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Kyoto International Manga Museum

Kyoto Tours 328
Kyoto International Manga Museum

There is a comprehensive manga-themed museum in Kyoto, the International Manga Museum. This expansive space that combines the functions of a museum and a library is both a research base and an entertainment venue, full of infinite charm. The Kyoto International Manga Museum houses a large number of well-known works of animation at home and abroad, from the Japanese Meiji period magazines to rented books and other valuable materials after World War II, with 300,000 historical materials related to manga. From the history of manga, the practice of manga culture is presented, reflecting the appearance of different times in Japan. Although most of them are in Japanese, there are also many translated books in the museum for foreign visitors to read.



The museum consists of a daily open gallery area, research area, data collection area, and regional convenience facilities. There are also permanent exhibitions, planned exhibitions, museum shops, cafes, etc. The museum also regularly organizes activities related to manga experience and painting, and Kyoto's Anime Festival is also held here. The museum has four floors, three above ground and one underground, covering an area of about 5,010 square feet. The museum is reconstructed based on the original school building of the Longchi Primary School and retains a lot of historical traces of the former site of the former Longchi Primary School. The museum also preserves the graduation works of former elementary school students.



Entering the museum lobby from the first floor, the first thing you can see is an 11-meter long, half a tone of huge hanging wooden carvings. The image comes from Tezuka Osamu's work, "Firebird", which commemorates Tezuka Osamu's great contribution to the development of Japanese manga. The sculpture, completed in 2009, comes from a project to protect traditional techniques in Kyoto. It is carved in the traditional way of sculpting wooden Buddha statues, which is very suitable to reflect the fate of this Tezuka god. On the other side below the Firebird, the beginning of Japanese manga is displayed, and comic words around the time of World War II. On the first floor is an international comics corner, which houses comic publications from various countries. You can find translation comics in different languages on the first floor. There is also a souvenir shop located on the first floor.



On the second floor of the museum, the first thing you see is not comics, but the history exhibition hall of the Lonchi Elementary School, and the restored room of the elementary school classroom from more than 100 years ago. In the middle of the second floor is a comic book area, chronologically organized by different eras. Readers can browse comic works from different time periods, and there is also a comic wall on the second floor. There are four sections in the comic wall, the Comic Hall of Fame, Comic Expo, special function corner, and the Children's Library. There is a special exhibition hall on the second floor, which displays the plaster hand molds of cartoonists, where most of them are well-known cartoon masters.



Compared with other museums, another feature of the Kyoto International Manga Museum is that there are many chairs. Most rooms and walkways will have a place where you can sit. The opposite side of the chair is often a wall of the manga. Wherever you go, you can sit down and read the comics you like and are interested in. There is also a comic demo area. In the Manga Workshop Studio, you can enjoy how professional cartoonists complete their comic works. In addition, there is also a comic studio editing department, where you can consult the professional for drawing techniques. At the exit, you can also pay staff to help draw a cartoon version of yourself.

The Kyoto Manga Museum is simply a heaven for manga fans. Manga lovers can spend a whole day here, and here they are able to appreciate the phrase "the world's comic lovers are one".


Most Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the opening hours of the Kyoto International Manga Museum?
    They are opened from 10:00 to 18:00, but the last entrance is at 17:30. They are closed on Wednesday, and if Wednesday is followed up with a holiday, it will be closed until Thursday. It is recommended to consult the museum in advance before you go, as closing times are occasionally adjusted temporarily.
  • Is the Kyoto International Manga Museum suitable for visitors?
    The Kyoto International Manga Museum is suitable for everyone, not only for the Japanese. In addition to Japanese anime works, the museum has many well-known foreign works. In addition to the Japanese version of the books, there are also translated versions of books for visitors to read.
  • How long is a visit to the Kyoto International Manga Museum?
    It depends on how much you love comics and plan to stay there. Many comic enthusiasts can spend a whole day here, but if the interest in comics is not as strong, one hour may be enough.
  • Can I enter and exit multiple times on the same day with my ticket?
    Yes, you can enter the museum by showing the museum ticket at the entrance when you enter again.
  • What can I do at the Kyoto International Manga Museum?
    In the museum, there are about 50,000 comic books on the wall of comics, archive materials stored in the basement, and multilingual comic books translated, located on the first floor in the Comic Expo Corner. In addition, you can visit the long-term exhibitions and temporary exhibitions in the museum.
  • Is there a luggage storage service at the Kyoto International Manga Museum?
    There are coin-operator lockers at the entrance of the museum. 100 yen is required and will be refunded after use. Please note, however, that there are restrictions on the amount of space and items that can be stored in the locker.
  • Can I take pictures inside the Kyoto International Manga Museum?
    To protect the copyright of creators, books, and exhibitions, the material cannot be photographed. There are some places where you can take pictures, such as in front of the firebird statues. Please ask the staff for more details.
  • Can I eat in the museum?
    No, food is not allowed in the museum hall. You can eat out on the lawn, but remember to dispose of your garbage yourself. There is also a cafe in the museum where you can sit and eat.
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