Kencho-ji’s “ZEN NIGHT KAMAKURA” Opens October 29: Brainwave Zazen in Five Advance-Ticket Slots of 10 People Each

The special evening viewing “ZEN NIGHT KAMAKURA” will be held at Kencho-ji Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, from Thursday, October 29 to Sunday, December 6, 2026. It is organized by VIE Inc. and Nikkei Inc., and runs from 17:00 to 20:00, with last admission at 19:30. Music and light are staged amid the autumn foliage of the temple grounds, and a sea of clouds rises in the Hojo Garden to express the movement of the wind. “Brainwave zazen,” which is said to turn the state of the brain into sound and images on the spot, is joined with timed advance tickets.

This is the second consecutive year that Kencho-ji has served as the venue, following “ZEN NIGHT WALK KAMAKURA” in 2025. Ticket prices vary with the combination of advance or same-day and weekday or holiday, and some tickets include brainwave zazen or a special viewing seat. Below, we look in turn at how to choose a ticket, the brainwave zazen slots, the staging in the temple grounds and the background to the event.

Tickets that vary between advance and same-day, weekdays and holidays

The price table on the official website is as follows. Children aged 6 and under are free.

• Advance tickets: adults 2,400 yen on weekdays and 2,900 yen on holidays; children aged 12 and under 1,200 yen on weekdays and 1,450 yen on holidays

• Same-day tickets: adults 2,900 yen on weekdays and 3,400 yen on holidays; children aged 12 and under 1,450 yen on weekdays and 1,700 yen on holidays

• Tickets with brainwave zazen (advance only, timed): adults 3,400 yen on weekdays and 3,900 yen on holidays

• EX special reserved seats: adults 3,400 yen on weekdays and 3,900 yen on holidays; elementary school students 1,700 yen on weekdays and 1,950 yen on holidays

EX special reserved seats give access to a special viewing area on the second floor of Tokugetsuro. Same-day tickets are also sold at the venue’s ticket window, but cash is not accepted; payment is by digital methods only.

Brainwave zazen: five time slots of 10 people each

Brainwave zazen takes place at the Mushizuka, tinged with autumn colors. According to the press release, the Mushizuka is a monument for memorializing nature, conceived by Takeshi Yoro with architecture by Kengo Kuma. Participants sit in zazen wearing an EEG device, and according to the organizers’ explanation, the state of their brain at that moment is visualized in real time as sound and images.

Each session lasts 30 minutes, with five slots starting at 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00 and 19:30. It is by advance reservation only; to take part, buy a ticket with brainwave zazen for a specified date and time. Capacity was 12 per session in the September 30 press release, but as of October 23 the official website states 10 per session.

Staging in the temple grounds and viewing times for the Dharma Hall

The staging in the temple grounds introduced on the official website is as follows. The music is “Neuro Music,” developed by VIE, which the company describes as music using patented technology.

• Corridor of Sound: tour the corridor while listening to Neuro Music playing in various places and viewing installations

• Autumn Leaves Night Path: proceed along a night mountain path surrounded by autumn leaves as “walking Zen,” Zen practiced while walking

• Hojo Garden, “Sea of Clouds: Dance of the Wind Dragon”: a large sea of clouds appears in the garden, expressing the movement of the wind, with the sound of bell crickets layered with Neuro Music

• Sanmon Gate, “Path of the Pure Breeze”: wind chimes sway along the path leading to the Sanmon Gate, and light reflects the movement of the wind

• Karamon Gate, “Yugen Garden”: faint patterns of light are drawn together with the gold-glowing Karamon Gate

• Dharma Hall, “Cloud Dragon”: view Junsaku Koizumi’s “Cloud Dragon” painted on the ceiling

According to the official website, on October 30 and 31 and November 1, the Dharma Hall can be viewed only after 18:30.

Toward the “750th memorial” in 2028

Kencho-ji is the head temple of the Kenchoji school of Rinzai Zen. According to the press release, its founder, Zen Master Daikaku (Rankei Doryu), was invited by Hojo Tokiyori in 1253 to become its first abbot. Ahead of the 750th anniversary of his death in 2028, the temple is preparing commemorative projects for the “750th memorial,” and this event is described as one of them.

Special cooperation is provided by the Executive Committee for the 750th Memorial of the Founder, Zen Master Daikaku, and Kencho-ji. The event is subsidized by the fiscal 2026 Japan Cultural Expo (Japan Arts Council / Agency for Cultural Affairs). Support is provided by the Kamakura City Tourism Association, and cooperation by JTB, Central Japan Railway Company and East Japan Railway Company.

The official website lists the following three past editions.

• 2024: Kennin-ji, Kyoto (ZEN NIGHT WALK KYOTO)

• 2025: Kencho-ji, Kamakura (ZEN NIGHT WALK KAMAKURA)

• 2026: Tofuku-ji, Kyoto (ZEN NIGHT TOFUKUJI)

“ZEN NIGHT TOKYO,” held in the garden of the Tokyo National Museum, is a separate event, introduced in our article on the Tokyo National Museum event. Examples of combining light and sound staging with evening openings of temples, shrines and castles are covered in our article on nighttime staging that illuminates cultural properties. Evening temple visits in various regions are listed in our roundup of evening temple visits and temple and shrine light-ups.

Overview

Name: VIE presents ZEN NIGHT KAMAKURA
Dates: Thursday, October 29 – Sunday, December 6, 2026
Hours: 17:00–20:00 (last admission 19:30)
Venue: Kencho-ji, head temple of the Kenchoji school of Rinzai Zen
Address: 8 Yamanouchi, Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Admission: Advance tickets: adults 2,400 yen on weekdays and 2,900 yen on holidays; children aged 12 and under 1,200 yen on weekdays and 1,450 yen on holidays / Same-day tickets: adults 2,900 yen on weekdays and 3,400 yen on holidays; children aged 12 and under 1,450 yen on weekdays and 1,700 yen on holidays (no cash at the ticket window; digital payment only) / Children aged 6 and under free / Tickets with brainwave zazen (advance only, timed, 10 per session): adults 3,400 yen on weekdays and 3,900 yen on holidays / EX special reserved seats: adults 3,400 yen on weekdays and 3,900 yen on holidays; elementary school students 1,700 yen on weekdays and 1,950 yen on holidays
Organizers: VIE Inc., Nikkei Inc.
Special cooperation: Kencho-ji, head temple of the Kenchoji school of Rinzai Zen; Executive Committee for the 750th Memorial of the Founder, Zen Master Daikaku
Support: Kamakura City Tourism Association
Cooperation: JTB, Central Japan Railway Company, East Japan Railway Company
Subsidy: Fiscal 2026 Japan Cultural Expo (Japan Arts Council / Agency for Cultural Affairs)
Access: 5 minutes by bus or about a 15-minute walk from Kita-Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line, or 10 minutes by bus or about a 30-minute walk from Kamakura Station
Official website: https://zen.vie.style/kenchoji2026

*Information as of October 23, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: An image photo introducing the highlights of “ZEN NIGHT KAMAKURA” (from a press release by VIE Inc.)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on materials released by VIE Inc. (September 30, 2026) and information on the official website (as of October 23, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team