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30th Anniversary of World Heritage Registration and 800th Anniversary of Sect Founding NAKED Light-Up at Nishi Honganji Temple 2024 Special Autumn Viewing
This year in Kyoto, Nishi Honganji Temple, the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Honganji sect that was founded by the holy man named Shinran, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its World Heritage registration and the 800th anniversary of the sect's founding. To commemorate this event, the creative company NAKED, INC., will plan and host an autumn light-up event at Nishi Honganji Temple.
Experience the history and culture of Nishi Honganji Temple by carrying NAKED distance lanterns (artistic lanterns popular at NAKED events) while touring Miedo Hall, a National Treasure which will be decorated with digital art, and Hiunkaku Pavilion, a National Treasure that is usually closed to the public. In addition to the regular tickets, there will be special tickets available that will allow visitors to get a better feel for what Nishi Honganji Temple is like in the early fall. These include a special viewing ticket for admission to the Shoin complex, another National Treasure which is normally closed to the public, and a premium ticket enabling visitors to enjoy digital art and a tea ceremony experience at Hiunkaku Pavilion. -
Journey into KABUKI～Appreciation and Experience～
At 90 minutes long, this program includes both a kabuki performance and a variety of kabuki-related experiences to make the performing art accessible to those of all ages, nationalities, and languages.
Kabuki actors will explain the history behind the performing art and how to enjoy the humor in the plays. A few lucky audience members will also have the opportunity to perform kabuki gestures on the stage before viewing the kabuki performance. Consecutive interpretation in English will be provided during the actors' explanations, and an English audio guide (available for a fee) will be available during the performance.
Kabuki props (horses, boats, etc.), instruments for sound effects, costumes, and other items used in past performances will be on display in the theater lobby, with participants given the opportunity to actually hold these items in their hands.
The Minamiza Theatre, with its over 400-year history, preserves the history and traditions of kabuki theater and offers a wide range of attractions for kabuki lovers, first-time kabuki theater-goers, and visitors.
■ Performance schedule: November 2 (Sat) to November 10 (Sun)
■ Performance time: Afternoon at 2:00 PM / Evening at 6:00 PM
*On November 2 (Sat) and November 5 (Tues), only the evening performance will be held
■ Running time: Approx. 90 min.
■ Fee: 5,000 yen (all seats reserved) -
BONSAI JAPAN: Japan Bonsai Taikan Exhibition
Enjoy the charm and traditional aesthetics of the world-famous art of bonsai at one of Japan's largest indoor bonsai exhibitions. Bonsai sizes and styles featured at the exhibition include conifers, broadleaf trees, satsuki azaleas, shohin bonsai, creative bonsai, famous trees, suiseki stones, and other masterpieces, all of which were carefully selected from throughout Japan.
November 22–25, 2024 / 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (until 4:00 PM on November 25)
[Special events]
・Demonstration by a bonsai master (November 22–24, from 10:30 AM)
・Bonsai Cafe
・Bonsai commentary tours (Japan Bonsai Taikan Exhibition commentary tour, Daitokuji Temple Hoshun-in Bonsai Garden bus tour)
・Premium bonsai sales
[Concurrent events]
・Individual booth exhibitions
・Large sales event
・Auction
For details, please visit the dedicated website. -
Japan Job Challenge in Senshu
This job workshop event will be held for the first time on Saturday, October 26, and Sunday, October 27, in the Senshu area of southern Osaka, near Kansai International Airport. The aim of the event is to showcase of traditional industries, lifestyle/culture, and various occupations. Locations will include Kishiwada Castle, local shopping areas in Sakai and Izumisano, Kansai International Airport, and a variety of other spots.
With around 60 programs, you can experience the traditional industries of Senshu, such as cutlery, glasswork, tea ceremony, Japanese sweets, local sake, wooden danjiri floats, Noh theater, and more. Not only that, but you can also immerse yourself in the daily life and culture of the Senshu area, such as tatami mat-making, working at shrinesk and local shopping districts, and more. Professionals of each job will guide participants through the process, making for great interactions with locals. Participants can also try out several occupations over two days. Take this opportunity to truly experience the various cultures and lifestyles of Japan! -
Private Sightseeing Tours to World Heritage Sites with Shugendo Practitioners as Guides, for a Special Experience of Art and Nature
The tour includes a commentary by a sightseeing guide driver who is a Shugendo practitioner at Kongobuji Temple. Participants will tour the sacred sites and pilgrimage routes of the Kii Mountain Range, a World Heritage Site, and visit various spiritual hotspots. Participants will also be able to take part in a workshop at the Shiyu-en Special Arts Museum—once a place of lodging for Emperor Go-Shirakawa during his pilgrimages to Koyasan—where they can paint nihonga Japanese paintings while sipping on sake. Participant accommodation will be provided in the form of a glamping experience at the Kudoyama Forest Fairy Tale House (former Kubo Elementary School), a facility located by a World Heritage Site called Kuroko Michi. For dinner, participants will enjoy a BBQ meal made with locally-caught wild game. They will also have the opportunity to engage in special experiences only available on this tour, such as viewing the famous sword Ichimonji Tachi, which the Warring States warrior Sanada Yukimura is said to have offered at the World Heritage Site of Niu Kanshobu Shrine, as well as view the World Heritage Sites of Jison'in Temple and Choishimichi Road, which are themselves associated with Kobo Daishi.
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Kumano Food and Culture Branding Promotion Project: Experience the Essence of the Kumano Faith and Savor the Bounties of Nachi-Katsuura
This program is a chance to spend a meaningful time at Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, Seigantoji Temple, and Nachi-Katsuura Nigiwai Market.
- After the shrine gates are officially closed, head to the World Heritage Site Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine for a special nighttime visit in the hushed atmosphere. Afterwards, enjoy a premium dinner in the shrine precincts, with dishes and tableware that express the world of the Kumano mandala. After dinner, listen to a sacred dedication and savor local Kumano sake made from the holy waters of Nachi Falls.
- Experience a tea ceremony in Heian costume in the tea room at the World Heritage Site of Seigantoji Temple. This is the first time this tea room has been opened to the public, and it overlooks the three-story pagoda and Nachi Falls. Experience Kumano Shugen by viewing the hidden Buddha statues of Fudarakusanji Temple, learn about the essence of the Kumano faith through a Kumano mandala painting session, and participate in a ceremony at Gyojado Hall, which took 150 years to construct.
- You'll also go to Nachi-Katsuura Nigiwai Market. This market, which is attached to the Katsuura Tuna Market, serves fresh raw tuna from Katsuura, masterfully prepared on the spot by locals. This is a rare and delicious opportunity to appreciate fresh-caught whole tuna.
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Kyoto Art Experience: Inspiring moments that weave together beauty and history
A special cultural tourism experience distinct to Kyoto, offered in conjunction with the Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) art fair to be held in Kyoto from November 1-3, 2024.
(1) Premium excursions: A variety of special excursion programs will allow participants to experience Kyoto’s fascinating traditional culture and history through areas of shrines, temples, gardens, and other spots that are usually closed to the public.
(2) Night hopping: A nighttime way to take in as much art as you can throughout Kyoto. After visiting the ACK venue, “hop” around to exhibitions at venues normally closed to the public and to art venues especially open for this night with special guides in attendance. After that, go to music events held on the roof of Kyoto City Hall and at Metro Kyoto, the longest-standing club in Japan. -
LIGHT CYCLES KYOTO
The Kyoto Botanical Gardens, Japan's oldest public botanical garden, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its opening. For a limited time, the garden will be open at night, immersing visitors in a mysterious world of plants very different from the one they would see during the day. Step into one of the largest conservatories in Japan and see the lush greenery and vitality of the plants in all their glory, made even more beautiful through light installations, sound and set design, and projection mapping. As visitors walk through the four different zones, they can appreciate the "breathing" and "whispers" of the plants, and the different versions of themselves they show at night. We invite you to enjoy an immersive experience of light and sound that will inspire in you a connection to nature and a newfound fascination with plants.
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Famous Kyoto Temples in Collaboration with the Producers of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai
2nd Japan Annual-International Art Festival Special Program
A special experience awaits at Kyoto's famous temples, where tradition and innovation intersect. The 2nd Japan Annual-International Art Festival will span a range of artistic fields, including contemporary art, digital art, and sustainable art. It will feature exhibitions that pave the way for the future of Japanese art, as well as performances of traditional performing arts such as Noh theater, Kabuki theater, and Gagaku courtly music. Of particular note are three high value-added experience programs created by the producers of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
Kodaiji Temple: Special Tea Ceremony Program with Hiroshi Ishiguro's AVITA Avatar
Experience the encounter between 1,000 years of history and modern technology through a tea ceremony with avatars mixed with projection mapping.
Ninnaji Temple: Special Jazz Concert by Sachiko Nakajima
Sachiko Nakajima embodies the fusion of mathematics and music. This special concert offers a new musical experience in a traditional temple space.
Sennyu-ji Temple: Folding Screen Art Creation Workshop
Experience the Japan's unique culture of dedication by creating art in a traditional temple.
These programs offer one-of-a-kind experiences in which Japanese culture intersects with modern technology. Enjoy these special activites woven from history and art. -
Art Tourism Hyogo: One-Day Tour of Famous Architecture and Art from Kobe to Ashiya
The highlight of this tour is a private guided visit to KH Gallery Ashiya, the former private residence and gallery of Hiroko Koshino, a world-renowned fashion designer. The residence was designed by the acclaimed architect Tadao Ando. As such, this space is a unique collaboration between two of Japan's leading artists.
Visit the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, the only museum in Japan specializing in carpentry tools, and experience firsthand the craftsmanship of Japanese carpenters. Walk down Kobe Museum Road and see the lines of sculptures by famous Japanese artists, and visit the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, one of the largest Tadao Ando buildings in western Japan. A local host with a deep knowledge of art, architecture, and the culture of Hyogo Prefecture will serve as your tour guide.
Since Kobe cuisine includes food from both mountain and sea, you are sure to enjoy the region's culinary culture at the specially-prepared dinner at KOBE KITANO TERRASSE, a restaurant with a spectacular view of the city of Kobe. Your meal will feature French cuisine using ingredients related to Hyogo Prefecture.
Quench your thirst for knowledge through the art, culture, nature, and architecture of Hyogo Prefecture.
An English interpreter will be on hand at all times to assist. All tours are conducted by private tour cars.