A meeting built around discussion
Shin-Socrates 2026 builds on the style of our previous grant meetings and summer schools, with an even stronger emphasis on pre-meeting preparation, poster sessions, small-group discussions, and extended floor discussion — rather than a talk-heavy conference format.
The meeting brings together Qualia Structure and Kobo/KAKENHI PIs and their lab members, past summer school participants and lecturers, and authors of the Qualia Structure book project, to deepen collaboration and advance structural approaches to qualia and new ways of understanding other minds.
Lakeside, all under one roof
Toyako Manseikaku Hotel Lakeside Terrace
洞爺湖万世閣ホテルレイクサイドテラス
21 Toyako Onsen, Toyako-cho, Abuta District, Hokkaido 049-5721, Japan
A lakeside hot-spring hotel at Toyako Onsen. All sessions, posters, and most meals take place inside the hotel — with meeting rooms and café/lounge spaces reserved for small-group discussion.
Open in Google Maps ↗
Meeting rooms
Four rooms are reserved. Horai is the main hall; the other three are used for the parallel discussions in separate rooms.
Five days at the lake
Current working version — details may be adjusted. The meeting opens at 15:00 on Tue, Sep 29 and closes at 13:00 on Sat, Oct 3 (lunch included on the final day).
- —Optional early-arrival day (no official program)
- —An informal afternoon excursion (ferry to the island in the lake) may be arranged for early arrivers.
- ~12:00Chartered bus departs New Chitose Airport (arrives at hotel ~14:00)included
- 15:00Opening
- 15:30–16:30Introductions & Poster Session 1 (3-min self-intros · Poster Group 1)
- 17:00–18:00Introductions & Poster Session 2 (Poster Group 2)
- EveningDinner on your own
- 9:00–13:00Posters & parallel discussions in separate rooms
- 13:00–14:00Lunchincluded
- 14:00–18:00Parallel discussions in separate rooms
- 19:00Receptionincluded
- 9:00–12:00Posters & parallel discussions in separate rooms
- 12:00–13:00Lunchincluded
- 13:30Excursion to Upopoy — National Ainu Museum and Parkexcursion
- ~18:30Return to hotel
- EveningDinner on your own (no official program)
- 9:00–13:00Posters & parallel discussions in separate rooms
- 13:00–14:00Lunchincluded
- 14:00–18:00Parallel discussions in separate rooms
- 19:00Social Dinner
- 9:00–13:00Floor discussion & wrap-up session
- 13:00Meeting ends — lunchincluded
- 14:00Chartered bus departs for New Chitose Airport (arrives ~16:00)included
Afternoon at Upopoy
On Day 3 (Thu, Oct 1), we take an afternoon excursion to Upopoy — the National Ainu Museum and Park in Shiraoi.
Traditional kotan at Upopoy · photo:
Indiana jo,
CC BY-SA 4.0
Upopoy is Japan's national center for the revival and development of Ainu culture — the indigenous people of Hokkaido. The park brings together the National Ainu Museum, a recreated traditional kotan (village), and live performances of traditional song and dance on the shore of Lake Poroto.
- 13:30 — Depart the hotel by chartered bus (after lunch)
- ~14:30–17:00 — Museum & park visit (ride is 1–1.5 h each way)
- ~18:30 — Return to the hotel; evening free
Participation will be confirmed via the follow-up survey. Details: Upopoy official site ↗
Getting to Lake Toya
We will run chartered buses between New Chitose Airport (CTS) and the hotel on the first and last days — about 2 hours each way. Exact times will be finalized based on participants’ flight schedules (see the follow-up survey).
Arrives ahead of the 15:00 opening. Please book flights that land at New Chitose comfortably before 12:00.
Departs after the 13:00 close. Please book return flights departing with enough margin after 16:00.
Getting there on your own
🚆 From New Chitose Airport — train + bus
JR Rapid Airport to Minami-Chitose (5 min) → Limited Express Hokuto to JR Toya Station (~85 min) → Donan Bus to Toyako Onsen Bus Terminal (20 min) → 5-min walk to the hotel.
🚌 From New Chitose Airport — direct bus
Donan Bus runs directly from the airport to Toyako Onsen Bus Terminal (approx. 2.5 h), a 5-min walk from the hotel.
🚌 From Sapporo Station
The hotel's paid shuttle “Express Toyako” (hotel guests only, reservation required): departs Sapporo Sta. North Exit 13:15 → arrives 15:45, ¥1,100 one way (return 10:00 → 12:30). Alternatively, Donan Bus from Sapporo Bus Terminal (~3 h), or JR Hokuto to Toya Station (~1 h 54 min) + bus.
🚗 By car
Approx. 2 hours from New Chitose Airport or Sapporo via the Do-o Expressway; exit at Abuta-Toyako IC, then ~10 min on local roads. Parking is available at the hotel.
Details: hotel access page ↗
Organized by
Registration fee
The payment link will be posted here once the fee is finalized.