The Night of Museums remains one of the must-attend events on the Paris cultural calendar. Each year, it offers a wonderful opportunity to rediscover our heritage and cultural venues through an engaging lineup of activities and free evening tours. For this 2026 edition, the Maison de la Culture du Japon joins the celebration, inviting everyone to enjoy a special cultural treat on Saturday, May 23.
Throughout the year, the Maison de la Culture du Japon delights us with fascinating temporary exhibitions designed to immerse us in the heart of the Land of the Rising Sun. The MCJP, for short, is a window on the Empire of the Rising Sun in Paris. Established in 1997 on the banks of the Seine, in the 15th arrondissement, this cultural establishment's mission is to promote Japanese culture in France through a rich and varied program. Exhibitions of traditional and contemporary art, live performances, film screenings, conferences and language workshops make the MCJP an ideal place to discover and deepen your knowledge of Japanese culture.
The Maison de la Culture du Japon in Paris plays a crucial role in strengthening cultural ties between France and Japan. It is part of a long history of artistic and intellectual exchanges between the two countries, dating back to the 19th century. The MCJP building, designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, reflects the harmony between modernity and tradition that is an essential feature of Japanese culture. Its impressive structure and strategic location on the banks of the Seine make the MCJP a landmark in Paris's cultural landscape.
The MCJP's programming is as diverse as Japanese culture itself. Temporary exhibitions offer a glimpse of the many facets of Japanese art, while performances of theater, dance, traditional and contemporary music invite us to immerse ourselves in the richness of Japanese cultural expression.
The Japan House in Paris highlights the work of Kazuo Kitai, one of Japan's great masters of photography, though still relatively unknown in Europe. Since the 1960s, Kitai has captured Japan from within: student protests, rural resistance, villages on the brink of vanishing, burgeoning suburbs, and everyday scenes. Always close to the people, his perspective combines commitment, tenderness, and memory.
The exhibition "Kazuo Kitai, Celebrating the Everyday" offers, for the first time in France, a comprehensive look at one of post-war Japan's most influential photographers. Featuring over 130 prints, the show takes visitors on a journey through his extensive body of work — from the militant series of the 1960s and 1970s to his more recent projects created at home.
Kitai’s photographs reveal Japanese society from an "inside" perspective: student movements, rural struggles, transforming countryside landscapes, urban street scenes, and ordinary moments... This retrospective captures the evolution of a deeply humanist gaze that attentively observes Japan’s shifts and preserves the memories of its inhabitants.
The exhibition is organized into four sections: the first, Rebellion / Sanrizuka, Resistance, Blockade, revisits Kitai’s early work, especially his series on student protests. The second, Life in the Countryside / Vaguely Familiar Landscapes, Towards the Villages, immerses visitors in the nostalgic mood of 1970s rural Japan. The third segment, titled Everyday Life / Funabashi Stories, Shinsekai Chronicles, offers a glimpse into middle-class life in Tokyo's suburban dormitory towns during the 1980s, as well as the working-class neighborhood of Shinsekai in Osaka. Finally, the exhibition concludes with an intimate section showcasing the photographer’s personal work (Walks with My Leica) and one of his most recent series, IROHA, demonstrating his enduring ability to reinvent himself at 80 years old.
Dates and Opening Time
On May 23, 2026
Location
House of Japanese Culture
101B Quai Branly
75015 Paris 15
Prices
Free
Official website
www.mcjp.fr
