Highlights
- World-class photography shown in temples and machiya townhouses
- Site-specific installations that reinvent each historic venue
- A city-wide associated 'KG+' fringe programme
- The KG+SELECT Grand Prix winner receives a ¥500,000 grant to produce an exhibition in the Main Program of KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027
Background & story
Founded in 2013 by Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi, KYOTOGRAPHIE pairs international photography with Kyoto's most atmospheric architecture each spring.
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027 — Kyoto's international photography festival — runs 17 April to 16 May 2027, its 15th edition. World-class photography is shown across the city in temples, machiya townhouses and modern spaces, with site-specific installations that reinvent each historic venue. Here are the confirmed dates, how the venues and tickets work, and how to plan a visit.
2027 dates & format
- When: 17 April – 16 May 2027 (15th edition).
- Where: multiple venues across central Kyoto — historic temples and traditional machiya alongside contemporary galleries.
- The shows are site-specific: the architecture is part of the work, so each venue feels different.
- A city-wide fringe programme, KG+, runs alongside the main festival with emerging artists.
Tickets & how to do it
- Tickets: buy a per-venue ticket, or an all-venue Passport if you plan to see several; some programs are free.
- The Passport is the value pick for a serious day or two — venues are scattered, so plan a route.
- Most venues are reachable by subway, bus or on foot across central Kyoto.
Why go
Founded in 2013 by Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi, KYOTOGRAPHIE has become one of Asia's most admired photography events precisely because of where it stages the work — a portrait hung in a centuries-old temple hits differently. It's the perfect spring pairing with Kyoto's cultural experiences.
Tips
Buy the Passport if you'll see more than two or three venues, and allow a couple of days — the sites are spread across the city. Check the line-up and venue list on the official site before you go.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Venues are spread across central Kyoto; most are reachable by subway, bus or on foot. Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- 2027 prices are not yet announced (as of September 2026). For reference, the 2026 edition priced the all-venue Passport at ¥5,500 in advance and ¥5,800 online / ¥6,000 paper during the festival, with a ¥3,000 student Passport; single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500 (student ¥400–¥800), an Express Passport was ¥15,000, and children under 15 entered free. Some programmes are free.. Smaller venues in Japan are often cash-first — carry some yen (cards/IC not guaranteed).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- art lovers, culture seekers, date night
Good to know
Buy the Passport if you plan several venues, and allow a couple of days — the sites are scattered across the city. As of September 2026 only the 2027 dates are published; the theme, artist line-up, venue list and ticket prices come later, so you can book travel on the dates now and check the official site for the programme.
Frequently asked questions
- When is KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027?
- 17 April to 16 May 2027 — the festival's 15th edition.
- Where does KYOTOGRAPHIE take place?
- At multiple venues across central Kyoto: historic temples and machiya townhouses alongside contemporary galleries.
- How do tickets work?
- Buy a per-venue ticket, or an all-venue Passport if you plan to see several. Some programs are free.
- Is the Passport worth buying?
- If you plan several venues, yes — it is the value pick for a serious day or two. The venues are scattered, so plan a route.
- How do I get between the venues?
- Most venues are reachable by subway, bus or on foot across central Kyoto.
- What is KG+?
- A city-wide fringe programme with emerging artists that runs alongside the main festival.
- Has the KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027 programme been announced?
- Not yet. As of September 2026 the official site publishes only the dates — 17 April to 16 May 2027. The theme, artist line-up, venue list and ticket prices are still to come; for comparison, the 2026 edition ran 18 April–17 May under the theme 'EDGE'.
- How much does a KYOTOGRAPHIE ticket cost?
- 2027 prices have not been published; as of September 2026 the official ticket page still carries 2026 pricing and 2027 sales had not opened. In 2026 the all-venue Passport was ¥5,500 in advance and ¥5,800 online (¥6,000 paper) once the festival began, with a ¥3,000 student Passport; single-venue tickets were ¥800–¥1,500 (student ¥400–¥800), children under 15 entered free, and some programmes were free of charge.
Getting there
Multiple venues across Kyoto — Various historic and contemporary venues, Kyoto