About the Mibu Temple Plays

Mibu Kyōgen at Mibu-dera Temple in Kyoto runs from April 29 to May 5, 2026, with daytime performances from 13:00 to 17:30 and an extra evening program on May 5 from around 18:00 to 21:30. It is a silent, masked folk theater tradition, and each day features 5 plays selected from a repertoire of 30, with 400 attendees limited per day and all seating unreserved.

What is performed

The official temple page confirms that Mibu Kyōgen has 30 traditional plays, and five are performed each day. A Kyoto event listing names examples such as “Hōraku-wari” and “Tsuchigumo,” and notes that the opening sequence “Hōraku-wari” is especially popular for its dramatic spectacle.

The repertoire includes well-known titles such as:

• Atago Mairi
• Adachigahara
• Ōeyama
• Ōharame
• Oketori
• Gaki-zumo
• Kanidono
• Kumasaka
• Sai no Kawara
• Sakagura Kanegura

The plays being performed vary by date and are announced at the venue rather than in a fixed public list. So you just have to go there and see what is playing that day.

These plays were a big hit and the play bill was expanded to Noh and other play types. Today you can still see these plays at Mibu Dera (temple) in Kyoto. Mibu Kyōgen are performed from April 29th to May 5th every year for about ¥1,000. They are performed also in February and October, however the schedule isn’t set for certain days a year, just around certain times and the play types are more limited.

Getting there to see the Mibu Kyōgen 壬生狂言

The simplest public-transit access is Kyoto City Bus 26 or 28 to “Mibudera-michi” / “壬生寺道”. Kyoto’s official tourism page gives the same bus stop, and another source says the temple is about a 5-minute walk from that stop.

Another practical route is walking from Hankyu Omiya Station; one source says it takes about 10 to 15 minutes, though the bus is the most direct option mentioned by the temple and city tourism listings.

Visit notes for watching the Mibu Kyōgen 壬生狂言

Admission is listed as adults 1,000 yen, 500 yen, and elementary school children free. Photography and video during performances are prohibited, and there is no reserved seating.

The event takes place at Mibu-dera Temple in Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, which is also known for its Shinsengumi connections and spring special opening period.

References

In English

https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/may/mibu-kyogen-mibu-dera/

http://www.mibudera.com/eng/

In Japanese

http://www.mibudera.com/kyougen.htm

https://ja.kyoto.travel/tourism/single02.php?category_id=1&tourism_id=1444

Photo thanks to ja.kyoto.travel.