Latest Events in Kyoto Prefecture(June 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).

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.

The Ta-Etsu Festival is a traditional festival held at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, which is aimed at praying for a good agricultural harvest and a good harvest of grains. Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is located in Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the famous Inari shrines and is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates. The Ta-Etsu Festival is usually held at a specific time of the year. There will be a simulated rice planting ceremony during the event. Participants wear traditional costumes and symbolically plant rice in the rice fields within the shrine. This event is not only a prayer for agriculture, but also a heritage and display of traditional culture, which attracts a large number of tourists and believers to come and watch and participate.

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.

The Arashiyama Wakaayu Festival is a traditional event in the Arashiyama area of ​​Kyoto, Japan, which celebrates and prays for a good harvest of catfish (also known as sweetfish). The event is usually held at a specific season each year, and participants can watch traditional fishing performances and various catfish-related celebrations. During the festival, visitors can not only experience the local traditional culture, but also taste catfish-featured food. This event attracts a large number of tourists to watch, and has become a major special festival in the Arashiyama area.

During the beautiful green season, the scenic gardens will be open to the public free of charge, and various events will be held to celebrate the birthdays of the founders, Kobo Daishi and Kokyō Daishi. Ceremonies will be held to celebrate the birthdays of the founders of this sect, Kobo Daishi and Kobo Daishi of the Middle Ages, as well as a Saitō Goma ceremony. The landscape gardens from the Momoyama period and the paintings on the sliding doors of the lecture hall will be open to the public free of charge. A tea ceremony will also be held in the main hall of Chishakuin Temple, and visitors can collect stamps while touring the various halls. The procession will begin at approximately 9:45 AM, the memorial service at 10:00 AM, and the fire ceremony at approximately 11:00 AM.

During the Heian period, nobles would hold purification ceremonies at the changing of the seasons to cleanse themselves of sins and impurities. This has now become a traditional custom in Kyoto during the summer, with many believers coming to pray for good health and freedom from disease. Visitors enter the sacred pond within the temple barefoot to pay homage to the god of purification, and then drink the holy water to cleanse their minds and bodies. In front of the main gate, tents for the summer festival are erected along the streets, filled with stalls from famous Kyoto shops, including those selling Mitarashi dango (glutinous rice dumplings drizzled with sweet soy sauce).

Although the Jidai Matsuri at Heian Shrine is a relatively new tradition, it is considered one of Kyoto's three major festivals, held annually on October 22nd at noon. Heian Shrine was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of Kyoto's founding and to promote Kyoto's revival after the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868. At that time, the Emperor, members of the Imperial Family, and most government officials also moved to Tokyo, and Kyoto's future was uncertain. The Jidai Matsuri was originally a celebration of Kyoto's history and traditional arts, as well as a ceremony to honor two emperors closely associated with the unification of Japan and the consolidation of imperial power. The main event of the festival is a two-kilometer-long, five-hour parade featuring countless volunteers dressed in historical costumes showcasing Japanese cultural history from the Meiji era to the Enryaku era in the 780s. These costumes are meticulously restored and researched, even using techniques from a thousand years ago for fabric production and dyeing, making the entire parade resemble a living history museum. The parade included not only famous historical figures and princesses, but also samurai, monks, politicians, merchants, and ordinary people—a diverse group of people in total.

To celebrate the museum's 30th anniversary, a circular gallery designed by Tadao Ando, ​​located at the end of the underground passage of the century-old main building—the Oyamazaki Villa—is dedicated to exhibiting Claude Monet's "Water Lilies." This "underground jewel box" (underground gallery) will display all of Monet's works during the museum's 30th anniversary celebrations; these works are among the museum's core collections. This is also the first time in ten years that all eight of the museum's Monet works have been exhibited, including five "Water Lilies" paintings and three Japanese arched bridge paintings. Immerse yourself in Monet's masterpieces, experience the tranquility of this space that blends perfectly with the garden and the surrounding natural environment, and feel the charm of art.

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.