4 Should-see Cultural Occasions in Kyoto: Fall 2022

From experimental performing arts to tea ceremony staples, we’re pleased to introduce a plethora of cultural actions to maintain you busy this fall. With a very good mixture of conventional and modern leisure on provide, Japan’s previous capital takes heart stage because the leaves flip pink.

All occasions on this listing are produced beneath the Japan Cultural Expo umbrella. View a extra in depth listing on the expo’s web site.

©CMTK (Chihiro Mori & Teppei Kaneuji).

1. Kyoto Experiment 2022

When you’re doing the rounds of a few of the quite a few installations throughout the nation, get your repair of performing arts in Kyoto. On its thirteenth iteration in 2022, the Kyoto Experiment 2022 competition is an ode and celebration of performing arts that break the present tendencies and conventions in favor of — you guessed it — the experimental. In their very own phrases, “the competition tries to create new types of dialogue.” The competition’s major venue is ROHM Theater Kyoto and the competition assembly level is ROHM Sq..

The 2022 theme is “new teku teku,” persistently being the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sounds of footsteps. By way of this theme, taking part artists and exhibitors from Japan and overseas will discover strolling and the way it pertains to how we, as people, share house and time.

when: Oct 1–23

See the total listing of taking part artists on the Kyoto Experiment web site.

Vital Cultural Property “Tea Bowl with Waves and Triangular Scale Patterns” By Nonomura Ninsei. Kitamura Museum, Kyoto.

2. Chanoyu: Tea within the Cultural Lifetime of Kyoto

Conventional tea ceremonies are one of many prime cultural experiences you’ll be able to take part in when exploring Kyoto — the town is not nicknamed the “cultural capital of Japan” for nothing.

Hosted on the Kyoto Nationwide Museum, “Chanoyu: Tea within the Cultural Lifetime of Kyoto” dives deep into this wealthy conventional Japanese customized. Exploring the assorted elements of chanoyu (the artwork of Japanese tea ceremony) — together with the historical past, ceramics and distinctive aesthetics — lovers of Kyoto, conventional practices and Japanese tea ceremony will depart this exhibition savvier and extra subtle.

when: Oct 8–Dec 4

Study extra concerning the exhibition on the Kyoto Nationwide Museum web site.

3. YORU ZEN – Discover Your Personal Zen

Kennin-ji is commonly cited as certainly one of Kyoto’s most essential Zen temples, however this does not cease the monks from placing an surprising twist on their Zen meditation periods.

In “Yoruzen: Japan in Concord with Nature,” a limited-time sequence of night occasions produced by Canon, the previous merges with the brand new due to authentic projection mapping works displayed throughout the historical temple, MR (blended actuality) installations and specifically programmed AR experiences. Collectively, these will assist you to be taught extra concerning the deep relationship between Japanese individuals, the spirit of Zen and the historical past of Kennin-ji,

Guests may also benefit from the temple’s conventional art work, together with a high-resolution copy of the Hojo sliding doorways portray by Kaiho Yusho and a piece by Kyoto-born Tamura Gekkori.

when: Oct 15-30

Study extra about Kennin-ji by way of the temple’s official web site.

Horseback Archery/Japan Equestrian Archery Affiliation・Grasp Yoshiaki Koike of Takeda College・Kamigamo-jinja Kasagake Ritual. 2016. Kamigamo-Jinja.

4. Kasagake Ritual at Kamigamo Jinja

There aren’t many Shinto rituals that include useful English explanations and contextualization. This one, nonetheless, held in Kyoto this October, checks all the suitable bins.

The previous capital’s Kamigamo Shrine is without doubt one of the oldest shrines in Japan and seems on the listing of the seventeen Historic Monuments of Historical Kyoto. Each autumn, the kasagake ritual takes place, the place archers on horseback shoot arrows whereas praying for world peace and happiness. It’s the solely kasagake efficiency devoted to the gods in Japan.

Kasagake, a kind of martial artwork that was carried out right here 800 years in the past, options archers on horseback that shoot at targets to the decrease proper and decrease left from their galloping mounts. It falls beneath the extra technically difficult variations of Japanese archery and is one which figured among the many essential battle expertise in the course of the Kamakura Interval (1185–1333). Throughout this occasion, could have the chance to be taught extra about this sacred martial artwork and custom, in addition to meet taking part archers.

when: Oct 16

This occasion will even be live-streamed right here.

Study extra about this occasion by way of the official web site.

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Characteristic picture credit score: Horseback Archery/Japan Equestrian Archery Affiliation・Archer Asako Yoshida of Takeda College. Kamigamo-jinja Kasagake Ritual. 2017. Kamigamo-Jinja.

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