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Kyoto Museum Tours

Kyoto Tours 614
Kyoto Museum Tours

Looking for a museum tour in Kyoto? Kyoto is a city with ancient charm, and when it comes to the capital of Kyoto the city itself is a museum. In addition to the shrines and temples, there are many art galleries and museums in Kyoto that are worth seeing. If you want to experience the Kyoto culture up close, you must visit Kyoto's museums. The vastness and depth of Kyoto and the beautiful time of Kyoto are treasured there. Walking through the museums, the precipitated history, the treasures, have stood the test of time and are still beautiful pieces. During different seasons, limited scenery and alternate exhibitions are waiting for you. Even if you repeatedly check-in, you can find a different sense of freshness. When you visit Kyoto with your family, don't miss out on the museums in Kyoto. Here is some information about the unique museums in Kyoto we have collected. I hope that the information about these museums will be helpful for your visit to Kyoto.



1) Comprehensive Museum in Kyoto
Kyoto National Museum
The Kyoto National Museum is located in the Dongshan District and was officially completed in October 1895. It is known for its beautiful western-style architectural appearance. Its designer is Mr. Kuma Koto from Nara National Museum the Tokyo National Museum. The museum's original plan was to build three floors, but it was changed to a single floor due to the 1891 earthquake. In addition to the magnificent buildings to admire, the museum also houses more than 5,000 antiques and paintings.
Address: 527 Chayacho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0931 Japan

2) Kyoto Museum of Fine Arts
Kyoto International Manga Museum
The museum is located in Karasume Oike and is an international manga drawing museum co-organized by the Kyoto Seika University and the Kyoto Municipal Government. The museum houses a total of 300,000 manga works in Japan, abroad, and relevant historical manga materials from the Meiji era. At the same time, there are nearly 50,000 manga single books for readers to read. The museum also regularly organizes comic-related workshops and comic-related activities.
Address: Karasuma-Oike, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0846 Japan




Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
The Kyoto Museum of Art opened in 1933 and is the second public museum in Japan after the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum's collection mainly includes modern Japanese paintings, Western paintings, carvings, crafts, books, and prints from Kyoto since the Meiji era ranging at about 2,300. In addition to displaying these works with various themes, they often co-organized exhibitions of overseas works with other organizations.
Address: 124 Ensoji-cho, Okazaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8344 13

The National Museum of Modern Art
The museum is located in Okazaki Park, Kyoto and is designed by the Pritzker Architecture Prize Winner, Fumihiko. It was officially opened as a branch of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern art in 1963, and later became an independent art museum in 1967. The collections are centered on the fine arts of the Kansai region in Japan with particular emphasis on the collection and display of works in the Kyoto art world. The total floor area is nearly 10,000 square meters and the number of collections is about 12,000. From paintings, prints, ceramics, sculptures, textiles, woodworking, metal products, lacquerwares, photographs, etc, the collection contains a wide variety.
Address: 26-1 Okazaki Enshojicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8344, Japan



3) Kyoto Cultural Museum
Kyoto Cultural Foundation
The Cultural Museum is located in the Kyoto Prefecture and is divided into the main building and an annex. The annex was inaugurated in 1906 as the Kyoto branch of the Bank of Japan. The designer is Tatsuno Kingo who designed Tokyo Station. He was a master of architecture in the Meiji period. The museum was rated an important cultural property in 1969. It was donated to the Kyoto Prefecture in 1986, and it was opened as a separate museum for free after renovation in 1988.
Address: Sanjo-Takakura, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8183

Costume Museum
The Kyoto Costumes Museum opened in 1973 and is a museum that allows the public to understand the Japanese traditions and history through the evolution of clothing history. After 1988, a model of one-fourth of the museum's area was launched, recreated the noble residences such as the Roji-inn, which was created by the light source family in the Tale of Genji. Among them, the pavilion courtyard, flowers and plants, insects, landscapes, characters, beautiful protagonists, and daily necessities are also placed.
Address: 600-8468 Horikawa-Dori, Shinhanayacho Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto

Kanji Museum
The Kanji Museum was established near Gion Yasaka Shrine in June 2016 and is the first Kanji Museum in Japan. Museums may always give people the feeling of displaying a lot of objects and putting a lot of written materials, but at the Chinese Character Museum, you can learn Chinese characters by watching and touching, which is different from other museums. In addition, there are libraries where you can learn Chinese characters, software for Chinese character verification can be downloaded, and parent-child games can be played during your vacation visit. Such software is not very popular and adults and children can learn Chinese characters while spending time together. It is really a charming Chinese character museum.
Address: 551 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan



Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts
The Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts is a museum that showcases the culture and traditional techniques of the people and creating a meeting place for Kyoto beauty to connect with the world. In permanent exhibitions, different techniques and skills are explained and introduced through displays, illustrations, and artifacts. In the corner of experience, you can personally try the working process using Surigata Yuzen's printing and dyeing technology. The range of goods manufactured by traditional craft technology is sold in the museum shops. These are great memories and souvenirs to keep during your visit to Kyoto.
Address: 606-8343 Kyoto, Sakyo Ward, Okazaki Seishojicho, 9 Chome 1 みやこめっせ B1F, Japan

Samurai Museum
The museum occupies a small area, but the exhibits are still relatively abundant. The world museum mainly introduces Japanese samurai to the world and is one of the must-see attractions for European and American tourists. The samurai armor try-on project in the museum is very interesting. The armor inside is full of antiques. The service at the Samurai Museum is very good and there is special staff to accompany the entire English explanation.
Address: Japan, 160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho, 2 Chome-25-6 1F, 2F Yonghe Temple 6



4) Kyoto's Famous Theme Museum
Kyoto Railway Museum
Formerly known as the Umekoji Steam Train Museum, the museum was reopened in 2016 and is named the Kyoto Railway Museum, so that you can experience the modernization of Japan by understanding the history of the railway. A total of 53 trains from the steam train to the Shinkansen were displayed in the museum. Once opened, it became the new name of Kyoto. Every day, there are tourists who check in from various places.
Address: Kankijicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8835

Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
The spring water in the Fushimi area is sweet and is a famous Japanese wine-producing area. when you come to the coast of the Takigawa in Fushimi, you can see the representative landscape of wine cellars. It is where the Gekkeikan Okura museum is located. It is also a long-established Japanese sake brewery founded in 1637 and a museum dedicated to commemorating the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the museum. It displays various valuable brewing tools and uses models or videos, and other materials for visitors to detail the history of the wine industry and Japanese wine.
Address: 247 Minamihama-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City 612-8660



5) Other Museums in Kyoto
Kyoto City Archaeological Museum
The Kyoto Archaeological Museum is located in the Nishijin area, formerly known as the former Nishijin Fabric Museum. The archaeological museum has been opened since November 1979 and has been excavated in Kyoto to display archaeological data. The age ranges from the Paleolithic to the Edo period, with over 1,000 items produced. The exhibition space in the museum consists of two floors, where the first floor is a special exhibition and the second floor is a permanent exhibition of changes in the earth and the exhibition of the time-specific displays. The museum is accompanied by a brief introduction in the four languages, Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean. So even if you don't know Japanese, you do not have to worry.

Kawai Kanjiro's House
Kawai Kanjiro (1890 to 1966) was a Japanese potter, proficient in carving, calligraphy, and poetry. He can be described as versatile. The memorial is a house designed and lived in by Kawajiro Kawai himself in 1937; it is also a workshop. In this wooden house, you can feel the world of Kanjiro at all times and continue to be affected by his charm.
Address: 605-0875 Kyoto, Higashiyama-ku, Gojazaka-Kanpocho 569
 

Kyoto Museum Tours

As a reliable Kyoto tour operator, we provide Kyoto museum tour packages for travelers from overseas. Whether you are looking for a short Museum tour or a art gallery in Kyoto, you can easily find the most suitable one at an affordable price. Contact our representatives to book our Kyoto tours and Kyoto Private Chauffeurs.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the most popular art museums in Kyoto?
    Kyoto International Manga Museum, Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, The National Museum of Modern Art, are all popular museums located in Kyoto.
  • What museums can you visit and learn about the customs and culture of Kyoto?
    Kyoto Cultural Foundation, Costume Museum, Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts are all suitable for people interested in the customs, culture, and crafts of Kyoto.
  • Does Kyoto's museum have a place to store luggage?
    Most museums have luggage storage areas, usually at the entrance and the first floor. Most of them are coin-operated self-service and a few are manual services. Charges vary according to the luggage size.
  • How can I get to Kiyomizu Temple from the Kyoto International Manga Museum?
    After walking out of the Manga Museum, you can get on at the Karasuma Oike Subway Station and get off at the Higashiyama (Kyoto) Station. Then transfer by the Kyoto Municipal Bus No. 206 at Higashiyama Sanjo Station and get off at Shimizu Road, then you will walk to the Kiyomizu Temple. If necessary, we can provide you with a car rental service to be picked up and dropped off at your preferred location.
  • When is the Kyoto National Museum closed?
    Every Monday and the beginning of the year for the holidays, but opens on Mondays for public holidays and closes the following Tuesday. For details, please refer to the official website of the Kyoto National Museum.
  • How long does a visit to the Kyoto National Museum usually take?
    The Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art can usually be finished in around 2 hours. There are two exhibitions, a permanent exhibition, and a special exhibition; if you are visiting, it is best to reserve 3 hours of your time to explore the museum.
  • What are the opening hours of the Kyoto Museum of Culture?
    The Kyoto Museum of Culture is opened from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm. There are no entrances 30 minutes before the closing time. Please refer to the official website of the Kyoto Museum of Culture for more information.
  • Is there a museum that is suitable for children in Kyoto?
    Most museums are suitable for children to visit, although comic museums and folk museums are more interesting to children.
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