Kodai-ji Temple in Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward is holding a special night viewing event, "Digital Noh in Kodai-ji," for three nights from Friday, October 2, to Sunday, October 4, 2026.
For this occasion only, the reconstructed "Golden Tea Room," normally kept inside Fushimi Momoyama Castle and not open to the public, and linked to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, will be specially displayed at Kodai-ji. The event also includes a Noh performance of "Hagoromo" in the hojo hall and in front of the Chokushi-mon gate, illuminated clouds and bamboo grove in the garden in front of the hojo hall, and digital Noh video productions using see-through screens and 3D hologram displays. Together, they turn the historic space of Kodai-ji into a nighttime cultural experience where tradition meets cutting-edge technology.
Why Hideyoshi and Noh, Now
Kodai-ji was built by Kita no Mandokoro, known as Nene, to pray for the repose of her husband, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In his later years, Hideyoshi became devoted to Noh, commissioning new works celebrating his own achievements, known as Taiko Noh, and is said to have performed in them himself.
The organizing committee held "Digital Noh in Kodai-ji 2024" two years ago, combining Taiko Noh with digital art. In 2026, as the NHK taiga drama series Toyotomi Kyodai! (豊臣兄弟！) draws attention at home and abroad to the history and culture connected to Hideyoshi and Nene, the event once again focuses on the historical relationship between Hideyoshi and Noh.
Through this special night viewing, the event offers a new cultural experience centered on Toyotomi-era culture, Noh, and traditional Japanese beauty, while sharing the history and spiritual culture passed down at Kodai-ji with visitors from Japan and abroad.
Highlight 1: A Noh Performance in Kodai-ji's Historic Halls
"Hagoromo," one of the representative Noh plays Hideyoshi is said to have loved, will be performed inside the hojo hall and in front of the Chokushi-mon gate. On October 2 (Friday), the tenth-generation Kuroemon Katayama (a Kanze-school Noh shite actor and chairman of the Kyoto Kanze Association) gives a special opening-night-only performance. On October 3 (Saturday) and 4 (Sunday), Michiharu Wakebayashi (a Kanze-school Noh shite actor and board member of the Kyoto Kanze Association) performs. Using the temple's historic buildings and garden as the stage offers a different kind of viewing experience from a conventional Noh theater.
Image of a Noh performance inside the hojo hall
Image of a Noh performance in front of the Chokushi-mon gate
Highlight 2: A Historic Temple Transformed by Cutting-Edge Technology at Night
Kodai-ji itself becomes the stage after dark, with light and a sea of clouds enveloping the garden in front of the hojo hall, and the temple's signature bamboo grove lit up. See-through screens and 3D hologram displays add digital Noh video productions to the scene, letting visitors enjoy the historic space taking on a new appearance through light and imagery.
Image of the production at the Kaisando hall
Image of the see-through vision display
Highlight 3: A Look at the "Golden Tea Room," Linked to Hideyoshi
The reconstructed "Golden Tea Room," normally kept inside Fushimi Momoyama Castle and not open to the public, will be specially displayed at Kodai-ji for this occasion only, offering an opportunity to view the ornate space up close from outside. Entry inside the tea room itself is not permitted.
The "Golden Tea Room" (reconstruction). Photo for illustration purposes only.
Event Overview
Event name: Digital Noh in Kodai-ji
Venue: Kodai-ji Temple, 526 Kodaiji Shimokawaracho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto
Access: About 7 minutes on foot from the Higashiyama-Yasui bus stop; about 10 minutes from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station; about 15 minutes from Hankyu Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station. Paid parking is available.
Dates: October 2 (Friday) to October 4 (Sunday), 2026, 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM (last entry 9:00 PM)
Noh performance times (location): 6:30 PM (hojo hall), 7:30 PM (in front of the Chokushi-mon gate), 8:30 PM (hojo hall) — common to all three days, 15 minutes each, with two performances in the hojo hall and one in front of the Chokushi-mon gate per day
Noh program: "Hagoromo"
Performers: Kuroemon Katayama (October 2); Michiharu Wakebayashi (October 3 and 4)
Night viewing admission: Adults: 2,500 yen; junior high and high school students: 1,000 yen (elementary school age and under free)
Note: Due to the staging, the Kaisando hall will not be open for viewing during the event.
Organizer: Kodai-ji Noh Performance Executive Committee
Planning and production: TEAM FIRE
Technical cooperation: Droots Inc. (3D hologram display)
Official website: https://www.teamfire-kodaiji.jp/
This event is held with the support of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' FY2026 Comprehensive Promotion Project for the Utilization of Regional Cultural Properties (Regional Cultural Heritage).
Details are current as of September 18, 2026. The program content and schedule are subject to change.
