In September 1626 (Kan’ei 3), the Kan’ei Gyoko (Imperial Visit by the Emperor)—during which Emperor Go-Mizunoo visited Nijo Castle—was a landmark event that reaffirmed social order through culture and pointed the way toward a new era.
September 5 marks the eve of the Imperial Visit. In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of that historic occasion, a Commemorative Ceremony and Memorial Lecture will be held.
Date
Saturday, September 5, 2026
Commemorative Ceremony:
10:30 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
(Doors open at 10:00 a.m.)
Memorial Lecture:
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
(Doors open at 12:30 p.m.)
Venue
ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto
Nijojo-mae, Horikawa-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Approximately a 1-minute walk from Exit 2 of Nijojo-mae Station.
Admission
Free of charge
Advance registration is required.
Program
● Commemorative Ceremony
Program: Opening remarks by the organizers, explanation of the purpose of the project, overview of the 400th Anniversary Festival, and related presentations.
Capacity: Approximately 100 participants
● Memorial Lecture
“Kan’ei Culture and Emperor Go-Mizunoo”
The Kan’ei Gyoko (Imperial Visit by the Emperor) was the largest ceremonial event held between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Imperial Court throughout the Edo period.
Prior to the event, relations between the two had not always been stable. However, following the marriage of Tokugawa Masako to the Imperial Court, relations improved rapidly, and the Imperial Visit concluded with great success. Soon afterward, however, the Purple Robe Incident brought renewed political tension.
This lecture will trace these developments from the perspective of Emperor Go-Mizunoo.
Lecturer: Isao Kumakura
Director, MIHO MUSEUM
Born in Tokyo in 1943, Isao Kumakura graduated from the Department of History, Faculty of Literature, Tokyo University of Education, and completed the doctoral coursework at its graduate school. A specialist in Japanese cultural history, he holds a Doctor of Letters and is Professor Emeritus at the National Museum of Ethnology. He currently serves as Director of the MIHO MUSEUM and received the Commissioner’s Award for Cultural Affairs in 2022.
His principal publications include *Emperor Go-Mizunoo*, *The Collected Works of Isao Kumakura* (7 volumes), and *A Cultural History of Japanese Cuisine: With a Focus on Kaiseki*.
Registration
Advance registration is available through Peatix.
Please register using the link below:
