[Kyoto] A fusing glass workshop will be held at the Imperial Temple Sennyuji! Details on booking and the appeal of this special program available in Kyoto

What are the three special experience programs that will add color to the Japan International Art Festival?

The Japan International Art Festival is a new international art festival that will be held in conjunction with the 2025 World Expo (Osaka/Kansai Expo). The main events planned for the second Japan International Art Festival, which will be held this year, are three special experience programs held at temples and shrines in Kyoto City.

This year, special experience programs will be available at three temples: Mitarasennuji, Ninnaji, and Kodaiji.

This program will open areas that are usually closed to the public, and a producer will be assigned to each of the three temples and shrines to create a unique experience for inbound tourists that combines the past and the future.

In this article, we will introduce the overview of the early morning program to be held at Sennyuji Temple, one of the limited special programs that can only be experienced at this year's Japan International Art Festival.

What kind of program is it?

The program held at the Imperial Temple Sennyuji is a workshop experience program that starts at 8am.

©︎David Vintiner

The program was supervised by Sou Fujimoto, the venue design producer for the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and was packed with activities such as a fusing glass workshop and breakfast porridge.

Please take your time to enjoy a morning porridge breakfast that can only be tasted here.

In the workshop, you can experience a program in which you will create a work of art by painting on fused glass and then donate it to Sennyuji Temple at a later date.

The first half of the program also includes a special tour of the exterior and interior of the temple. Outside, you will be guided to the "Yang Guifei Kannon Hall," popularly known as the Kannon Bodhisattva for praying for beauty, and the "Butsuden," the main hall that was rebuilt by the fourth shogun, Tokugawa Ietsuna.

Special viewing of the interior allows you to take a thorough look at the "Throne Room," which was built in 1818 (Bunka 15). The six rooms leading from the carriage entrance are divided into the Chamberlain's Room, the Imperial Envoy's Room, the Throne Room, the Ladies' Room, the Monzeki Room, and the Imperial Family Room, and convey history to visitors.

The experience program will be held in mid-November, when the bright red autumn leaves will be at their best, making it a great time to take photos.

All programs finish in the morning, making it easy to plan your subsequent travels.

This special program, which can only be experienced this fall and is limited to 50 people for 5 days, can be booked here (hyperlink).

Click here for program reservations and plan details

What is the venue, Sennyuji Temple?

The venue for this program is Sennyuji Temple, a 30-minute bus ride from Kyoto Station. It is deeply revered by the Imperial Family and is also known as Mitera (Imperial Temple) due to its close ties to the Imperial Household.

Many cultural properties and facilities, such as the Great Gate, Buddha Hall, and Kaisan-do Hall, have been designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The facility also houses many important cultural properties and previously unpublished materials, such as portraits and personal belongings of past emperors, Buddhist paintings, and ancient documents.

During your visit, English interpretation will be provided, so you can enjoy the valuable sermons without missing anything.

This is the main attraction!

The highlight of the experiences at Sennyuji Temple is the fusing glass art workshop.

The fusing glass we create in our workshop is a technique in which different types and colors of glass are combined and fused together with heat. This technique became popular in the 1960s and is a relatively new genre in glass making.

In the workshop, you can experience a program in which you will create a work of art by painting on fused glass and then donate it to Sennyuji Temple at a later date.

Under the supervision of Fujimoto, Miyabi Katayama, who specializes in glass artwork, will be in charge of the workshop on the day. The workshop will be conducted in both Japanese and English, making it the perfect place for your first workshop experience in Japan.

The breakfast experience scheduled for the middle of the program is sure to be a special memory. You can enjoy morning porridge, vegetarian cuisine, and kaiseki cuisine made with seasonal Kyoto vegetables.

You'll be able to get a sense of Kyoto's culinary history through the flavors of the ingredients and seasonal ingredients.

Program timetable and reservation method for Sennyuji Temple

The program offering workshop experiences at the Imperial Temple Sennyuji will be held for a total of five days, from Tuesday, November 19th to Friday, November 22nd and Friday, November 29th, 2024.

The program is limited to 10 people on each date, and the program experience fee per person is 70,000 yen (excluding tax).

The time schedule is as follows:

8:00 Experience start

8:00-8:30 Special viewing of the exterior

8:30-9:00 Morning porridge breakfast

9:30-10:00 Interior viewing

10:00-11:30 Art workshop

You can check availability and make reservations for programs below.

Click here to reserve or check the details of the program

summary

The Imperial Temple Sennyuji is the head temple of the Sennyuji school of Shingon Buddhism and has deep ties to the Imperial family. The program is packed with experiences that can only be experienced here, including viewing areas that are usually closed to the public, a morning porridge experience, and a fusing glass workshop supervised by Fujimoto.

Why not create special memories of Kyoto with this special program that allows you to experience the history of temples, culture, and food all at once?