A special three-night event under the autumn leaves of Kyoto is coming, where you spend the evening watched over by a National Treasure Buddha statue. From Saturday, November 21 to Monday, November 23 (a national holiday), 2026, Daigo-ji, the head temple of the Daigo school and a UNESCO World Heritage site in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, holds a special evening program called “A Night Watched Over by the Buddha” (Hotoke ni Mimamorareru Yoru). Meditation yoga, a shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian) meal and a special night visit are linked into one cultural experience, limited to 50 guests per night.
Steadying your breath before the National Treasure Yakushi Nyorai
The first part is meditation yoga in the Heiseikan of the Reihokan (the temple’s treasure museum). Facing the National Treasure seated statue of Yakushi Nyorai, with a group of Important Cultural Property Buddha statues behind you, you breathe deeply and loosen the body. The organizers describe it as time away from everyday bustle to face yourself.
The instructor is yoga and meditation instructor Nagisa Yabe. She led a meditation class at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai in May 2025, and is known for unusual activities such as performing yoga at yose (traditional variety theaters) and holding monthly online meditation sessions. Yoga mats are provided, so just wear clothes you can move in.
An autumn shojin meal from Koyasan Ekoin
After the yoga comes dinner at the French café inside the Reihokan. The menu is a special autumn shojin meal prepared by Ekoin of Koyasan, built around seasonal ingredients and meant to be eaten with gratitude for the ingredients and the lives behind them.
Photo: Image
Finishing with a night visit among illuminated leaves and temple halls
The finale is a special night visit, walking through the illuminated grounds. Autumn leaves rise out of the light alongside historic temple buildings, and you stroll quietly through that scene to close the evening. It is a chance to take your time with the nighttime look of Daigo-ji, which has more than 1,150 years of history.
Reception opens at 17:45, with meditation yoga from 18:15, the shojin meal from 19:15 and the night visit from 20:10, ending at 20:50. The program ends early enough in the evening that it looks easy to get back toward Kyoto Station, which helps visitors from farther away.
Event details
- Event: A Night Watched Over by the Buddha (Hotoke ni Mimamorareru Yoru)
- Dates: Saturday, November 21 to Monday, November 23 (holiday), 2026 — 3 days
- Time: 18:15–20:50 (reception from 17:45)
- Program: Meditation yoga (Reihokan Heiseikan) → autumn shojin meal (French café in the Reihokan) → special night visit
- Venue: Daigo-ji (22 Daigo Higashioji-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto)
- Access: About 10 minutes on foot from Daigo Station (Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line). About 30 minutes by Keihan Bus from Kyoto Station Hachijo-guchi, Stop H4 (paid parking available)
- Capacity: 50 guests per day (advance reservation, first come, first served)
- Fee: ¥15,000 per person (tax included), covering the meditation yoga, shojin meal and night visit admission
- Website (Japanese): https://www.teamfire-daigoji.jp
