A special cultural experience program is being offered at Higashi Honganji, the head temple of the Shinshu Otani-ha branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, located in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto. On two days only — May 29, 2026 (Friday) and June 24, 2026 (Wednesday) — participants can explore areas normally closed to the public with a monk as their guide, followed by a French lunch course at the registered tangible cultural property Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort along the Kamo River.
Exploring Kyoto's History and Culture in Multiple Dimensions
Higashi Honganji is the head temple of the Shinshu Otani-ha sect, one of Japan's largest Buddhist institutions. The temple's Goeido Hall is known as one of the world's largest wooden structures, measuring approximately 76 meters wide and 38 meters tall at its facade.
This program includes a tour of areas not normally open to the public, led by a monk. A tea ceremony is held partway through the visit, followed by a move to the main banquet hall of Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort for a French lunch course featuring seasonal Kyoto ingredients. The experience spans temple architecture, religious culture, culinary culture, and architectural heritage all in a single outing.
What's Included
1. Special Access to Restricted Areas Including the Miya Goten
The tour takes visitors through sections of the precinct that are ordinarily off-limits, accompanied by a monk's commentary. The rich connections between the temple and key figures of Japanese history — including the Ishiyama War with Oda Nobunaga, and the donation of its current site by Tokugawa Ieyasu — bring the buildings and spaces to life.
Note: The viewing areas may be partially changed on the day depending on preservation and management conditions.
2. Tea Ceremony in the Miya Goten with Exclusive Temple Wagashi
The Miya Goten was relocated from the former Omiya Palace (the imperial consort's palace) and is surrounded by elegant Yamato-e paintings. In this tranquil space, guests enjoy a quiet moment with tea and a wagashi created exclusively for Higashi Honganji, with the monk on hand to share insights about the setting.
The Wagashi: "Mamekomon" by Kameya Yoshinaga
The confection is a fresh wagashi made by Kameya Yoshinaga, a long-established Kyoto confectioner founded in 1803 (Kyowa 3). It is an original piece created exclusively for Higashi Honganji, and is not available in the shop.
The name "Mamekomon" comes from the traditional pattern used on the tatami edging found throughout the Goeido Hall, which alone has 927 tatami mats laid within it. Tasting this rare confectionery in the very temple space that inspired its design offers a layered cultural encounter.
3. Special Opening of the Main Banquet Hall at Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort
After the temple visit, guests board a microbus and head to the five-story pagoda-style building of LE UN Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort on the banks of the Kamo River.
For this program only, the 3rd-floor main banquet hall "Grand Ballroom" — normally reserved for wedding receptions and banquets — is specially opened to participants. In a grand hall with 5-meter ceilings featuring coffered ceilings reminiscent of those at Nijo Castle and transom carvings depicting the silhouette of the Higashiyama mountains, guests enjoy French cuisine with views over the Kamo River.
Event Details
- Dates: May 29, 2026 (Fri) and June 24, 2026 (Wed) — 2 days, 2 sessions per day
- Capacity: 40 guests per day
- Price: ¥12,000 per person (plus 10% service charge)
- Reservations & details: https://www.vmg.co.jp/column/higashihonganji/
Schedule:
Session 1:
- 10:30 AM – Meet at Higashi Honganji Goeido Gate (temple visit + tea ceremony)
- 11:45 AM – Depart by microbus
- 12:00 PM – Lunch at LE UN Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort
Session 2:
- 11:00 AM – Meet at Higashi Honganji Goeido Gate (temple visit + tea ceremony)
- 12:15 PM – Depart by microbus
- 12:30 PM – Lunch at LE UN Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort
Sample Lunch Course Menu
- Appetizer: Marinated yellowtail, summer vegetables and mango ravigote, caviar, tomato gelée
- Soup: Chilled corn soup with pure white corn
- Fish: Scale-grilled amadai (tilefish), braised new onion and yuba, Saikyo miso sauce
- Meat: Slow-roasted Omi duck, new turnip and watercress salad, spiced
- Dessert: Melon and sansho pepper dégustation
- Bread
- After-meal beverage
About Higashi Honganji
Founded in the Kamakura period, Higashi Honganji has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, each time restored through the collective efforts of its nationwide parishioners. Its history is closely intertwined with the three great unifiers of the Warring States period — the Ishiyama War with Oda Nobunaga, reconstruction under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and the donation of temple lands by Tokugawa Ieyasu.
The current Goeido Hall was rebuilt in 1895 (Meiji 28) and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. Its facade measures 76 meters wide and 38 meters tall, making it one of the world's largest wooden structures. The temple complex stands as both a major religious institution and a showcase of the finest Japanese architectural craftsmanship.
Official website: https://www.higashihonganji.or.jp/
About Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort
Standing prominently along the Kamo River, the five-story pagoda structure of Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort was once a beloved traditional inn. Established in Meiji 3 (1870) and relocated to its current site in Taisho 14 (1925), the pure Japanese-style building has stood as a Kyoto Kamo River landmark for over 100 years and was designated a registered tangible cultural property of Japan in 2012.
Inside, the craftsmanship of shrine carpenters is still on full display — coffered ceilings and ceiling paintings by renowned Japanese artists remain beautiful and striking to this day. With the Higashiyama mountains as a backdrop and the Kamo River just outside, the venue occupies what is truly a prime seat in Kyoto.
Official website: https://www.funatsuru.com
