A new autumn night event, "NAKED GARDEN NIGHTS Higashi Honganji / Shōsei-en Garden," opens at Higashi Honganji (head temple of the Shinshu Otani-ha school of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism) and Shōsei-en Garden (Kikoku-tei) in Kyoto, running from Saturday, October 31 through Sunday, December 6, 2026. The event is presented by a production committee whose members include JTB Communication Design, produced in creative collaboration with NAKED Inc.
Located within walking distance of Kyoto Station, Higashi Honganji and Shōsei-en Garden offer visitors a way to extend a day of Kyoto sightseeing into the evening — dropping in easily after sightseeing, or before or after a meal.
Shōsei-en Garden, built as a detached precinct of Higashi Honganji, is a Japanese garden that has served both as a retirement residence for successive head priests and as a place to receive honored guests. Moving from the Higashi Honganji temple grounds into Shōsei-en Garden, visitors can enjoy five viewing spots where architecture, gardens, and waterside scenery are brought to life through lighting.
At the Higashi Honganji temple grounds, lights linked along 御影堂 create a scene reminiscent of a lotus flower, while the upper level of 御影堂門楼 offers a view over 阿弥陀堂 and 御影堂 to the Kyoto night skyline beyond. At Shōsei-en Garden, visitors can take in a moon appearing on the surface of 印月池, the autumn foliage at 侵雪橋 and 丹楓渓, and the quiet waterside scenery reflected at 臨池亭 — each offering a different expression of the autumn night.
Drinks inspired by the garden's scenery are also available, adding color to a stroll through the autumn night.
Viewing Spots
Higashi Honganji Temple Grounds
御影堂:LIGHT IN BLOOM
Small lights layer together in the darkness, blooming into the image of a large lotus flower. Visitors can enjoy a nighttime view unique to Higashi Honganji, wrapped in an atmosphere quite different from its daytime scenery.
御影堂門楼上:CELESTIAL GAZE
From the gate tower's upper level, visitors can take in a sweeping view of 阿弥陀堂 and 御影堂 and the Kyoto night skyline beyond them. The rarely seen view of the halls, together with the celestial maidens dancing across the ceiling, color this night in a way found only here.
Shōsei-en Garden
印月池:FIRST SCENE | GARDEN OF THE MOON
A large moon appears on the surface of 印月池, reflecting one autumn scene after another. Watching the view change from moment to moment offers a tranquil night unique to Shōsei-en Garden.
侵雪橋 丹楓渓:FOURTH SCENE | LIGHT ACROSS TIME
侵雪橋 and the autumn foliage of 丹楓渓, with the Kyoto cityscape spreading beyond, bring the historic garden and present-day Kyoto into a single view. Lights on water lilies floating on the surface gently link the two scenes.
臨池亭:FIFTH SCENE | SONG OF THE STREAM
臨池亭 reflected on the water's surface, and the quiet murmur of a stream. Listening closely while slowly taking in the scenery reveals the calm and comfort the garden holds at its core, offering a quiet moment in the night.
Event Overview
| Event Name | NAKED GARDEN NIGHTS Higashi Honganji / Shōsei-en Garden |
| Venue | Higashi Honganji (Shinshu Otani-ha) and Shōsei-en Garden (Kikoku-tei) 600-8505 Karasuma-dori Shichijo-agaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto |
| Dates | Saturday, October 31 to Sunday, December 6, 2026 On November 6–8 and 25, only Shōsei-en Garden is open to visitors Held daily during the run (rain or shine; may be canceled in severe weather) Content is subject to change without notice |
| Hours | 6:00 PM–10:00 PM Higashi Honganji: last entry 9:00 PM, viewing ends 9:20 PM Shōsei-en Garden: viewing ends 10:00 PM |
| Official Site | https://event.naked.works/higashihonganji/autumn/ |
| Organizer | NAKED GARDEN NIGHTS Higashi Honganji / Shōsei-en Garden Production Committee |
| Co-organizer | City of Kyoto |
| Sponsor | JR Central |
| Support | Kyoto City Tourism Association |
| Special Cooperation | Shinshu Otani-ha (Higashi Honganji) |
| Cooperation | WILLER ACROSS Co., Ltd. |
| Planning, Direction & Production | NAKED Inc. |
Ticket Pricing (Tax Included)
Standard tickets (both Higashi Honganji and Shōsei-en Garden)
| Early-bird: Mon–Thu | Early-bird: Fri, Sat, Sun & holidays | Regular: Mon–Thu | Regular: Fri, Sat, Sun & holidays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior high school and above | ¥1,900 | ¥2,100 | ¥2,100 | ¥2,300 |
| Elementary school | ¥1,300 | ¥1,500 | ¥1,500 | ¥1,700 |
Special-date tickets — Shōsei-en Garden only (November 6–8 and 25)
| Early-bird: Mon–Thu | Early-bird: Fri, Sat, Sun & holidays | Regular: Mon–Thu | Regular: Fri, Sat, Sun & holidays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior high school and above | ¥1,400 | ¥1,600 | ¥1,600 | ¥1,800 |
| Elementary school | ¥800 | ¥1,200 | ¥1,000 | ¥1,200 |
- Preschool children are admitted free.
- Early-bird tickets are on sale from Tuesday, September 1, 10:00 AM to Friday, October 30, 11:59 PM.
- Tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged except when the event is suspended or canceled by the organizer.
- Entry may be limited depending on congestion.
- Last entry is at 9:00 PM; the gate may close earlier depending on the queue, in which case entry will not be possible even with a valid ticket.
- Monopods and tripods are not permitted inside the venue.
- Pets are not permitted.
- Additional paid content is available on-site.
