CURATION⇄FAIR Kyoto Ran Until November 8 at Three Temples in Nishijin, Including Myokenji, with 33 Exhibitors

The art fair “CURATION⇄FAIR Kyoto” was held from Friday, November 6 to Sunday, November 8, 2026 at three temples in Nishijin, Kyoto: the grand head temple Myokenji and the head temples Honpoji and Myokakuji. Thirty-three exhibitors dealing in different eras and fields, from antiques, crafts, modern art and contemporary art to Nordic ceramics and contemporary jewelry, took part. At Myokenji and Honpoji, the special exhibition “Ko + Gei” Kyoto 2026, which showed works by contemporary artists together with antiques, was also held. Hours were 11:00–18:00 (until 17:00 on the 8th).

Why now? Crossing eras and fields with temples as the stage

The fair is organized by the CURATION⇄FAIR Kyoto Executive Committee, made up of Universal Ad Network, Nikkei Inc. and the City of Kyoto. Japan Post Bank provides special cooperation, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Japan Tourism Agency, Kyoto Prefecture and others provide support. This year, the fair welcomes two artist-run spaces based in Melbourne for the first time.

Following the Kyoto edition, the fourth “CURATION⇄FAIR Tokyo” will be held from January 2027 at kudan house, a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in Kudan, Tokyo. The exhibition is scheduled for January 22 to February 7 and the art fair for February 12 to 14. In Kyoto, Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) is also held the same week at the Kyoto International Conference Center and other venues. From November 8 to 10, the contemporary craft exhibition “Aikyakuko” is also held in the study hall and other spaces of Ginkaku-ji (Jisho-ji) (advance application required).

What can visitors see? Main booths at the temples

The main exhibits introduced in Universal Ad Network’s announcement of October 8 are as follows.

• Kotona Art Direction: Nami Okada, who has been based in Kyoto since 2025, develops the expression she has pursued in two dimensions into three-dimensional ceramics and presents three-dimensional Kiyomizu ware pieces for the first time at the fair.

• CAVE-AYUMI GALLERY: Introduces Aya Imamura, Taichi Nakamura, Rui Mizuki, Yuichi Higashionna and Sander Wassink, with Higashionna showing a work using fluorescent lights.

• Conners Conners Gallery: A solo exhibition by Narelle Desmond, who responds to the venue, a historic temple, with a three-dimensional work assembled on site from materials obtainable in Kyoto.

• AWASE gallery: Marking its first anniversary, the gallery sets up an exhibition space at the venue using lattices and fittings. It introduces CACL Inc.’s “Rediscover project” and works by Rui Terao and Yoshiyuki Umehara.

• ATSUHIKO SUEMATSU GALLERY: Iwao Ikeda, who has long made works in bamboo and lacquer, shows a new work, “Fujin Raijin” (2026), made with tortoiseshell bamboo, whose shape cannot be produced by human hands.

• CAVES: Introduces Noriko Nakamura (limestone sculpture) and Anna Varendorff, with whom it has worked over its 11 years of activity, at a Kyoto temple, a setting different from Melbourne.

• TAKU SOMETANI GALLERY: Plans to introduce young artists who have never exhibited in Kyoto and have little experience of art fairs.

At Myokakuji, the “Nishijin Food Marché,” with stalls by restaurants from Nishijin and the surrounding area, is held. It can be used without a fair ticket.

What is the special exhibition “Ko + Gei” Kyoto 2026?

“Ko + Gei” Kyoto 2026 is a special exhibition organized by the Tokyo Art Club, the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Arts Council, centered on works by the award winners of “Ko + Gei” 2024 and 2026 and on antiques. Alongside works by contemporary artists, it introduces the works of antique and modern art from which each artist drew inspiration in their creative process.

At Myokenji, works by 18 contemporary artists, including Hideto Ito, Koichi Uchida, Akio Niisato, Masaya Hashimoto, Toru Fukuda and Mai Miyake, are shown together with works by Kano Motonobu, Hasegawa Tohaku, Yosa Buson, Tatsuaki Kuroda, Takeo Yamaguchi, Lucie Rie and others. The “Ko + Gei” official website gives the pairings of Masaya Hashimoto and Hasegawa Tohaku, Riki Tanaka and Lucie Rie, and Koichi Uchida and Takeo Yamaguchi as examples.

At Honpoji, metal hammering artist Shinya Hongo presents a new work, “Enso.” During the fair, a special presentation in which a dragon moves by candlelight (about 20 minutes each) takes place twice a day, at 15:00 and 17:00 on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, and at 15:00 and 16:00 on Sunday, November 8.

Tickets, prices and entry notes

The 1-Day Pass, valid for one day, costs 2,500 yen in advance and 3,000 yen on the day (tax included) and includes admission to the three temples and to “Ko + Gei” Kyoto 2026. The 3-Day Pass with experiences (6,000 yen) is sold until November 5 or until the planned number is reached. It allows unlimited entry to the three temples for three days and use of a tea service overlooking Honpoji’s scenic “Tomoe Garden.” It also includes experiences such as a Japanese boat ride and a garden tour (first come, first served; advance booking of a time slot required), and those who book pay a garden maintenance donation (700 yen for adults, 300 yen for junior high and high school students) on entering Shoseien Garden.

Special flower programs are charged separately: “Flowers of the Morning Mist” (30,000 yen, 10:00–12:00, November 5–8) and “Flowers on Request,” led by Kentaro Sugi (20,000 yen, 14:00–17:00). Each session is limited to 15 people, and the venues are ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts and Shozan Resort Kyoto.

Up to two elementary school children and younger per adult are admitted free, and elementary school children and younger cannot enter on their own. Strollers and wheelchairs cannot be used inside the venues, and large items such as suitcases cannot be brought in. There is no cloakroom, and visitors remove their shoes inside the buildings. The addresses are 514 Myokenji-maecho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto for Myokenji; 617 Honpoji-maecho, Ogawa-dori Teranouchi-agaru, Kamigyo-ku for Honpoji; and 135 Shimoseizoguchicho, Kamigyo-ku for Myokakuji.

Editor’s perspective

The format splits an art fair, where exhibitors sell works, across three temples. The structure of “Ko + Gei” Kyoto 2026, which places contemporary artists’ works in the same space as the antiques that inspired them, shows the fair’s policy of crossing eras and fields through concrete pairings. On the other hand, wheelchairs and strollers cannot be used at the venues, and visitors go around without shoes, so it is worth checking the entry conditions before visiting. The dates of other art fairs in Japan are summarized in [2026–2027] Art Fair and Art Festival Calendar.

Overview

Name: CURATION⇄FAIR Kyoto
Dates: Friday, November 6 – Sunday, November 8, 2026 (press and invitation preview on Thursday, November 5)
Hours: 11:00–18:00 (until 17:00 on the 8th)
Venues: Myokenji, Honpoji and Myokakuji (Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto)
Admission: 1-Day Pass 2,500 yen in advance, 3,000 yen on the day; 3-Day Pass with experiences 6,000 yen (tax included). Up to two elementary school children and younger per adult free
Organizer: CURATION⇄FAIR Kyoto Executive Committee (Universal Ad Network, Nikkei Inc., City of Kyoto)
Special cooperation: Japan Post Bank
Official website: https://curation-fair.com/kyoto2026
*Information as of October 20, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: Narelle Desmond, “Cover Up Curtain,” 2023 [reference image], Conners Conners Gallery (from a press release by Universal Ad Network Inc.)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on press materials from Universal Ad Network Inc. (October 8, 2026) and information on the “Ko + Gei” official website.

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team