Famous Museums in Kyoto

Let's explore the finest collection of museums in Kyoto:

1. Byodoin Temple

   4.4 (2948 Votes)
   

   Religious Site, Temple, Museum, Historical Site

   The Byodoin temple is one of 17 World Cultural Heritage sites in Kyoto. Having beautiful and intricate architecture, it is a classic example of Japanese Buddhist Pure Land (Jodo) architecture. In accordance to this type of architecture, the temple complex consists of the Amida-do (Ho'o-do) hall and a pond. The Amida-do houses a figure of Amida-Nyorai (Amitabha Tathagata) and 51 smaller Buddhist...Read more

2. Kyoto International Manga Museum

   4.1 (1931 Votes)
   

   Museum, Exhibition , Specialty Museum

   A must visit if you are in Kyoto with children, The Kyoto International Manga Museum was opened in November of 2006. Spread across three floors and a basement, most of its walls are lined with shelves of manga. For the lesser aware, manga is the Japanese word for Comics, or Print Art. A small section of the books is dedicated to foreign and translated manga. Most of them are in Japane...Read more

3. Kyoto National Museum

   4.2 (284 Votes)
   

   Museum, Heritage Building

   One of Japan’s oldest museums, the Kyoto National Museum is spread across several buildings, the most famous being the Main Hall which is a beautiful example of Meiji architecture. Opened in the year 1897 as the Imperial Museum of Kyoto, this museum is one of the top four museums in the country and for good reason. On display are objects and artefacts such as paintings, sculptures, archae...Read more

4. Kyoto Railway Museum

   4.5 (1292 Votes)
   

   Museum, Exhibition , Specialty Museum

   Started on the 100th anniversary of the start of railway operation in Japan, the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum was opened in the year 1972. The museum was opened with the intention to preserve the history of the steam locomotive. The exhibitions at the museum portray the railway history and railway culture of Japan. The museum houses an impressive array of steam locomotives, a turntable used ...Read more

5. Kyoto Municipal Museum Of Art

   4 (35 Votes)
   

   Art And Culture, Art Museum

   One of the oldest art museums in Japan, the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art was opened in the year 1928 and has been displaying fantastic art by celebrated and upcoming Japanese artists since then. If you are in town in the months of May or June, you should visit this museum as it hosts the Kyo-ten exhibit then. This special exhibit features some of the best artwork of artists from Kyoto.

6. The Museum Of Kyoto

   

   Art And Culture, Art Museum, Art Gallery, Arts And Crafts

   If you want to know and understand the history and culture of Kyoto, the Museum of Kyoto is the place to be. Divided into sections such as the History of Kyoto, the Movie Hall, the Movie Gallery and the Fine Arts and Crafts Gallery, the museum has interesting and captivating artefacts and information on display. The museum’s red brick building itself is an Important Cultural Property; it ...Read more

7. Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum

   4.1 (83 Votes)
   

   Museum, Outdoors, Brewery, Adults

   If you want to taste authentic sake and want to see the sake making process, head over to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum. Run by the Gekkeikan Sake Company Limited, the museum was opened in the year 1982 and is housed within an old sake brewery. On display are over 400 items used in sake production along with a few object depicting the history of the Gekkeikan Sake Company. This one is an offb...Read more

8. Kyoto Museum Of Traditional Crafts Fureaikan

   4 (45 Votes)
   

   Art Museum, Arts And Crafts, Workshop

   A unique and offbeat attraction to visit in Kyoto, the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts Fureaikan is a must for people who love and appreciate arts and crafts. Kyoto is known for its rich cultural heritage and age old traditions. This museum showcases almost all the arts and crafts associated with Kyoto, with a detailed explanation on each of the craft. So, be it pottery or kimono making or l...Read more

9. National Museum Of Modern Art

   4 (769 Votes)
   

   Art Museum, Museum, Arts And Crafts

   Established in 1963, the National Museum of Modern Art, aka MOMAK, exhibits selected works of nihonga (Japanese-style painting), yoga (Western-style painting), prints, sculpture, crafts (ceramics, textiles, metalworks, wood and bamboo works, lacquers and jewelry) and photographs. Like the beautiful exhibits, the museum building is also a work of art. Its premises were designed by Prit...Read more

10. Lake Biwa Canal Museum Of Kyot

    3 (8 Votes)
    

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    If you want to visit a unique and historically inclined place in Kyoto, do pay the Lake Biwa Canal Museum a visit. When it was decided to shift the capital from Kyoto to Tokyo, the ancient capital of Kyoto fell into a decline and its livelihood was affected. In the effort to revive it, a large scale drainage project was undertaken of Lake Biwa. One needs to understand that this project was unde...Read more

11. Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum

    

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    Kawai Kanjiro (1890 to 1966) was a famed Japanese potter and was known for his contributions towards Japanese mingei (folk art) and studio pottery. The Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum is located within the home of this celebrated potter and on display at the museum are his unique and quirky works of art. A master of glazes, his work needs to be seen to be believed. An off the beaten pat...Read more

12. Kaleidoscope Museum Of Kyoto

    4.1 (30 Votes)
    

    Museum

    Done exploring all the popular and crowded tourist attractions in Kyoto? Are you now in search of an off the beaten track place? Then the Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto is the place for you- step into a world of vibrant colours. Although small, the museum has on display over 250 intriguing kaleidoscopes out of which 50 can be picked up and seen through by visitors. Moreover, every hour, the vivid...Read more

13. Ryozen Museum Of History

    4.1 (146 Votes)
    

    History Museum

    You will get to know a lot about Meiji restoration and Bakumatsu period from various collections of artefacts and other documents at Ryozen Museum Of History. You need to hire an English speaking guide if you don’t understand Japanese as the entire demonstration is in Japanese. You will be delighted to watch the collection of swords used in the assassination of Ryoma. There are some speci...Read more

14. Toei Kyoto Studio Park

    3.9 (527 Votes)
    10 Uzumasa Higashihachiokachō, Ukyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 616-8161, Japan
    Museum, Amusement Park

15. Costume Museum

    3.5 (2 Votes)
    Japan, 〒600-8468 Kyoto, Shimogyō-ku, Sumiyoshichō, 堀川通新花屋町下る井筒左女牛ビル5階
    Museum