• Business overview
• Kyoto Studies Course 2026
• On-demand lecture trial viewing
• Contact Information

Business overview

The University Consortium Kyoto has been publishing the results of research on Kyoto studies as “Kyoto Studies Lectures” at “Plaza College,” which opened in 2001. Since 2009, the Consortium has been holding lectures on a theme selected from various Kyoto-related events each year as part of the Kyoto Power Cultivation Course at “Kyoto (Miyako) College,” a lifelong learning initiative run jointly with Kyoto City that opens the university’s intellectual resources to the local community.

Kyoto City Collaborative Project

Kyoto Studies Course 2026

Theme:　“Understanding Kyoto, the City of Prayer – Searching for the Form of Culture Created by Religion”

Course outline

Since ancient times, Kyoto has been a city that has coexisted with religion. Temples and shrines have shaped the urban landscape while also nurturing people’s lives and culture. Religious activities have woven Kyoto’s history in diverse ways, not only as places of worship but also in architecture, events, urban systems, and cultural customs.
This year’s course will examine how religion has shaped the city and culture from the perspective of “Kyoto, the City of Prayer,” using specific events from the Heian period to the Edo period, and from the early modern period to the present. We will discuss the establishment of temples and their relationships with the powerful, the adoption of Nanban culture, various cultural phenomena such as the tea ceremony, as well as goshuin (temple seals), folk beliefs, and traditions rooted in faith. Furthermore, we will examine religious images seen in contemporary culture, such as “anime pilgrimages,” and interpret the relationship between religion, society, and culture.

schedule

May 2 (Sat) – December 12 (Sat), 2026 (Saturday) Courses open on Saturdays.
Each course has a capacity of 200 students. *If there are a large number of applications, a lottery will be held.

[Morning course] 10:00-11:30 (Registration begins at 9:30)
[Afternoon course] 13:00-14:30 (Registration begins at 12:30)
*You can choose to attend either the morning or afternoon course.
　The course content is the same for each course.
　Only the 9th session will be held over two days, with the morning and afternoon sessions.

venue

Campus Plaza Kyoto, 4th floor, Lecture Room 2 (Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Nishinotoin-dori Shiokoji-sagaru)

Tuition

10,000 yen (10 basic courses)
*A separate participation fee is required for the practical courses. Application procedures will be provided to students once their enrollment has been confirmed.
*Regular students of member schools of the University Consortium Kyoto (excluding graduate school and correspondence course students, etc.) and students enrolled in all courses at the Open University of Japan Kyoto Learning Center are exempt from the basic course fee. Please submit a copy of your student ID when applying.

About the application

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

Content

University Consortium Kyoto Kyoto Power Development Course Kyoto Studies Leaflet [PDF]

On-demand lecture trial viewing

We are pleased to announce that some of the lectures given at the Kyoto University Consortium Kyoto College’s “Kyoto Studies Course” will be available to watch on demand.

[Available courses]

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

<Summary>
Miyako Odori is a spring dance performed by geisha and maiko from Gion Kobu that began in 1872 (Meiji 5). Since 2014, I have been in charge of the composition and lyrics of Miyako Odori. In this course, I will trace the history of Miyako Odori and introduce the process that goes into creating the Miyako Odori stage today. In particular, I would like to talk from the perspective of a composer about the rules and techniques used in the composition, as well as what I keep in mind when writing the lyrics.

For those who have already taken the course, we hope to be able to review it and deepen their learning, and for those who are considering taking the course in the future or are undecided, we hope to be able to give you a glimpse of what the course is like and the atmosphere.

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

[Please be sure to check before applying]

After completing the application form, an email containing the video URL will be automatically sent to the email address you registered. Please follow the instructions in the automatically sent email to watch the video.

・If you have not received an email after applying, please check the following:
*Make sure your settings allow you to receive emails from “@consortium.or.jp”
*Make sure the email has not been sorted into a junk, spam, trash, or other folder
If you have not received the email, please contact us at the contact information at the end of the page.

[About taking the course] You will be using the video sharing service “YouTube” to watch the videos.
You can watch the videos at your own convenience as long as they are available for viewing.
Participants are responsible for any communication costs incurred when watching YouTube videos.

Application form is here

Contact Information

Kyoto University Consortium, Kyoto College Office, Public Interest Incorporated Foundation,
Campus Plaza Kyoto 1F, Nishinotoin-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8216, Japan
, TEL: 075-353-9140, FAX : 075-353-9121
, E-mail: miyakare■consortium.or.jp (Please change ■ to @ before sending)
*Inquiries accepted: Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00-17:00 (excluding the New Year holidays)