In recent years, “architecture festivals” have been emerging across Japan, temporarily opening up modern and contemporary buildings that are usually closed to the public. These events are drawing attention as a new cultural movement that highlights local heritage and resources.
Experiencing architecture is more than admiring a facade or interior. It’s a way of rediscovering and reinterpreting a place—its history, cultural environment, and the lives of the people who inhabit it—through the lens of its buildings. When we view architecture in relation to its surroundings, broader questions naturally arise: Why was this building created here? How might it change over time? And what role will it play in shaping the community’s future? Most importantly, the presence of so many visitors showing interest often encourages building owners themselves to renew their commitment to preserving and maintaining these structures.
“LinkArchiScape — Linking Architectural Tourism” aims to showcase the significance and potential of these festivals through exhibitions, talk events, and collaborations with artists, while also expanding the reach of architectural tourism across Japan.
Event Overview
- Title
- LinkArchiScape — Linking Architectural Tourism
- Dates
- 2025.10.18 Sat. — 11.9 Sun.
- Artists
- Miyo Ogawa, Takashi Suzuki, Takeshi Takamatsu, Shingo Tanaka, Shinichiro Nagasawa, Ken Furudate
- Venues
- Rissei Community Hall (Rissei Garden Hulic Kyoto 1F), Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto, Jushin Kaikan, Higashi Honganji Audiovisual Hall (New Reception Hall)
- Organizer
- Agency for Cultural Affairs
- Co-organizer
- Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival Executive Committee
- Cooperation
- Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City
- Planning & Production
- KYO-ZON Co., Ltd.
Archi Festival Exhibition
This exhibition serves as a “window” onto the architecture festivals taking place across Japan. It introduces the diversity of these events while highlighting four festivals in particular: the Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival, the Namerikawa Festival of Architecture, the Hiroshima Architecture Exhibition, and the Matsumoto Architecture+Art Festival. Held at Rissei Garden Hulic Kyoto—formerly Rissei Elementary School, a historic site that once supported Kyoto’s cultural life and is also known as the birthplace of Japanese cinema—the exhibition invites visitors to explore each region’s architecture through interactive digital displays of photographs.
Archi Festival Exhibition
- Dates
- 2025.10.18 Sat. — 11.9 Sun.
- Hours
- 11am — 7pm
- Closed
- Open daily (no holidays)
- Venue
- Rissei Community Hall (Rissei Garden Hulic Kyoto 1F)
- Access
-
310-2 Bizenjima-cho, Takoyakushi-dori, Kawaramachi-higashi, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
4-minute walk from Hankyu “Kyoto Kawaramachi Station” Exit 1A
5-minute walk from Keihan “Gion-Shijo Station” Exit 4
7-minute walk from Keihan “Sanjo Station” or Subway “Sanjo Keihan Station” Exit 6 - Cooperation
- Rissei Neighborhood Association
-
Kyoto International Conference Center (Architect: Sachio Otani, 1966)
Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival -
Yosho-ji Temple (Architect: Master Carpenter Shonoji Iwaki, 1916)
Namerikawa Festival of Architecture -
Shinsho-ji Temple, Shodo Hall (Architect: Terunobu Fujimori, 2014)
Hiroshima Architecture Exhibition -
Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre (Architect: Toyo Ito, 2004)
Matsumoto Architecture + Art Festival
Art Exhibition
This exhibition brings together works by 6 artists, staged within some of Kyoto’s most distinctive architectural spaces. While artworks are typically shown in the white cubes of museums and galleries, here they are installed within spaces such as the Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto—designed by Tadao Ando as the world’s first open-air painting garden—and Jushin Kaikan, designed by Midori Takeuchi. These settings create a dialog between art and architecture, inviting visitors to experience both in new ways. By shifting the context, the exhibition not only offers fresh perspectives on the architecture itself but also allows the artworks to reveal new layers of meaning and value through their relationship with the surrounding space.
Art Exhibition
- Dates
- 2025.10.18 Sat. — 11.9 Sun.
- Artists
- Miyo Ogawa, Takashi Suzuki, Takeshi Takamatsu, Shingo Tanaka, Shinichiro Nagasawa, Ken Furudate
- Venues
- Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto, Jushin Kaikan
Jushin Kaikan
- Artists
- Miyo Ogawa, Takashi Suzuki, Takeshi Takamatsu, Shingo Tanaka, Shinichiro Nagasawa
- Hours
- 10am－5pm
- Closed
- Open daily (no holidays)
- Admission
- Free
- Venue
- Jushin Kaikan
- Access
-
36 Juninko-cho, Nakazusuyacho-dori, Higashinotoin-higashi, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
7-minute walk from Subway “Gojo Station” Exit 5
8-minute walk from JR/Subway “Kyoto Station” Exit A5 - Cooperation
- Shinshū Ōtani-ha (Higashihonganji)
Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto
- Artists
- Ken Furudate
- Hours
- 9am－5pm (Last entry 30 minutes before closing)
- Closed
- 10.25 Sat., 26 Sun., 11.1 Sat.
- Admission
- General: ¥200 (¥100 for visitors aged 65 and over), High school students: ¥100, Junior high school students and younger: Free
- Venue
- Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto
- Access
-
Shimogamohangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Immediately accessible from Subway “Kitayama Station” Exit 3
Talk Event
This talk event will take place in the Higashi Honganji Audiovisual Hall—celebrated as one of architect Shin Takamatsu’s masterpieces—and will explore the role and potential of architecture festivals, as well as the future of architectural tourism. In Part I, special guest Takushi Tanaka from the comedy duo Ungirls, a graduate of Hiroshima University’s Department of Architecture and a well-known architecture enthusiast, will join the audience in discovering how to experience architecture festivals. In Part II, speakers will include the manager of the Daimaru Villa (formerly the Shimomura Residence), designated as an Important Cultural Property in May 2024, and the owner of the Hayama Kachi-tei House (formerly the Kachi-tei House), a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Together, they will discuss the significance and possibilities of architecture festivals from the perspective of heritage sites and their caretakers.
Part.1Discovering How to Enjoy Architecture Festivals with Takushi Tanaka (Ungirls)
- Speakers
- Takushi Tanaka (Ungirls / Graduated from Hiroshima University, Faculty of Engineering, Department 4, Architectural Course / A passionate architecture enthusiast)
Takayuki Ikura (Founder, Maimai LLC / Organizer, Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival)
Part.2Architecture Tourism Connecting Local Cultures to a New Future
- Speakers
- Seiji Matsuo (Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Store, in charge of “Daimaru Villa”)
Masako Takei (Director, Yoneyama Co., Ltd. / Current owner of the Kachi-tei House) - Moderator
- Naotake Maeda (Chief Curator, Hiroshima Architecture Exhibition / Organizer, Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival)
- Date
- 2025.11.1 Sat.
- Venue
- Higashi Honganji Audiovisual Hall (New Reception Hall)
- Time
- 1:30–3:30 pm
- Admission
- Free
- Capacity
- 300 *Advance registration required / Limited seating
- Seating
- Open seating
- Registration
- by 5pm 10.20 Mon. via Google form
*If there are many applicants, participants will be selected by lottery. - Registration Form
- Open the registration form
- Access
-
Tokiwa-cho, Karasuma-dori, Gojo-agaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
5-minute walk from Subway “Gojo Station” Exit 8
9-minute walk from JR/Subway “Kyoto Station” Exit 2 - Cooperation
- Shinshū Ōtani-ha (Higashihonganji), KARIMOKU FURNITURE INC.
List of Architecture Events Across Japan
Across Japan, a wide range of architectural events are held, each rooted in the unique culture and history of its region. This list brings together programs that highlight local charm through architecture — from open houses of modern buildings and tours of historic structures to walking tours, symposiums, and workshops.
By visiting buildings where the life and culture of the community are still very much alive, participants can experience the atmosphere and stories that cannot be captured in drawings or photographs — one of the most compelling aspects of these events.
While these programs naturally appeal to those passionate about architecture, many are also designed to be enjoyed casually as part of travel or tourism. We invite you to use this list to discover new opportunities to engage with the rich architectural culture found across Japan.
Click here to see the list of architecture events across Japan