Japan art exhibitions and Kyoto cultural events scheduled for September 2026

Various art exhibitions and cultural events across Japan are scheduled to conclude or take place during the first half of September 2026.

Notable art exhibitions include the MOA Museum of Art’s showcase of Katsushika Hokusai’s works, featuring ‘Hokusai Manga’ and ‘Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,’ which ends on September 1. The Hara Museum ARC will host ‘How to Make a Rainbow,’ focusing on the museum’s early years, ending September 6. The Fukuda Art Museum is presenting a collection of modern Japanese paintings themed around ‘Prayer,’ also concluding on September 6. Additionally, the Tokyo National Museum is hosting a special exhibition titled ‘Kukai and the Treasures of Shingon,’ commemorating the 1250th anniversary of the birth of Kobo Daishi.

In Kyoto, a wide array of seasonal events and tourism activities are scheduled for September. These include various shrine festivals, such as the Matsuo Taisha Hassaku Festival and the Kamigamo Shrine rituals, as well as traditional seasonal experiences like Kamo River night dining (Kawadoko) and moonlight viewing events centered around the autumn moon on September 25.