Kyotographie

Held annually in the world-renowned cultural capital of Japan, KYOTOGRAPHIE transforms Kyoto into a stage for photography. Through close collaboration between artists, curators, scenographers, and local craftspeople, site-specific exhibitions unfold across iconic and unexpected venues ranging from historical buidlings to modern architectural landmarks. In 2025, the festival welcomed 297,658 visitors, bringing the total number of attendees since its inception to over two million. For 2026, KYOTOGRAPHIE presents a compelling main program under the theme « EDGE, » bringing together 13 photographers and atrists from 8 countries to explore experimental image-making, social and historical peripheries, urban and technological thresholds, humanity’s encounter with nature at its extremes, and much more. Three artists from South Africa feature in this year’s program, following the co-directors’ recent research trip to the region, deepening the festival’s connection with contemporary African photography.