Catholic Kawaramachi Church — Attraction in Kyoto

A Unique Catholic Mass Experience in Japan

If you are visiting Japan and want to experience something truly special, don’t miss attending a Catholic Mass led by a Japanese priest. On Sundays at 10:30, the church welcomes people from all over the world, yet most of the community are local Japanese families – children, parents, and grandparents, just like in a church back home.

The Mass is vibrant and heartfelt: hymns and psalms are sung in Latin, while prayers are spoken in Japanese. This mix of the universal and the local makes the liturgy unforgettable. Praying together in such an atmosphere is not only a deep spiritual experience, but also a cultural highlight – far more unique than visiting yet another...

Highly recommend Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier!! Went to a very serene 0700 Sunday Mass even though it wasn't a 2nd or 4th Sunday, when the Cathedral celebrates Mass in English. Easy to follow even in Japanese since they are true to the Mass liturgy. Accessible via the Tozai line by bus. Here is their website for more info plus Mass schedule in English: http://catholickawaramachi.kyoto/noticias/english/ Sunday 7:00, 10:30 12:00 (English Mass 2nd and 4th Sunday only) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 2:4 (Crypt of Our Lady of the Underground City) Thursday, Friday 9:30 (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Underground...

Nice church, and open; don't let the construction out front dissuade you from coming in! The church let my friend have her wedding ceremony here. And we got to set up the day before. It is a very beautiful church with gorgeous stained glass windows. The priest and assistant were very kind. And the ceremony the priest performed was also beautiful.

The only minor problem I had was how cold the building was in the morning. If you come during winter,...