Caution !
Afternoon
See
Kansai
Traditional sweets from all over Japan come together at the Heian Shrine. Kenkasai is a festival held in order to offer approximately 150 types of confections to the shrine’s deities. The festival began in 1973, wishing for the advancement of the Japanese confectionary industry. In addition to local products from Kyoto, sweets from Hokkaido all the way to Kyushu—many of which you would not get a chance to see unless you travel far and wide—are displayed at the shrine during the festival. Some sweets are available for purchase as well, so don’t miss your chance to find the perfect souvenir!
“Craft sweets” are also displayed at the “Kenka Exhibition.” “Craft sweets” are a traditional Japanese art form which uses Japanese Wagashi confection ingredients to create three-dimensional objects such as flowers, birds, scenery etc. You will surely sense the skilled craftsmanship in the colourful and realistic pieces. Try tasting these sweets with your eyes during this festival.
Approximately 150 types of sweets from all over Japan line up at the “Kenka Exhibition” held before and after the Kenkasai festival. Highlighting the exhibition are the “craft sweets” created as offerings to the shrine—an art form representing Japan, weaving the Wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionary) culture with the refined techniques of the artisans.
Please don’t forget to check out the festival’s venue—the Heian Shrine. The Heian Shrine is famous among the many sightseeing spots in Kyoto featuring a number of historic buildings as well as the grand prayer hall and Torii gate standing majestically on a large site. The shrine’s grounds are also home to an array of flowers that each bloom during different times of the year, creating a beautiful synergy between the man-made and the natural. Please come and meet Heian Shrine and her elegant expressions only seen at this time of the year during the Kenkasai festival!
Please do not touch the items on display
Access to Kyoto City
[nearest station]
Higashiyama Station (Subway Tozai Line)
[nearest bus stop]
Okazakikoen Bijutsukan/Heianjingu-mae bus stop (Kyoto City Bus)
Access to the festival venue
Heian Shrine address: Nishitenno-cho, Okazaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 10 min walk from Higashiyama Station
5 min walk from Okazakikoen Bijutsukan/Heianjingu-mae bus stop
