Kyoto

Kyoto National Museum

京都国立博物館 Kyoto Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan

It is near Sanjusangen-do, and has a large collection of ancient Japanese sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, painting, and other artifacts. (It's quite similar to the Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo/Ueno.) The Museum building is fairly grand, but the statue of Rodin's The Thinker out front is a bit out of place, as there's no Western art inside. It's seven minutes east of Shichijo Keihan.

Tue-Sun 09:30-18:00 · Admission ¥500 (¥1500 during a special exhibition period) · Wi-Fi · Heritage listed · Wheelchair accessible

Nijō Castle

二条城 nijō-jō

Certainly one of the highlights of Kyoto, with fine gardens and splendid centuries-old structures. The castle was built by the Tokugawa shoguns to serve as the shogun's residence in Kyoto. After the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the castle served as an imperial residence before being converted to a museum and opened to the public. The series of ornately-decorated reception rooms within the Ninomaru Palace complex is particularly impressive, and known for its "nightingale floors" - wooden flooring which makes bird-like squeaking sounds when stepped on so as to give advance warning when someone was approaching. From the empty base of the donjon that once overlooked the innermost section of the fortress (known as the Honmaru), you can get good views over parts of the castle compound and the wider city beyond. The donjon and original Honmaru Palace burnt down in two separate fires; the current Honmaru Palace was originally part of a prince's residence, and moved to its current location in the Meiji Period (late 19th century). The Honmaru Palace was opened to the public for the first time in 18 years on September 1, 2024, but reservations are required, and it will cost an additional ¥1,000. See also Japanese castles.

Daily 08:45-16:00 (Gate closes at 17:00), Ninomaru Palace closed on Tuesdays. · ¥1,300 for adults; ¥400 for junior and senior high school students, ¥300 for elementary school students, free for children under 6 years · Limited wheelchair access · Heritage listed · Built 1601

Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art

京都国立近代美術館

An interesting museum featuring works from famous, as well as up-and-coming modern artists. Exhibits change frequently, so it's best to call or visit the website to see exactly what will featured during your visit. You may also want to make sure they will not be changing exhibitions, as they often close an entire floor of the museum during the transition.

Tue-Sun 09:30-17:00 (on Fridays during special exhibitions, hours may be extended to 20:00) · ¥420. (college students receive a discount and special exhibitions require additional costs)

Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art

京都市美術館

This museum houses a wide variety of art with the permanent collections featuring artists that are from Kyoto. Special exhibits may feature Japanese art from other areas or foreign artwork.

Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00

Kyoto Railway Museum

京都鉄道博物館

An expansive and modern railway museum with over 50 historical Japanese rollingstock, primarily used in service by JR West and its predecessor, JNR. Three Shinkansen models are on display, along with an extensive collection of preserved steam locomotives, including one you can ride. Many informative displays and exhibits of railway technology, operations and systems line a three story main building, coupled with an outdoor locomotive garage complete with railway turntable mean it is easy to spend hours in here. In addition, a very popular train simulator and miniature railway display complete the experience; the former is so popular it requires a lottery to get a turn!

Daily 10:00-17:00 · ¥1,500 · Wheelchair accessible

Kyoto International Manga Museum

京都国際マンガミュージアム, Kyōto Kokusai Manga Myūjiamu

Housed in an old elementary school building, the museum holds over 300,000 manga-related items ranging from rare Meiji-era publications to the works of contemporary artists. One of its main attractions is the so-called "Wall of Manga": a vast collection of some 50,000 volumes arranged on shelves running along the building's corridors. Much of the collection is in Japanese, but there is a sizeable selection of manga translated into various foreign languages (including English) on the ground floor. Visitors are welcome to pick out and read anything they choose from the "Wall of Manga" (although the books can't be checked out for offsite reading), which explains the large numbers of children and young adults that throng the museum - and the large Astroturf field just outside where people can read the manga of their choosing. The museum also hosts special temporary exhibitions and other manga-related events. Closed Wednesdays and national holidays.

Daily 10:00-18:00 (entry until 17:30) · Adults: ¥800; students: ¥300; children: ¥100 · Wheelchair accessible

The Museum of Kyoto

京都文化博物館, kyōto bunka hakubutsukan; 通称, bunpaku

The museum features many ancient artifacts relating to Kyoto life and history. It has an expansive ancient ceramics collection.

Tue-Sun 10:00-19:30 (until 18:00 during special events) · Adults: ¥500; students: ¥400; children: free. For special exhibits: adults: ¥1,400; students: ¥1,000; children: ¥500

Hosomi Art Museum

細見美術館 Hosomi Bijutsukan

A museum that showcases Japanese religious art from all periods of history. Exhibits change each season but typically feature famous artwork from local temples and shrines.

Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 · Prices vary depending on the exhibit

Ryozen History Museum

霊山歴史館 Ryōzen Rekishikan

A museum dedicated to displaying artifacts and information about the Meiji Period.

Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00

19th Century Hall

19世紀ホール

A museum covering the unlikely combination of steam locomotives and pianos. Probably best to look at it from the outside, and listen to the amusing tinny music it blasts out.

Gallery Gado

Gallery Gado sells modern woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) with traditional themes. The gallery also has catalogs of the work of artists who are maintaining this art form. All prints are authentic woodblock prints.

Daily 10:00-18:00 · Postcard-sized prints ¥800, medium-sized prints ¥2,000-3,000, large prints for more

Daigo-ji

醍醐寺

Daigoji is a large temple complex consisting of the garan (main complex), Sanbōin Garden, and Reihōkan Museum. The size and position of the temple, slightly removed from the city, creates a more peaceful, serene setting. As a registered World Heritage Site, the temple has a lot of history, with the oldest remaining structure being the five-story pagoda built in 951. The Sanbōin is the temple's garden, and despite being rather pricey is truly beautiful. The museum houses many of the temple's treasures. Daigoji Temple is famous for being one of Kyoto's best places to view cherry blossoms in the spring and the leaves in the fall. Although the main temple complex is always worth visiting, those visiting in the autumn should consider paying the extra fee to see the Sanbōin garden, as it becomes especially beautiful with the vivid colors of the leaves (sadly pictures are not allowed in the Sanbōin).

The Garan and Sanbōin are open Mar-Nov: daily 09:00-17:00, and Dec-Feb: daily 09:00-16:00. The museum is open daily 09:00-16:00 · Each part costs ¥600 to enter however discount tickets can be purchased to see two (¥1000) or all three (¥1500)

Gekkeikan

月桂冠

Founded in 1637, this local sake brewing company remains popular among Japanese even today. Many of the old breweries still exist and visitors can tour Gekkeikan and visit the attached museum to get a glimpse of how the sake is made.

Tue-Sun 09:30-16:30 · ¥300

Mibu-dera

壬生寺

Founded in 991 CE, Mibu-dera is a Buddhist temple. The temple has Setsubun celebrations in February which draws large crowds. It's free to visit the grounds, however, a small museum and garden have an admission fee.

Daily 08:30-17:30 · Main grounds free; garden & museum ¥100

Rokuharamitsu-ji

六波羅蜜寺

While the temple may not seem so special, the trip is made worthwhile by the amazing Kamakura Period artwork housed in its museum. In particular, the statue of Kuya is quite a unique piece of artwork depicting Kuya Shonin reciting the nenbutsu. To depict the words, the artist Taira Kiyomori, sculpted six miniature figures of Kuya Shonin walking out of his open mouth. Each figure represents one syllable in the nenbutsu. This temple is also the 17th temple of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage.

Daily 08:00–17:00 · Grounds: free, Museum: ¥500

Ōkōchi Sansō

大河内山荘

A splendid mountain retreat, previously occupied by Japanese silent screen legend Ōkōchi Denjirō. The grounds have something beautiful to offer each season but are probably at their best during autumn, when the trees explode into fiery shades of red and gold. Take a long, leisurely walk through the villa's beautiful gardens and savour the fine views of the city below. There is a small museum on the grounds dedicated to the former owner's life and work.

Daily 09:00-17:00 · Entrance is ¥ 1000; the price includes a cup of matcha (green tea) and a small dessert in the villa's teahouse

Fushimi Momoyama Castle

桃山城, Momoyama-jō; officially 伏見城, Fushimi-jō

This castle was once a favorite of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The original was dismantled in 1623, but a 1964 reconstruction went up in its memory with a small museum and gold-lined tea room.

Nishijin Textile Center

西陣織会館 Nishijin-ori Kaikan

While visitors may just go to the museum to see the history of Nishijin Textiles, you may also want to try dressing up as a geisha or trying your hand at weaving. You need reservations for each activity, and separate fees are charged for each activity. As of Aug 2023, kimono shows are suspended.

Weaving costs ¥1,800 adult (¥1,500 for students) and dressing up as a geisha costs ¥10,000

Sumiya

角屋

A conserved historic former teahouse in what was once the red-light district of Kyoto, it is today a museum. Only open to the public seasonally.

¥1,000

Kyoto Museum for World Peace

The Kyoto Museum for World Peace is part of Ritsumeikan University in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The Museum is accessible to the public for a 200–400 Yen fee. The displays and materials are mostly in Japanese but there is a 25-page English booklet describing the exhibits.

大谷大学博物館

Ōtani University Museum (大谷大学博物館, Ōtani daigaku hakubutsukan) opened in Kyoto, Japan, in 2003. The Ōtani University collection, which relates in particular to Shin Buddhist culture, includes ten Important Cultural Properties. Among these are the February 1041 (Chōkyū 2) portion of Shunki (春記), the diary of Fujiwara no Sukefusa (藤原資房); the oldest surviving edition of Kukai's Kōya zappitsu-shū; and Jichin Kashō-den, a biography of Jien.

Neon Art Museum

33-1 Nakasujiura, Keihokutocho, Ukyo-ku

open by appointment · ¥2000

北村美術館

Kitamura Museum (北村美術館, Kitamura Bijutsukan) opened near the confluence of the Kamo and Takano Rivers in Kyoto, Japan, in 1977. The collection, based on that built up by businessman Kitamura Kinjirō (北村謹次郎), comprises some 1,000 works including thirty-three Important Cultural Properties and nine Important Art Objects, with a particular focus on tea utensils. There is also a tea garden, Shikunshien (四君子苑), a Registered Cultural Property.

Nomura Art Museum

Nomura Art Museum (野村美術館, Nomura Bijutsukan) opened near Nanzen-ji in Kyoto, Japan, in 1984. The sukiya-style building has two rooms for displaying exhibits and there is also a chashitsu. The collection, based on that built up by financier Tokushichi Nomura II, comprises some 1,700 works, including seven Important Cultural Properties and nine Important Art Objects.

Kyoto art center

The Kyoto Art Center (京都芸術センター, Kyōto Geijutsu Sentā) is a venue for promoting the arts which is located in the heart of Kyoto, Japan. The center, a three-story reinforced-concrete building, occupies the site of the former Meirin Elementary School (founded by the people of Kyoto during the Meiji era). It has a studio, gallery, auditorium, Japanese-style hall, free space, library, an information corner, Japanese-style tea room, the Maeda Coffee Meirin coffee shop, a common room and shops.

Tu-Sa 10:00-18:00 · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

京都市歴史資料館

Kyoto City Library of Historical Documents (京都市歴史資料館, Kyōto-shi rekishi shiryōkan) opened in Kyoto, Japan, in 1982. The museum's collection of over ninety thousand items relevant to the history of Kyoto includes materials relating to the Yase Dōji that have been designated an Important Cultural Property.

京都市考古資料館

The Kyoto City Archaeological Museum (京都市考古資料館) is located in Kyoto and showcases the city's archaeological findings. The building was constructed in 1914. A part of its exhibit are replicas of the golden tea utensils of the 16th century Golden Tea Room.

泉屋博古館

The Sen-Oku Hakukokan Museum (泉屋博古館) is located in Kyoto, Japan and houses a large collection of Chinese bronze vessels, Chinese and Japanese mirrors, and a few Chinese bronze Buddhist figures.

Ryukoku Museum

The Ryūkoku Museum (龍谷ミュージアム) is a museum of Buddhist art and history in Kyōto, Japan. Conceived as part of the 370th anniversary celebrations of the foundation of what is now Ryūkoku University, it opened facing Nishi Hongan-ji in 2011. The museum displays works from its "vast" collection and there is also a digital recreation of the corridor of Cave 15 at Bezeklik.

Villa Kujoyama

Villa Kujoyama is a multidisciplinary research and creative residency located on Mount Higashi in Kyoto. Built in 1992 by architect Katō Kunio (加藤 邦男), and initiated by the Société de rapprochement intellectuel franco-japonais, Villa Kujoyama is today one of the oldest and most prestigious French residency programs in Asia. In 2022, Villa Kujoyama celebrated its 30th anniversary.