious dyeing traditions. Despite harvesting the flowers carefully by hand, less than 1% of the pigment extracted is red. This makes it highly prized, creating vibrant reds used in elite textiles and shrine garments in Japan, such as those worn at Ise Grand Shrine.
Some ceremonial garments that feature this vibrant crimson colour, such as the kimono on display at the Bunshokan, are priced at well above $30,000 due to the high concentration of Yamagata Safflower used.

Lucky us, we'll get to work with this precious dye to create beautiful white resist patterns against the vibrant "Beni" pink/red. We'll learn how pH of the water (using vinegar or ash) is manipulated to "pull" the red color out of the yellow petals. Can't wait!

Join us ... LAST TWO SPOTS! https://www.eyhotours.com/japan-kimono-textiles-arts-traditions

Excited about discovering Yuza shashiko on our off-beaten path Japan Kimono tour! Yuza shashiko is a distinct, highly re...
02/21/2026

Excited about discovering Yuza shashiko on our off-beaten path Japan Kimono tour!

Yuza shashiko is a distinct, highly revered, and intricate form of traditional Japanese embroidery originating from spectacular Yamagata Prefecture.

Unlike standard sashiko, which uses simple running stitches, Yuza Sashiko is known for its intricate, dense, and complex geometric patterns. Motifs reflect local culture. Creations are inspired by traditional garments and regional history, blending with Ainu cosmic beliefs.

A leading figure in Yuza sashiko will lead a full day workshop. Internationally recognized with works in quilt shows in the U.S. and the U.K.

LAST TWO SPOTS October 16-28 https://www.eyhotours.com/japan-kimono-textiles-arts-traditions

Excited about discovering Yuza shashiko on our new off-beaten path Japan Kimono tour! Yuza shashiko is a distinct, highl...
02/21/2026

Excited about discovering Yuza shashiko on our new off-beaten path Japan Kimono tour!

Yuza shashiko is a distinct, highly revered, and intricate form of traditional Japanese embroidery originating from Yamagata Prefecture.

Unlike standard sashiko, which often uses simple running stitches, Yuza Sashiko is known for its intricate, dense, and complex geometric patterns. Motifs reflect local culture. Creations are inspired by traditional garments and regional history, blending with Ainu designs.

A leading figure in Yuza sashiko will lead a full day workshop. She gained recognition both in Japan and internationally, with works selected for exhibitions and
quilt shows in the U.S. and the U.K.

LAST TWO SPOTS October 16-28 https://www.eyhotours.com/japan-kimono-textiles-arts-traditions

A petal for every bit of love and friendship in our lives. And there’s a lot 🙏🏽♥️ :
02/14/2026

A petal for every bit of love and friendship in our lives. And there’s a lot 🙏🏽♥️
:

Chasing stepwells everywhere we go! Our group was fascinated to learn that you can find a stepwell roughly every 20 kilo...
02/05/2026

Chasing stepwells everywhere we go! Our group was fascinated to learn that you can find a stepwell roughly every 20 kilometres.

A unique form of architecture from India, stepwells have flourished in the country since the 3rd century CE. Built to access the ground water table several stories below the surface, stepwells went beyond the simple purpose of providing water in the arid western region of the country. As kingdoms flourished, as did travel, trade and society with stepwells at the centre of it all!

Ancient and modern, side by side. Spotted at Adi Kadi ni Vav on our recent Stepwells and Textiles tour of Gujarat-Kutch....
02/04/2026

Ancient and modern, side by side. Spotted at Adi Kadi ni Vav on our recent Stepwells and Textiles tour of Gujarat-Kutch.

Mystery, as always, surrounds this stepwell.

Various sources put construction at 15th century, or 10th century or 11th century. Take your pick. Another source says that it was constructed in 319 BCE and rediscovered in 976 CE.
According to local historian Parimal Rupani, there were two separate stepwells. The Adi stepwell is visible and the Kadi stepwell is still buried.



Photos: Brooke K. 🙏🏽

02/02/2026

Woke up bright and early to experience one of India’s Crown Jewels “Rani ki Vav” or the Queen’s Stepwell.

This 11th century marvel has 7 floors of intricately carved sculptures that tell the tales of several Hindu deities. The stepwell was added to India’s list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2014 and eventually made it on to the 100 rupee currency note.

Can’t think of a better way to spend a crisp morning in Patan!

02/01/2026

An average day on tour . . . Colour, form, and aesthetic of traditional textiles + 5000 year history of stepwells + Everyday street life. Nothing average about this tour! Gujarat-Kutch Textiles and Stepwells.

The OG Stepwells exploration of Gujarat-Kutch. We travelled 5000 years back in time, and added outstanding textile tradi...
01/31/2026

The OG Stepwells exploration of Gujarat-Kutch. We travelled 5000 years back in time, and added outstanding textile traditions that accompany the growth of stepwells in this region. …. An unforgettable journey of discovery in our ancestral lands

Compilation of images from current Gujarat-Kutch tour. From my birthplace of Kenya I’m relishing the virtual “chukker” a...
01/29/2026

Compilation of images from current Gujarat-Kutch tour. From my birthplace of Kenya I’m relishing the virtual “chukker” around my ancestral land. Exquisite textiles and spectacular stepwells abound!

Thank you to various group members: Brooke, Kiran, Alice, I-Cheng, and trip leader Anvi.

Click for captions.

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