• The Kinugasa area of Kyoto, where Ritsumeikan University’s Kinugasa Campus is located, was once known as Kinugasa ekaki-mura (Painters’ Village) because many Japanese painters gathered there to create their works. Even today, the residences and studios left behind by these artists remain, allowing visitors to feel the legacy of this artistic community. Ritsumeikan University has long worked to preserve and pass down culture and art through research at its Art Research Center. In April 2026, the university is to establish the College of Arts and Design. Embracing the concept that “the entire neighborhood is a learning place,” the new College will continue to promote co-creation through industry-academia collaboration projects that leverage the cultural resources Kyoto has preserved over the centuries. This issue features some of our researchers engaged in the field of art.