Kids Program KYOTOGRAPHIEキッズプログラム

The Kids Program makes art more accessible and encourages children to think, discuss, and express their thoughts freely — emphasising that there is no single ‘correct’ answer when experiencing art and photography.

KYOTOGRAPHIE Kids Passport KYOTOGRAPHIE キッズパスポート

The Kids Passport is a free interactive resource available for children and families. Designed to help them engage deeper with KYOTOGRAPHIE exhibitions, and learn about the yearly theme in a fun and educational way.

KYOTOGRAPHIE Kids Passports are available at all venues and Information Centres for free.

KYOTOGRAPHIE Kids Workshops & Events KYOTOGRAPHIE キッズワークショップとイベント

A variety of events and hands-on workshops take place throughout the festival, offering children and their families opportunities to explore photography in creative and accessible ways. Topics range from cyanotype printing and photo sessions to collage and craft activities.

KYOTOGRAPHIE School Program KYOTOGRAPHIE 学校教育プログラム

The KYOTOGRAPHIE School Program brings photography education into schools across Kyoto City. Using the Photography Lesson Guide, developed by KYOTOGRAPHIE, students learn the basics of photography through theory and hands-on practice—building visual literacy and encouraging creative expression.

Inspired by the 2026 festival theme, EDGE, the guide is used in participating schools by our team and is also available free as an open resource for teachers, students, and anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of photography.

KIDS Competition & Exhibition KYOTOGRAPHIE 子ども写真コンクール 2025

Each year, KYOTOGRAPHIE hosts a photography competition for students in Grades 1–9 who have taken part in the School Program, inviting them to create original works inspired by the festival theme.

In 2026, over 700 children from across Japan submitted photographs. Selected finalist works are exhibited during the festival, turning a classroom project into a public exhibition. The Kids Competition concludes with an award ceremony celebrating the winning photographers for each year group.

Jury
Lucille Reyboz & Yusuke Nakanishi, Co Founder & Co Director of KYOTOGRAPHIE
Kosuke Arakawa, Photographer
Hiroshi Yamauchi, Photographer
Akihito Yoshida, Photographer
Marguerite Paget, Head of the KYOTOGRAPHIE Kids Program

KIDS EXHIBITION
& EVENT SPACE

KYOTOGRAPHIE Kids Competition Exhibition & KODOMOGRAPHIE

During the festival, NTT WEST Sanjo Collaboration Plaza becomes a dedicated photography space for children, featuring two special exhibitions, a photo studio (during Golden Week), and a workshop space.

KYOTOGRAPHIE Kids Competition Exhibition 2026 - Looking beyond the EDGE : what will we discover?
Finalist works from the KYOTOGRAPHIE Kids Competition, alongside 10 winning images from the Petit Bateau Photo Contest, are exhibited in the venue. Approximately 350 additional selected works from the first jury round are presented as a projection.

KODOMOGRAPHIE
Launching in 2026, KODOMOGRAPHIE is a child-friendly, bite-sized version of the main festival programme. It features selected works by Thandiwe Muriu, Federico Estol, Atsushi Fukushima and Ernest Cole, accompanied by age-appropriate interpretation to encourage deeper engagement.

Thandiwe Muriu Dress-up Studio
Photo Booth for children inspired by Thandiwe Muriu’s photographs. From May 2–6 , shoot your own portrait!

Date

Sat 18 April – Sun 17 May

Time

11:00-17:30 (Last entry 17:00)

Closed Days

April 20–21, 27–28
May 7–8, 11–12

Venue

NTT WEST Sanjo Collaboration Plaza
604 Bano-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto

Entrance Fee

Free

KYOTOGRAPHIE School Tour KYOTOGRAPHIE スクールツアー

KYOTOGRAPHIE offers free guided exhibition tours for school groups and strongly encourages teachers and students visiting the festival to apply. Our experienced guides lead tours tailored specifically for children, with venues selected in consultation with teachers based on location and programme relevance.

Languages available: English, Japanese, French.

Advance reservation required:
Apply Here