Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

For its 10th anniversary, Kyoto Nippon Festival has tapped some of Japan’s leading creative talents for its contemporary art-led cultural programme at the historical Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. Multidisciplinary artist Mika Ninagawa, known for her large-scale spatial works, will transform the shrine’s famed plum garden, home to around 2,000 plum trees, into an immersive installation. Using light and colour to create a dreamlike atmosphere, ‘Three Gardens of Snow, Moon and Flowers’ (9am–8.30pm) will celebrate the beauty of the transitioning season just as the plum blossoms begin to bloom. In the second half of the festival, from March 20 to May 24, Ninagawa and her creative team EiM will collaborate with dance company Dazzle on a 60-minute immersive theatre experience, ‘The Grand Tea Gathering on a Floral Night’. Audiences can expect Ninagawa’s signature colour-saturated world to set the stage for a tale weaving together history, tradition and art. Tickets are now on sale. Installation-only admission is ¥3,500 for adults and ¥2,000 for children. Or you can purchase a combined ticket for both programmes starting at ¥15,000. Note: the installation and theatre may close on certain days. Check the event website for the latest updates.