Latest Events in Kyoto(December Updated)

This year, the museum will once again host Japan’s largest comprehensive public exhibition, “Nitten.” Visitors can enjoy approximately 500 works in five categories: Japanese painting, Western painting, sculpture, arts and crafts, and calligraphy, including basic works that tour the country and works related to the local area created by artists in Kyoto and Shiga.

The Kyoto Marathon course takes runners on a fascinating journey through the "City of International Culture and Tourism".Runners will pass through seven UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites and many other tourist attractions as they are treated to spectacular views of Kyoto’s scenery, including all five mountains where huge bonfires are lit during the Gozan no Okuribi summer festival.Adding charm to this annual event staged in an urban setting, a portion of the course will meander through scenic downtown Kyoto. Runners will fully enjoy the attractions of Kyoto’s picturesque scenery and sites such as: Nishikyogoku Athletic Park, Teryu-ji Temple, Seiryo-ji Temple, Daikaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Botanical Garden, Hirosawa-no-ike Pond, Ninna-ji Temple, Kyoto Concert Hall, Ryoan-ji Temple and Kyoto Botanical Garden just to name a few.

Plants light up Kyoto's night sky and explore the hidden lives of plants. Kyoto Botanical Gardens is Japan's oldest public plant sanctuary with a century-old history. State-of-the-art lighting, sound and projections reveal nature's secrets. Step into the greenhouses, a lush sanctuary where melodies float through the air and vibrant plants exude energy. Four unique installations invite you to connect with plants in ways you never imagined. Attune your senses to the subtle rhythms and whispers of plant life and experience their invisible communication. It's an invitation to activate your senses and discover the universal sounds of nature like never before. Get ready to see, hear and explore the diversity of plants on display.

Samata Kazuki is an unconventional artist who, alongside her artistic practice, is also a professional disc golf player. While participating in the sport as a player, she has used unique strategies to address various issues facing sports, such as sponsorship, society and politics, nationalism, and gender. Furthermore, she expands on these issues to suggest that they are of the same nature as the challenges facing the art world today. Samata’s perspective, gained by illuminating art through the practice of sports, is original and persuasive precisely because of her dual identity as athlete and artist. This is the artist’s first exhibition at an art museum. Examining the Museum from multiple angles through the lens of sport, Samata will deliver a unique viewpoint while posing humorous questions to visitors.

This exhibition showcases the elegant dolls of Maruhei Oki, a doll maker founded in Kyoto during the Meiwa Era in the Edo period, displayed alongside paintings depicting Gosekku (“the five seasonal festivals”) and other seasonal events. Maruhei has a long doll-making tradition rich in exquisite craftsmanship, from costumes through to furnishings, based on the customs of the Imperial Court. Focusing on Hina dolls, which have long been loved by the Imperial household and other important families, and comprising Gosho dolls, Isho dolls, Ichimatsu dolls, and other dolls unique to Maruhei displayed alongside the works of modern painters from the Collection, this exhibition will reflect on the enduring beauty of tradition in Kyoto.

This exhibition will showcase works by 20 Japanese artists, focusing on artistic expression from the 1990s to the present, a period marked by increasing globalization and opportunities for Japanese artists to exhibit abroad. Using key concepts such as "identity," "body," "history," and "globalized society," the exhibition will explore the artists' reflections and practices on the relationship between the world and humanity, attempting to portray the viewer's experience of the works as a narrative, like a nautical chart recording the currents and swells of a voyage, or an encounter with an uncharted island. The title of this exhibition, "Sekai no Kotowari" (World's Words), evokes the idea of ​​renewing one's own thinking while refusing to easily interpret or assign meaning to the unknown, much like the use of katakana to write foreign words and new concepts. There are countless answers to the question, "Where are we now?/Where Do We Stand?" It could be said that we are constantly tossing and turning, like a small boat floating on the sea. Nevertheless, we hope that this exhibition will provide an opportunity for viewers to discover their own world's words, as they seek a shared foundation and continue living.

The Hosomi Museum will host the exhibition "Customs for Princesses: Sèvres French Court Porcelain" from October 25, 2025. Sèvres porcelain, a symbol of French court culture, was beloved by illustrious 18th-century princesses such as Madame de Pompadour and Marie Antoinette. This exhibition will bring together approximately 15 exquisite pieces, encompassing masterpieces made from the reigns of Louis XV to Napoleon. The lustrous glazes, exquisite goldwork, and delicate colors weave together the beauty of these porcelain pieces—each telling a story of the opulent courtly era.

The zodiac sign for 2026 is the horse (horse). Have you ever seen a horse up close? Although opportunities to see them have decreased recently, horses were once very familiar creatures to humans. They carried people, carried heavy loads, and performed a variety of physical tasks. Furthermore, for military commanders who fought in battle, fast and beautiful horses were the object of their admiration. This exhibition introduces various cultural assets related to horses. Grab a worksheet and go find out what kinds of horses are out there!

As a regular New Year's event, the Kyoto Railway Museum will be holding a "New Year's Steam Locomotive Head-Up Exhibition" at the roundhouse from Friday, January 2nd to Monday, January 12th, 2026 (Reiwa 8).

Keju is a traditional Japanese ball sport originating in China, introduced to Japan during the Asuka period (6th-8th centuries AD). During the Heian period, Keju became popular among the nobility, becoming a court game, and later spread to samurai families and ordinary people. Keju emphasizes elegance, balance, and cooperation rather than competition, reflecting the Japanese cultural pursuit of harmony and refinement. The 2026 event was performed by 17 members of the Iris Protection Association in front of the main shrine at approximately 1:30 PM. Visitors could enjoy the ritual performance, learn about the historical significance of irises, and participate in a unique cultural experience that blends sports, history, and spirit.