To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Kan’ei Gyoko, Daikakuji Temple will offer a special opening of the Botan-no-Ma (Peony Room) within the Shinden Hall, an area normally closed to visitors.
The Shinden Hall is a building in the shinden-zukuri (traditional aristocratic residential architecture) style, bestowed upon the temple by Emperor Go-Mizunoo during the Edo period. It was formerly used as the residence of Tofukumon-in (Tokugawa Masako), daughter of the second Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, who entered the Imperial Court as a consort of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. The building features elaborate decorations on its gable ornaments, bargeboards, and ceilings. The fusuma (sliding-door) paintings adorning the Botan-no-Ma (Peony Room) and Kobai-no-Ma (Red Plum Blossom Room), entitled “Peonies” and “Red Plum Blossoms,” were painted by Kano Sanraku.
During this special opening, visitors will be able to enter the Botan-no-Ma, which is normally inaccessible, and view Kano Sanraku’s “Peonies” paintings up close. Other highlights include the elaborate oriage kogumi gotenjo (a finely latticed, raised coffered ceiling), traditionally associated with buildings of high status, and the metal fittings on the sliding-door handles, which bear both the Imperial chrysanthemum crest and the Tokugawa family’s triple hollyhock crest. These architectural details offer a tangible sense of the close ties between the Imperial Court and the Tokugawa family.
During the same period, Daikakuji Temple will also hold its Autumn Exhibition of Treasures, “From the Jōgan Era to the Kan’ei Era”
, featuring treasures from the temple’s collection associated with the Kan’ei era.
Emperor Go-Mizunoo, Tofukumon-in, and the Tokugawa family—their history and culture live on in this remarkable space, offering a rare glimpse into the era of the Kan’ei Gyoko. We invite you to take this opportunity to experience it up close.
| Dates | Friday, October 9–Monday, December 7, 2026 |
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| Hours | 9:00 a.m.–4:50 p.m. (Last admission: 4:30 p.m.)
※ Viewing may be unavailable on certain dates or during certain hours due to ceremonies, Buddhist services, adverse weather conditions, or other circumstances. |
| Venue | Daikakuji Temple (Former Saga Imperial Palace), Head Temple of the Daikakuji School 4 Saga Osawa-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 616-8411 Kyoto City Bus Routes 28 and 91: A short walk from the “Daikakuji” bus stop Kyoto Bus Routes 94 and (90): A short walk from the “Daikakuji” bus stop Approximately 20 minutes on foot from Saga-Arashiyama Station on the JR San-in Line Approximately 25 minutes on foot from Randen-Saga Station on the Keifuku Arashiyama Line |
| Admission to the Temple Hall Area | Adults: ¥800 / Elementary, junior high, and high school students: ¥400 ※ To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Kan’ei Gyoko, no additional fee is required for this special viewing. Visitors may enter with the regular admission fee. |
