Villa Kujoyama, an exceptional place overlooking Kyoto, is devoted to interdisciplinarity, inter-cultural dialogue and personalized support for French and Japanese designers who stay there to promote research and Franco-Japanese cultural exchanges.

A unique place to meet and be inspired

Modeled after the Villa Medici in Rome, the Villa Kujoyama is an artists' residence on a hillside above Kyoto, Japan. Architect Kunio Kato designed the Villa Kujoyama, which was built in 1992 on land donated to France by Kansai’s Francophile community. It is part of the Institut français du Japon and the Institut Français. It is one of France’s leading cultural institutes abroad and the only one in Asia. For nearly 30 years, the Villa Kujoyama has hosted over 400 creators in every artistic discipline, from architecture to literature, the visual arts, design, dance, composition and film, for two- to six-month stays.

Creativity and interdisciplinarity

After a renovation, it started a new residency program for established creators and researchers interested in interdisciplinary exchanges and developing a project relating to Japan. The Villa Kujoyama's residency program offers established artists a unique setting for research in all areas of contemporary creation in connection with the cultural scene of Kansai and Japan in general. Since 2014, it has opened its residences to French artisans. In the same spirit of freedom and openness, "Kujoyama Duo" plans to welcome pairs of creators, one French and the other Japanese, for a joint project.

  • ©Kenryou Gu
  • ©Arnaud Rodriguez
  • ©Kenryou Gu
  • ©Kenryou Gu
  • ©Arnaud Rodriguez

A history woven with the foundation

From 2014 to 2026, the Bettencourt Foundation will support the Villa, which promotes the international spread of French culture and craftsmanship. The foundation funds its residency program, which now accepts professional fine crafts artisans who can find a source of inspiration, creativity and influence there. The partnership gives the program an image of excellence, local (Japan and France) and international recognition and a positive vision of a mixed business model.

The Foundation supports crafts

Professionals in the arts and crafts are women and men of passion. Mastering complex know-how, capable of transforming the material to create unique pieces or small series, they shape, restore, imagine works at the crossroads of beauty and usefulness. They are a showcase of excellence and contribute to the influence of France.

All projects in the fields of crafts