【Applications Closed】Open Call for Kyoto Traditional Crafts Research Residency 2026
【Online Info Session (Pre-Recorded / Archive)】
For those who were unable to join the live online session, we have made this pre-recorded info session available. Watch the video below to learn more about the residency program, research environment, accommodation facilities, and answers to frequently asked questions.
【Q&A Now Available!】
We have compiled the questions submitted by participants of the online info session, along with answers from the programme team.
The Q&A provides detailed information on key points you may want to know before applying. Whether you attended the info session or are considering applying to the programme, we encourage you to read “Q&A: Kyoto Traditional Crafts Research Residency 2026.”
【Update on Online Info Session Registration】
Thank you again for your overwhelming interest in our Online Info Session.
To accommodate more participants, we have increased the capacity of each session to 400 participants, and registration is now open again.
If you would like to attend, please register using the form below.
- Attendance at the info session is completely optional and will NOT affect the selection process.
- The session will be held via Google Meet. Please make sure you have access to Google Meet before the session.
Thank you again for your patience and enthusiastic response!
An international research residency that re-examines Kyoto's traditional crafts not as finished techniques, but through their relationships with materials, architecture, landscape, and local communities.
Introduction
＊＊＊ in Residence Kyoto is an international residency program that connects Kyoto's traditional industries with the global creative community.
Kyoto is home to a wide range of traditional crafts that have been cultivated and passed down over centuries. Their value, however, lies not only in the finished objects themselves, but also in the broader environments that sustain them: the mountains and forests that provide materials, the architecture that houses them, the communities that support them, and the everyday practices of the people who continue these traditions.
This residency invites participants to reconsider Kyoto's traditional crafts as cultural practices rooted in local communities. Centered on the Ninose district in northern Kyoto, the program provides opportunities for dialogue and field research with craftspeople, researchers, and local residents. Through these encounters, participants are encouraged to explore new connections between their own practices and Kyoto's living craft traditions.
The program is organized through a collaboration between *** in Residence Kyoto, TCI Laboratory Co.,Ltd., KONOE AIR 7 RESIDENCE, and Atelier hifumi / COSMIC WHALE LLC.
List of Traditional Crafts Designated by City of Kyoto: https://densan.kyoto/industry/
Important Notice:
Applications Open: August 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM JST
Due to our small selection committee, applications are limited to the first 50 submissions. The application form will automatically close once this limit is reached, even before the published deadline. We strongly encourage early preparation and submission.
The application form link is available in the “How to Apply” section below and will become active on August 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM JST.
2026 Theme
Craft, Place and Living Traditions - Uncovering Kyoto’s Traditional Crafts and the Memories of Place
In 2027, the residency will use the Ninose district of northern Kyoto as a case study for exploring the relationships between traditional crafts, architecture, natural environments, and local culture.
Through visits to craft workshops across Kyoto and field research in Ninose, participants are invited to develop new project proposals from the perspective of their own disciplines and practices.
Why Ninose?
Located in the mountainous northern area of Kyoto City, Ninose has long-standing historical connections to kijishi (traditional woodturners) and lacquer-making cultures.
Unlike central Kyoto, the area retains distinctive natural landscapes and historical environments where architecture, forests, craft production, and everyday life remain closely intertwined.
Atelier hifumi, one of the collaborators in this program, is transforming a traditional Japanese house (kominka) into the lacquer art studio, while also creating a cultural space open to the wider community.
This residency considers not only the house itself, but the wider Ninose area as a research field through which participants can investigate the relationship between craft and place.
Residency Environment
In this program, participants will move between three bases—“Residency,” “Production,” and “Fieldwork”—as they carry out their activitie
① Residency Base | Accommodation
KONOE AIR 7 RESIDENCE
Participants will stay at KONOE AIR 7 RESIDENCE in the Yoshida area of Sakyo Ward, Kyoto.
Located within one of Kyoto's historic cultural districts, the residence is surrounded by sites such as Yoshida Shrine, Konkai Komyo-ji Temple, Heian Shrine, and Kyoto University, while remaining conveniently connected to the city center.
In addition to serving as participants' living space, the residency base provides an environment for research, writing, and light project development. Opportunities to engage with local researchers, artists, and residents in the Yoshida area will also be arranged throughout the program.
② Studio Base | Production & Prototyping
Atelier hifumi / COSMIC WHALE LLC (The SITE)
Located approximately 30 minutes from KONOE AIR 7 RESIDENCE, The SITE is a creative workspace equipped for light fabrication, prototyping, and project development.
Participants will have access to the shared workshop space provided by Atelier hifumi / COSMIC WHALE LLC. Use of the facility is subject to prior reservation and availability.
③ Research Field | Field Research Sit
Ninose District, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
The Ninose district serves as the program's primary research field.
The Ninose district will serve as the primary research field for this program. Participants will conduct their own research while visiting traditional houses, forests, local communities, craft workshops, and other sites.
Please note that the traditional farmhouse currently undergoing restoration in Ninose may have limited accessibility depending on the progress of renovation works at the time of the residency.
Engagement with Local Communities
This residency values encounters, dialogue, and exchange as much as artistic production and research.
According to the needs of each participant's project, the program team can facilitate introductions and research opportunities with:
- Traditional craft workshops in Kyoto
- Craft practitioners and artisans
- Architects
- Researchers
- Local residents
- Artists and cultural practitioners
Throughout the residency, participants will also have opportunities to take part in:
- Networking and exchange events organized by *** in Residence Kyoto
- Visits to craft workshops and studios
- Meetings with local communities and cultural stakeholders
Towards the end of the residency, participants will be invited to share their research and activities through a public presentation, open event, or other form of community engagement.
Who Should Apply?
We welcome applicants who:
- Have a genuine interest in Kyoto's traditional crafts and cultural heritage