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Photo: the venue and its surroundings (Wikimedia Commons)

Art exhibition in Kyoto

Special Exhibition: Kan'ei — Beauty Nurtured by an Age of Peace at The Museum of Kyoto

Commemorating 400 years since the imperial visit of 1626 during the Kan'ei era, this exhibition explores Kyoto's culture in the early Edo period. Open until 7:30 PM on Fridays.

Dates
Sep 19 (Sat) – Nov 15 (Sun)
Hours
10:00 – 18:00
Venue
The Museum of Kyoto
Nearest station
Karasuma Oike
Admission
Adults ¥1,800; university and high school students ¥1,200; elementary and junior high school students ¥600
Official website (Japanese)Open in Google Maps

About this event

In 1626, Emperor Go-Mizunoo was welcomed to Nijo Castle with five days of magnificent hospitality. Known as the Kan'ei Imperial Visit, the occasion was hosted by the retired shogun Tokugawa Hidetada and the reigning shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. Eleven years after the destruction of the Toyotomi clan in the Summer Siege of Osaka, the visit also served as a political ceremony symbolizing reconciliation between the imperial court and the Tokugawa shogunate. This exhibition explores the historic visit and the flourishing cultural achievements of the early Edo period. Elaborate room decorations, fine cuisine, court dance, Noh theater, waka poetry, and instrumental music reveal the sophistication of the era. It was also a time of extraordinary artistic activity associated with figures such as Koetsu Hon'ami, Sotatsu Tawaraya, Ninsei Nonomura, and Senko Ikenobo.

Highlights

  • The historic Kan'ei Imperial Visit to Nijo Castle in 1626
  • The political ceremony involving Tokugawa Hidetada, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and Emperor Go-Mizunoo
  • The artistic world of Koetsu Hon'ami, Sotatsu Tawaraya, and Ninsei Nonomura
  • Imperial court culture, including bugaku dance, Noh theater, waka poetry, and instrumental music
Good for
For visitors interested in early Edo-period Kyoto, Rinpa art, Nijo Castle, and the history of the imperial court.

Good to know before you go

  • The museum remains open until 7:30 PM on Fridays.
  • Last admission is 30 minutes before the exhibition galleries close.
  • Some exhibits and scrolls will be changed during the exhibition period.
  • Preschool children accompanied by a parent or guardian enter free.
  • A valid student ID is required for student admission rates.
Pochikichi's story corner

Why Was the Emperor Invited to Nijo Castle in 1626?

From September 6 to 10, 1626, Emperor Go-Mizunoo visited Nijo Castle. His hosts were the retired shogun Tokugawa Hidetada and the reigning shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. This historic occasion is known as the Kan'ei Imperial Visit.

Eleven years had passed since the destruction of the Toyotomi clan in the Summer Siege of Osaka, and the Tokugawa shogunate was consolidating its rule. The imperial visit was held as a political ceremony symbolizing reconciliation between the imperial court and the shogunate, as well as the arrival of a more peaceful era.

The five-day visit featured lavish room decorations, elaborate cuisine, bugaku court dance, Noh theater, waka poetry, and instrumental music. During this same period, artists and cultural figures such as Koetsu Hon'ami, Sotatsu Tawaraya, Ninsei Nonomura, and Senko Ikenobo were active, helping to shape the artistic achievements later known as Kan'ei culture.

Politics and art are not separate chapters of history. When exploring the materials related to the Kan'ei Imperial Visit, consider how the relationship between the imperial court and the shogunate was expressed through the culture of the time.

Sources: The Museum of Kyoto — Official Exhibition Information (Japanese)

Long ago, around here

What Was the Museum of Kyoto's Annex Before It Became a Museum?

The Annex of the Museum of Kyoto was once the Kyoto Branch of the Bank of Japan. A Bank of Japan office was established in Kyoto in April 1894, and it moved into this building in July 1906. The architects were Kingo Tatsuno and his student Uheiji Nagano.

The building continued to serve as a Bank of Japan office until 1965. It reopened as the Heian Museum in 1968 and was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1969. What had once been a center of financial activity gradually became a place devoted to the city's history and cultural heritage.

When exploring Sanjo-Takakura, look for the red brickwork and tower of the former Bank of Japan Kyoto Branch. They offer a glimpse of a very different chapter in the building's history.

Sources: The Museum of Kyoto — The Building Then and Now (Japanese), Bank of Japan Kyoto Branch — History of the Branch (Japanese)

FAQ

What is Special Exhibition: Kan'ei — Beauty Nurtured by an Age of Peace at The Museum of Kyoto?
In 1626, Emperor Go-Mizunoo was welcomed to Nijo Castle with five days of magnificent hospitality. Known as the Kan'ei Imperial Visit, the occasion was hosted by the retired shogun Tokugawa Hidetada and the reigning shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. Eleven years after the destruction of the Toyotomi clan in the Summer Siege of Osaka, the visit also served as a political ceremony symbolizing reconciliation between the imperial court and the Tokugawa shogunate. This exhibition explores the historic visit and the flourishing cultural achievements of the early Edo period. Elaborate room decorations, fine cuisine, court dance, Noh theater, waka poetry, and instrumental music reveal the sophistication of the era. It was also a time of extraordinary artistic activity associated with figures such as Koetsu Hon'ami, Sotatsu Tawaraya, Ninsei Nonomura, and Senko Ikenobo.
When is Special Exhibition: Kan'ei — Beauty Nurtured by an Age of Peace at The Museum of Kyoto?
From Sep 19 (Sat) to Nov 15 (Sun), 2026.
What are the opening hours?
10:00 – 18:00
How much does it cost?
Adults ¥1,800; university and high school students ¥1,200; elementary and junior high school students ¥600
Where is it and what is the nearest station?
The Museum of Kyoto. The nearest station is Karasuma Oike.

More in Kyoto

See all events in Kyoto → · This page in Japanese

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