In Kan’ei 3 (1626), the Kan’ei Gyoko (Imperial Visit by the Emperor)—during which the Tokugawa Shogunate welcomed Emperor Go-Mizunoo to Nijo Castle and hosted him with a series of elaborate ceremonies and entertainments over five days—became one of the largest events of the entire Edo period.
In 2026 (Reiwa 8), marking the 400th anniversary of the Kan’ei Gyoko, the Kan’ei Gyoko 400th Anniversary Festival will recreate key events of the Imperial Visit and look back on the flourishing Kan’ei Culture that blossomed in Kyoto at the time. The festival is being organized as a project of the Agency for Cultural Affairs Collaboration Platform, an all-Kyoto initiative.
To mark the one-year countdown to the festival, the Kan’ei Gyoko 400th Anniversary Festival Executive Committee has been established within the Agency for Cultural Affairs Collaboration Platform. As its first commemorative event, a symposium will be held on Saturday, September 6, 2025, offering a wide audience the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Kan’ei Gyoko.
The Kan’ei Gyoko (Imperial Visit by the Emperor) has been passed down through the centuries in historical records, illustrated handscrolls, and other documents. Among the most remarkable visual sources is the Nijo Castle Imperial Visit Folding Screens (Nijojo Gyoko-zu Byobu).
These folding screens depict not only the grand procession of court nobles and samurai making its way between the Kyoto Imperial Palace (Gosho) and Nijo Castle, but also the countless townspeople gathered along the route—chatting with one another, sharing cups of sake, and eagerly watching the spectacle unfold. Their lively expressions vividly convey the same festive excitement that people today experience while lining the streets to watch a parade or festival procession.
What exactly is portrayed in the Nijo Castle Imperial Visit Folding Screens, and what insights do these masterpieces offer? Specialists from a range of disciplines will explore the paintings and reveal the stories they tell.
| Date & Time | Saturday, September 6, 2025 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. |
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| Venue | Kyoto State Guest House (Kyoto Prefectural Guest House) 590-1 Ryomae-cho, Ichijo-sagaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-0912 |
| Speakers |
Yoko Sanekata Director of Curatorial Affairs, Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum “The Artistic Characteristics of the Nijo Castle Imperial Visit Folding Screens” Tokichika Yamashina Tsuyoshi Nishiyama Naoko Matsumoto |
| Capacity | Approximately 90 participants Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. |
| Admission | Free of charge |
| Registration | Please register through the dedicated registration website. |
| Organized by | Kan’ei Gyoko 400th Anniversary Festival Executive Committee (Agency for Cultural Affairs Collaboration Platform) |
| Co-organized by | Living History KYOTO |
| In Cooperation with | Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum |
