Kyoto Station Building Art Festival GNE 2026

Why You Should Visit

For 18 days, Kyoto Station Building turns into an art venue for the second edition of this festival. The 2026 staging theme is NOCTURNE KYOTO: works are installed at five spots inside the complex, including the station square and Muromachi-Koji Square, and after dark the building is given over to light and art. The festival also reaches temples around the city, among them Ninna-ji, Keishun-in at Myoshin-ji and Higashi Hongan-ji. Admission is free, so it fits into a gap between trains.

Essentials

location

Kyoto Station Building (Station Square, north side of the North-South Free Passage, Muromachi-Koji Square, South Square, East Square) and temples around Kyoto

period

October 17, 2026 (Sat) - November 3, 2026 (Tue)

Time

13:00–20:00

cost

Free (some workshops, hands-on programs and the special tours are paid)

Links

Kobe · Gluten-free

Basque cheesecakeBaked with rice flour, no wheat. Whole 12cm, serves 2-3¥4,700 incl. shipping (Japan only)

access

The main venue, Kyoto Station Building, is directly connected to JR Kyoto Station. By car, the complex has the West 1, West 2 and East 1 car parks: 800 yen for the first hour, then 400 yen per 30 minutes.

There are 12 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Kyoto Station Building (Station Square, north side of the North-South Free Passage, Muromachi-Koji Square, South Square, East Square) and temples around Kyoto, and 8 public restrooms within 8 minutes. The map shows each with its walking time.

Facility data comes from OpenStreetMap. It does not include opening hours, fees or availability.

TICKETS / REGISTRATION

The special tours are sold through Nippon Travel Agency. Ninna-ji tour / Ninna-ji architecture, Buddhist statue and Japanese painting tour / Keishun-in at Myoshin-ji tour

NOTE

Announced program

A stage by the taiko drum group DRUM TAO
Calligraphy performance
The ART&CRAFT BOX trailer gallery
An IP-Art x PAC-MAN exhibit
A collaboration with Osamu Tezuka's Unico

Venues

Kyoto Station Building: Station Square, north side of the North-South Free Passage, Muromachi-Koji Square, South Square, East Square
Temples in the city: Ninna-ji, Keishun-in at Myoshin-ji, Higashi Hongan-ji and others

Information releases

Second announcement: September 24, 2026 (planned)
Third announcement: October 6, 2026 (planned)

Last year

The first edition in 2025 ran under the concept Mash up KYOTO from the station and drew 320,000 visitors

*Works, artists, the venue map and the timetable will be added here once published.

FAQ

Is admission free?

Viewing the works at the station building is free. Some workshops and hands-on programs, and the special temple tours, are paid.

What time of day is best?

The festival runs from 13:00 to 20:00. The 2026 edition is themed around the night, so the lighting works come into their own after dark.

Do the temple venues keep the same dates and hours?

Program details and hours for the temple venues such as Ninna-ji, Keishun-in and Higashi Hongan-ji are to be announced separately and were not published as of early September 2026. Check the official site for updates.

Calendar

Add it to your calendar so you can check back on it later.

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