Art exhibition in Kyoto

Tea, Japanese Sweets, and Bonbonnieres at Art Space Fukujuen

Closed Mondays through Wednesdays and on New Year's Day.

Dates

Oct 29 (Thu) – Jan 31 (Sun)

Hours

11:00 – 17:30

Venue

Art Space Fukujuen (7th Floor, Fukujuen Kyoto Main Store)

Nearest station

Karasuma

Admission

Free admission

About this event

A cup of tea and a seasonal sweet may be enjoyed in moments, but a beautiful container can preserve their memory. This exhibition at Art Space Fukujuen explores the bonbonniere, a small decorative container traditionally used for sweets. Three artists approach the theme through different materials: Hideto Hyodo works with acrylic, Junko Hori with ceramics, and Ayako Sagitani with glass. Their works reveal how texture, transparency and form change the character of a familiar object. Presented inside the Kyoto flagship store of the historic tea company Fukujuen, the exhibition connects contemporary craft with the culture of tea and hospitality.

Highlights

• Contemporary works in acrylic, ceramics and glass
• Decorative sweet containers as the central theme
• Connections between tea culture and craftsmanship
• Compare different materials and artistic approaches

Good for

Visitors interested in ceramics, glass art, Japanese tea culture and contemporary crafts.

Good to know before you go

• A bonbonniere is a small container for sweets.
• The participating artists are Hideto Hyodo, Junko Hori and Ayako Sagitani.
• The artworks use materials including acrylic, clay and glass.

Pochikichi's story corner

The beauty that remains after tea

Preparing tea and enjoying a Japanese sweet involves much more than taste. Kyoto's tea culture has developed alongside ceramics, architecture, gardens and the traditions of hospitality. This exhibition explores that relationship through the small but expressive object known as the bonbonniere.

Three artists offer distinct interpretations. Hideto Hyodo works with acrylic, Junko Hori with ceramics and Ayako Sagitani with glass. Although their creations share a common theme, the transparency, weight and light-reflecting qualities of their materials produce very different results.

Fukujuen's official introduction describes the bonbonniere as an object that helps preserve the memory of a fleeting moment. Tea is consumed, sweets disappear, but a carefully made container can remain. In this sense, a useful object also becomes a vessel for personal memories.

The exhibition is presented at Art Space Fukujuen, inside the company's Kyoto flagship store. It is a fitting setting in which to consider how tea, everyday objects and artistic expression continue to influence one another.

Sources: Fukujuen Official Press Release (Japanese), Art Space Fukujuen Official Website (Japanese)

Long ago, around here

Was Shijo Street once a major commercial road?

Shijo Street traces its name to Shijo Avenue in the ancient capital of Heian-kyo. Running east to west through central Kyoto, it gradually became one of the city's important commercial thoroughfares. Today, historic shops, department stores and restaurants still line the surrounding streets.

Fukujuen's history began in 1790, when Iemon Fukui established a tea business in Kamikoma, south of Kyoto. The area was connected to transportation along the Kizu River, which helped support the movement of tea and other goods. During the Meiji period, Japanese tea became an important export. The present Shijo Street store is not the original founding location.

So when walking along Shijo Street, look beyond the displays of tea and sweets. The history of Kyoto's shops is also a story of tea-growing regions, merchants, river transport and trade routes.

Sources: History of Fukujuen (Japanese)

FAQ

What is Tea, Japanese Sweets, and Bonbonnieres at Art Space Fukujuen?

A cup of tea and a seasonal sweet may be enjoyed in moments, but a beautiful container can preserve their memory. This exhibition at Art Space Fukujuen explores the bonbonniere, a small decorative container traditionally used for sweets. Three artists approach the theme through different materials: Hideto Hyodo works with acrylic, Junko Hori with ceramics, and Ayako Sagitani with glass. Their works reveal how texture, transparency and form change the character of a familiar object. Presented inside the Kyoto flagship store of the historic tea company Fukujuen, the exhibition connects contemporary craft with the culture of tea and hospitality.

When is Tea, Japanese Sweets, and Bonbonnieres at Art Space Fukujuen?

From Oct 29 (Thu) to Jan 31 (Sun), 2027.

What are the opening hours?

11:00 – 17:30

How much does it cost?

Free admission

Where is it and what is the nearest station?

Art Space Fukujuen (7th Floor, Fukujuen Kyoto Main Store). The nearest station is Karasuma.

See all events in Kyoto → · This page in Japanese