Latest Events in Kyoto(April Updated)

Legend has it that the Kannon (Avalokitesvara) of Kiyomizu-dera Temple transforms into a blue dragon, and drinks water from the waterfall within the temple grounds at night. Therefore, the Yaksha (demon) is also worshipped there. This event is held specifically because of this legend, and also to pray for the well-being of those who come to worship. This dancing blue dragon parades from Okuno to the cobblestone streets surrounding Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The blue dragon is considered one of the four sacred guardians of Kyoto. Besides the giant blue dragon, there are men dressed in traditional samurai attire, and the streets are filled with music and spectacular dances. It's truly amazing! Lunar New Year is on March 15th and April 3rd. Autumn is on October 15th, starting at 2:00 PM (2 PM).

Hirano Shrine, with a history of over 1200 years, has been known as the Cherry Tree Shrine since ancient times. Currently, the shrine grounds boast 400 trees of 60 different varieties. Starting with Sakigakezakura, other varieties include Kocho, Ichō, Nezame, Gyoikō, and Kinugasa, cultivated specifically at Hirano Shrine. With such a diverse array of species, one of the shrine's special features is that you can enjoy the blossoms for an extended period. Starting annually on April 10th, a cherry blossom festival features a religious procession showcasing elaborately designed period costumes.

This exhibition will showcase approximately 220 masterpieces from the collection of merchant Hara Yasusaburo (1884-1982). Hara came from a family of public works officials in the Hachisuka Domain; his father dealt in indigo, a specialty of Tokushima. His works reflect his aesthetic tastes, retaining the vibrant colors of woodblock prints and still showcasing the spirit of the era. Furthermore, the exhibition also features original works, giving visitors the opportunity to appreciate the brushwork of this ukiyo-e master up close.

This is a special exhibition focusing on avant-garde explorations and innovations in Japanese painting in the Kyoto region after World War II (approximately 1948–1970). The exhibition is held at the Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto (Higashiyama Cube) from February 7th to May 6th, 2026. It showcases works by over 30 artists, including pioneering painters and groups who challenged traditional concepts.

Taku Mitsuhashi (born in Kyoto in 1987) is a contemporary artist active in the field of Nihonga painting. He is also a full-time lecturer in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Kyoto City University of Arts and participates in the artist collective "Keichōen". The exhibition includes his work "Image Work (Walk and Pause), 2021," which explores the dialogue between tradition and contemporary art through visual language.

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum houses approximately 30,000 works of art from Japan and other countries in the East and West, spanning various periods and fields, including painting, prints, photography, sculpture, ceramics, lacquerware, weaponry, swords, and medals. Its Western oil painting collection is particularly outstanding, encompassing the development of art from the Renaissance, through Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, to Impressionism, and modern and contemporary art. This exhibition, themed "Selected Works from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection," features works chosen from its extensive oil painting collection, guiding visitors through 400 years of Western painting history.

My first solo exhibition in Japan is titled "Words Unspoken." The exhibition takes place at Ryokumoku Atelier in Kyoto, a space designed on a residential scale. The exhibition unfolds along two timelines, one returning to the events around 2013, and the other beginning with my life after arriving in Kyoto in 2022.

This exhibition will showcase the works of Yumeji, a star of Taisho-era modern popular culture who was beloved by the general public. It will also feature depictions of urban life, modern landscapes, and avant-garde and playful worlds by Showa-era painters and printmakers (such as Kawanishi Ei and Onji Koshiro), who greatly admired Yumeji.

NAKED, INC. will be holding a limited-time event, "Kyoto Cherry Blossom Art Station 2026," from April 3rd (Friday) to May 6th (Wednesday), 2026. Visitors can enjoy "cherry blossom art" within the Kyoto Station building (primarily located on the 7th floor East Plaza). This event aims to inject new vitality into Kyoto Station and is part of the "NAKED Art Station" project, which aims to transform the east wing of Kyoto Station into a cultural center where "the station itself is art." This event features a walking tour guided by cherry blossom-themed lights, starting near the "Kyoto Monument" in the Karasuma Koji Plaza on the 4th floor of the Kyoto Station building and extending to the 7th floor East Plaza. Stroll along the east side of the Kyoto Station building, enjoying the interwoven colors and patterns of cherry blossoms in the lighting, and experience a relaxing cherry blossom viewing journey. One of the highlights of this event is a large-scale Ikenobo-style ikebana artwork, exhibited in the 7th floor East Plaza. During the day, you can leisurely admire the exquisite beauty and sculptural forms of the flowers; at night, you can enjoy the dreamlike spectacle created by the Naked light show. One of the charms of this event is that you can appreciate different views at different times of day. Furthermore, you can see the floral arrangements change throughout the event; the cherry blossoms will remain until mid-April, after which they will be replaced with fresh greenery.

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, located in Tenmon, northwest of Kyoto, is a shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane. To mark the 1,125th anniversary of Michizane's death in 2027, the annual festival known as the Hanmantosai, will be held at the Kyoto National Museum. To mark this occasion, the Kyoto National Museum will be holding a special exhibition showcasing a selection of items related to Tenjin worship from across Japan, centered around 17 National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties from Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. For the first time ever, all volumes and scenes from the National Treasure "Kitano Tenjin Engi Emaki (Jokyu Version)" will be on display, along with many other Kitano Tenjin Engi Emaki scrolls, including the Important Cultural Properties "Kōan Version," "Mitsunobu Version," and "Mitsuoki Version," showcasing the legendary birth of Kitano Tenjin. Additionally, through works discovered through research by the Kyoto National Museum and the Kitano Cultural Research Institute, as well as a number of masterpieces handed down at Tenmangu Shrines, Tenjin Shrines, and temples throughout Japan, the exhibition will uncover various aspects of Tenjin worship that have not been discussed much until now, and the important role that these have played in Japanese culture.