The KYOTO NIPPON FESTIVAL 2026 — "Beyond Time, A Garden in Full Bloom" — has been running at Kitano Tenmangu, the head shrine of all Tenmangu shrines across Japan, from February 1 through May 24, 2026. Marking the festival's 10th anniversary since its founding in 2016, this year's edition brings together artist Mika Ninagawa and EiM (Eternity in a Moment) — a creative collective that includes Hiroaki Miyata, who also served as a themed-event producer for Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai — along with specialists from various fields. The art installations in the plum garden "Hana no Niwa" and surrounding areas have drawn approximately 80,000 visitors since February 1. The immersive theater Hanayoi no Daichakai (Flower Night Tea Ceremony) — a collaboration between dance company DAZZLE and Mika Ninagawa with EiM — opened on March 20 and has been selling out every performance.
Responding to this enthusiastic reception, art viewing tickets allowing visitors to experience and photograph the immersive theater's art space at Fūgetsu-den will go on sale on-site at the venue from March 29. Additionally, from April 1, the green maple garden (ao-momiji-en) at the historic earthwork site Odoi will open as an area accessible with the installation ticket, with night illumination beginning from the opening day itself.
Photography-Permitted Art Viewing Tickets for Hanayoi no Daichakai on Sale from March 29 — Immerse Yourself in Mika Ninagawa with EiM's World of Color, Light, Music, and Visuals
The immersive theater Hanayoi no Daichakai is a collaboration between the internationally acclaimed dance company DAZZLE and Mika Ninagawa with EiM. Over the course of approximately 70 minutes, visitors walk freely through the venue, becoming part of the story themselves. Fūgetsu-den at Kitano Tenmangu has been transformed into a space filled with color, light, music, and visuals by Mika Ninagawa with EiM. The art viewing ticket grants access not only to view and photograph the stage sets, but also to experience the accompanying music and visuals.
The story of the immersive theater brings together historical figures associated with Kitano Tenmangu, transcending time. The venue houses six rooms, each representing one of the story's characters: Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Murasaki Shikibu, Toshizō Hijikata, Fujiwara no Tokihira, Sei Shōnagon, and Izumo no Okuni. Within the quiet atmosphere of the historic wooden architecture, flowers, light, visuals, and music come together to create an experience that feels like stepping inside a film, rendered in the vivid palette of Mika Ninagawa with EiM.
Art Viewing Ticket Details
- Venue: Fūgetsu-den (on-site sales only)
- Price: ¥1,500 (tax included) *Available to middle school students and above
- Schedule: 13 sessions from March 29 (Saturday) to April 28 (Tuesday)
- Morning session: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM (last entry 10:30 AM)
- Evening session: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (last entry 8:00 PM)
- *For detailed schedule and notes, please check the official website and SNS
- Official site: https://hanayoi-no-daichakai.com/
Photography Guidelines:
- Do not occupy space for extended periods.
- Cameras, telephoto lenses, tripods, selfie sticks, and other equipment that may inconvenience other visitors are not permitted.
- Video recording of more than 15 seconds is not permitted.
- Portrait photography (photography centered on a person/model) is not permitted.
- Unauthorized commercial photography and live streaming inside the venue are not permitted.
Momiji-en (Green Maple Garden) Opens April 1 — Night Illumination Begins on Opening Day, and Zanshō at Odoi Baiko-ken Takes on a New Expression
From April 1, Kitano Tenmangu's historic earthwork Odoi will open to visitors to view the green maple foliage. This year, night illumination will begin from the very first day of opening, allowing visitors to enjoy the fresh green maples after dark.
The installation Zanshō, presented by Mika Ninagawa with EiM inside Odoi's Baiko-ken tea house from February 1 onward, is a space art installation designed to reveal the quiet radiance within the cycle of life. It places two contrasting expressions side by side within the tea room: flowers in full bloom, and flowers that have fallen, withered, and returned to seed. Rather than competing against each other, the vivid colors and the quietude of decay are composed to deepen each other's presence. The flowers offer different expressions depending on the light, the length of time visitors spend inside, and the changing perspective — allowing guests to feel the passage of time. As the seasons shift from winter into spring, the installation continues to reveal new expressions.
KYOTO NIPPON FESTIVAL 2026 Overview
Period:
- Installation Hikari to Hana no Niwa (Garden of Light and Flowers) / Zanshō: February 1 (Sunday), 2026 to May 24 (Sunday), 2026 (Closed on certain days)
- Immersive Theater Hanayoi no Daichakai (Flower Night Tea Ceremony): March 20 (Friday/Holiday), 2026 to May 24 (Sunday), 2026 (Closed on certain days); approximately 70 minutes per performance
- Art Viewing Tickets for Hanayoi no Daichakai: March 27 (Friday) to May 24 (Sunday), 2026
Opening Hours: Gates open at 9:00 AM / Gates close at 8:30 PM (last entry 8:00 PM)
Venue: Kitano Tenmangu (Bakuro-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8386)
Organized by: KYOTO NIPPON FESTIVAL Executive Committee / Kyoto Shimbun / Kitano Tenmangu
Official Website: https://kyoto-nippon-festival.com/
Tickets
Advance tickets are currently on sale. For details on ticket purchasing, please check the official website: https://kyoto-nippon-festival.com/
Installation Ticket
Grants access to the plum garden "Hana no Niwa" (February 1 to May 24) and the historic earthwork Odoi's green maple garden (April 1 to May 24). Does not include entry to the immersive theater at Fūgetsu-den (March 20 to May 24). A sweet and tea accompaniment is included with the ticket, available at the reception inside the plum garden on the day of your visit. Same-day tickets can be purchased at the venue (Kitano Tenmangu).
*Children's prices apply to elementary school students (ages 6 to 12). Junior high school students and above are charged adult prices. Visitors with a disability certificate can purchase discounted tickets at the venue for themselves and one accompanying caregiver.
Installation Ticket + Immersive Theater Viewing Ticket
Grants access to the plum garden "Hana no Niwa" (February 1 to May 24), the green maple garden at Odoi (April 1 to May 24), and performances of the immersive theater at Fūgetsu-den on the specified date and time (March 20 to May 24). Premium ticket holders receive early entry to the venue ahead of general admission, access to a special performance, and an exclusive experience of sitting on floor cushions with select characters to enjoy a tea ceremony. Tickets are available on e+: https://eplus.jp/sf/word/0000173156
*Tickets are available on e+ until 15 minutes before the performance start time, after which same-day tickets can be purchased at the venue box office. Same-day tickets are priced at ¥1,000 more than the e+ price.
Art Viewing Ticket for Hanayoi no Daichakai (On-site sales at Fūgetsu-den only)
¥1,500 (tax included)
