• Business overview
• Kyoto Studies Lecture Series, 2026 Academic Year
• On-demand lecture trial viewing
• Contact Information

Business overview

The Kyoto University Consortium has been making the results of its research on Kyoto studies available as “Kyoto Studies Lectures” at “Plaza College,” which was established in 2001. Since 2009, as part of the Kyoto Competency Development Course within “Miyako College,” a lifelong learning program operated in collaboration with Kyoto City that opens up the intellectual resources of universities to the local community, a theme is set each year from among various aspects of Kyoto.

Kyoto City Collaborative Project

Kyoto Studies Lecture Series, 2026 Academic Year

Theme:　“Understanding Kyoto, a City of Prayer – Exploring the Forms of Culture Created by Religion”

Course outline

Kyoto has long been a city intertwined with religion. Temples and shrines have shaped the city’s landscape while simultaneously nurturing people’s lives and culture. Religious activities have woven Kyoto’s history in diverse forms, including not only as places of worship, but also in architecture, ceremonies, urban systems, and cultural customs.
In this year’s lecture series, from the perspective of “Kyoto, the City of Prayer,” we will examine how religion has shaped the city and its culture, using specific events from the Heian period to the Edo period, and from the early modern period to the present day as clues. We will explain the establishment of temples and their relationships with those in power at the time, the acceptance of Nanban culture, various cultural phenomena such as the tea ceremony, and goshuin (temple/shrine seals), folk beliefs, and traditions rooted in faith. Furthermore, we will focus on religious imagery seen in modern culture, such as “anime pilgrimages,” and decipher the relationship between religion and society/culture.

Notice of the start of applications for the second semester:

We are now accepting applications for the 6th to 10th sessions of the course (afternoon course).

■Target Courses

Sessions 6-10 (Afternoon Course)

■Number of people recruiting

30 people

■ Application period

August 4th (Tue) – August 18th (Tue)

■Selection Method

If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity, a lottery will be held to determine the winners.

■ How to apply

For more details, please refer to the “Kyoto College page”:
https://www.consortium.or.jp/project/sg/details

Contents:
Kyoto University Consortium Kyoto Skills Development Course, Kyoto Studies Lecture Series, Second Semester Leaflet [PDF]

schedule

May 2, 2026 (Sat) – December 12, 2026 (Sat) Classes held on Saturdays
Each course has a capacity of 200 students. *If there are many applicants, a lottery will be held.

[Morning Course] 10:00-11:30 (Registration starts at 9:30)
[Afternoon Course] 13:00-14:30 (Registration starts at 12:30)
*Please choose either the morning or afternoon course.
　The course content is the same for both courses.
　Only the 9th session will be held over two days, with both the AM and PM sessions.

venue

Campus Plaza Kyoto, 4th Floor, Lecture Room 2 (Shio-koji-dori, Nishinotoin-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City)

Course fee

10,000 yen (10 sessions of the basic course)
*A separate fee is required for the practical course. Application procedures will be announced to participants after their enrollment is confirmed.
*Regular students of member universities of the University Consortium Kyoto (excluding graduate students, distance learning students, etc.) and full-time students enrolled in the Kyoto Learning Center of the Open University of Japan are exempt from the basic course fee. Please submit a copy of your student ID when applying.

Regarding applications

For more details, please refer to the “Kyoto College page”:
https://www.consortium.or.jp/project/sg/details

Content

Kyoto University Consortium Kyoto Skills Development Course Kyoto Studies Lecture Leaflet [PDF]

On-demand lecture trial viewing

We are pleased to announce that some of the lectures delivered as part of the Kyoto College’s “Kyoto Studies Course” are now available for on-demand viewing.

[Available courses]

Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Theme: “The History and Present State of Miyako Odori – As a Composer and Lyricist of Miyako Odori -”
Lecturer: Asako Ueki (President of Doshisha University, Professor of the Faculty of Letters, Doshisha University)

<Overview>
Miyako Odori is a spring dance performed by geiko and maiko of Gion Kobu, which began in 1872 (Meiji 5). Since 2014, I have been in charge of the composition and lyrics for Miyako Odori. In this lecture, I will trace the history of Miyako Odori and then introduce the process by which the Miyako Odori stage is created today. In particular, I would like to talk from the perspective of a creator, including the rules and techniques for composition and what I keep in mind when writing lyrics.

For those who have already taken the course, we hope this will help you deepen your learning through review. For those who are considering taking the course in the future or are still undecided, we hope to give you a glimpse of the course’s atmosphere and environment.

Please take this opportunity to watch it.
*If you wish to watch, please apply using the application form at the bottom of the page.

[Please be sure to check the following before applying]

After completing the registration form, an email containing a video URL will be automatically sent to the email address you provided. Please follow the instructions in the automatically sent email to view the video.

・If you have not received an email after applying, please check the following:
* Make sure your email settings allow you to receive emails from “@consortium.or.jp”
* Check if the email has been filtered into another folder such as your spam, junk mail, or trash
If you still haven’t received it, please contact us using the contact information at the bottom of the page.

[Regarding the course] You will watch videos using the video sharing service “YouTube”.
You can watch the videos at your own convenience as long as they are available within the video’s publication period.
You will be responsible for any communication costs incurred while watching the YouTube videos.

The application form is available here .

Contact Information

Consortium of Universities in Kyoto (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) – “Miya-College” Section
Campus Plaza Kyoto 1F, Nishinotoin-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8216
Tel: 075-353-9140 / Fax: 075-353-9121
Email: miyakare■consortium.or.jp (Please replace ■ with @ when sending)
*Inquiry hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (excluding year-end and New Year holidays)