London Art | Until Sunday 18 October 2026
There are just over two weeks left to see Kyotographie: Kawada Kikuji x Iwane Ai at Japan House London in Kensington. Awarded five stars by The Guardian, it’s a rare chance to see two of Japan’s most exciting photographers together in the UK, and it’s free.
Here are five reasons to go before it closes.
1. A living legend of Japanese photography
Kawada Kikuji, now 93, has spent eight decades pushing the boundaries of photography. The show includes his landmark 1965 photobook Chizu (The Map), which examines the scars of the post-war period, and The Last Cosmology, his series capturing eclipses and other celestial phenomena. Delightfully, it also includes new work that he regularly posts on social media, proving he’s still experimenting today.
2. Iwane Ai’s first major UK show
Iwane Ai presents Kipuka, her award-winning exploration of the lives of Japanese immigrants in Hawaii and their links to Fukushima. She also shows A New River, a haunting series of night-time cherry blossoms photographed in Japan’s north-eastern Tōhoku region during the Covid-19 crisis, populated by characters from Japanese folk traditions.
3. An immersive way to see photographs
The works are shown as large, immersive projections and prints designed to make you feel part of the images. Reviewers have praised the bold design of the gallery itself as a work of art. The common thread, the curators say, is overcoming loss and coming to terms with grief, which gives the whole show real emotional power.
4. A taste of a famous Kyoto festival
Both photographers have featured at Kyotographie, one of Asia’s largest photography festivals, held every spring across Kyoto. This is the first time the two have been shown together, and the first ever photography exhibition at Japan House London, so it’s a little piece of Kyoto brought to Kensington.
5. Free, with a final gallery talk
Admission is free, though booking is recommended. There’s one last gallery talk on Tuesday 13 October at 2pm, focusing on Kawada’s The Last Cosmology. Please note the exhibition includes low lighting, fast-moving slide projections and some images referring to war, natural disasters and death.
Visit
Kyotographie: Kawada Kikuji x Iwane Ai
Japan House London, 101–111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA
Until Sunday 18 October 2026
Monday to Saturday 10am – 8pm | Sundays and bank holidays 12pm – 6pm
Free, booking recommended
Nearest station: High Street Kensington