Latest Events in Kyoto(March 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).

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.

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 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.

"Digital Aura" is an exhibition presented by Kyoto-based printing company San-M Color in collaboration with contemporary artists. Leveraging years of experience supporting artists in their creative process, producing photography collections, and reproducing cultural assets, the company will present a series of works using printing as a medium of expression. During the creative process, artists engage in dialogue with San-M Color's printing director, who will use a UV inkjet printer to complete the work while considering materials and printing techniques. Curated by artist Takakura Kazuki, who has collaborated with San-M Color on numerous occasions, the exhibition will explore the integration of technology and thought from an artist's perspective. The exhibition will be held at Hotel Anteroom Kyoto as a side event of "ARTISTS' FAIR KYOTO 2026," and all exhibited works are available for purchase.

Jōnan-gū Shrine is a Heian period shrine built in 794 AD, when the imperial court moved from Nara to Kyoto. It is famous for the Heian period poetry festival known as "Kyokusui no Uta" (Songs of the Vast Water), held twice a year in spring and autumn in its beautiful gardens. In February and March each year, the shrine also hosts camellia and weeping plum blossom festivals.

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.

The Yamashina Sweets Festival is an event that brings together sweets, breads, and food from Yamashina. In 2026, the event will be held for two days, Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th, at Yamashina Bessin Hongan-ji Temple. Sweets, breads, delicacies, and food trucks from Yamashina will gather at the venue—Hongan-ji Yamashina Bessin. This market will be a place where you can enjoy all the charms of Yamashina at once, offering not only sweets, breads, and delicacies, but also various general merchandise, leisure activities, workshops, and a music stage.

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.