The Best Guide of Kyoto International Manga Museum
S-fleage
S-fleage is a Kyoto-based company. We are proud to introduce the charms of Kyoto to the world. We hope this article will help you to experience Kyoto.
Latest posts by S-fleage (see all)
Manga has been, for a long time, very popular in Japan and throughout the rest of the world – as an example, The British Museum in London is holding a “Manga” exhibition from May to August in 2019 also London Comic Con event which is the biggest events of manga and characters expects more than 50,000 visitors in one day!
You can gain quite a unique cultural experience in Kyoto, and the Kyoto International Manga Museum is one of the best places to get such an experience.
The museum offers a variety of different events, not only looking at manga displays but also activities where you can read manga whilst relaxing outside on the grass. So why don’t you pop into the museum, one place everyone can enjoy whilst you’re in Kyoto?
Contents
The reason why Kyoto International Manga Museum is so popular
‘ONE PIECE’, ‘Slam Dunk’, ‘DRAGON BALL’, ‘I am a Hero’, ‘NARUTO’, ‘Eyeshield 21’ and many more titles – do you have a favorite manga?
There are a huge number of fans of Japanese manga around the world, and nowadays you can read many of the comics in English too.
It’s a great opportunity when you go to Kyoto to visit the Kyoto International Manga Museum, as many people can only dream of visiting the original country and home of manga.
The museum attracts thousands of people because of its large collection of manga and the relaxing atmosphere that the museum has created.
Let’s find out the four reasons why Kyoto International Manga Museum attracts so many people!
Summary of Kyoto International Manga Museum
Kyoto International Manga Museum was founded as a joint project between Kyoto City and Kyoto Seika University in order to collect, preserve and exhibit manga materials and also to conduct research into manga culture. Something that attracts a lot of attention from around the world. Three million people were recorded visiting in 2017, and 20% of those were from abroad.
A primary school building was reformed into the museum in 2006, resulting in a functional and enjoyable space with a modern and retro atmosphere with over 50,000 manga books, spanning some 200 meters throughout the building and called the “Wall of Manga”. You can also use touch screen panels to find your favorite manga comic very easily.
The museum performs a library function and a museum function, and there are many exhibitions and events allowing people to enjoy manga throughout the year so that you can go at any time in the year.
1. Sitting, relaxing and reading Manga
It’s always great to be able to sit or lie down outside on the grass and relax, weather permitted. Well, you can do this at the Kyoto International Manga Museum along with your favorite manga comic which you can choose, ranging from 1970 to 2005. You might want to keep concentrating on your reading too, as you can have as many books you want, what an opportunity!
2. Experience drawing and making your own manga
You get such a great individual experience at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, where you can attend workshops, use professional manga art supplies and create your own original manga characters.
There are three different types of activity category, one of them is that you can be a manga artist’s assistant!
Manga artists usually have assistants to help them work within the manga schedule and hit the deadlines. So, you become the assistant by learning manga techniques – such as drawing the highlights on a character’s hair or drawing emphasis lines.
It’s quite a challenge, but you’ll get help from the staff who assist you at each step, so don’t worry, but it’s quite a rare experience and insight into the world of manga!
-Be a Manga artist’s assistant:
Cost – A group more than 5 people 1,500 yen/person
Duration – 1 hour
3. You will be a manga character
This is called “Portrait Corner”, and it is where you can have your portrait made. The museum artists draw you, and you choose one of the styles – “original touch” or “anime style”. It might be quite a special souvenir for taking back home.
Cost – 1 person 1,500 yen, 2 people 2,500 yen, 3 people 3,500 yen
Date – Every Saturday, Sunday and holidays (11:00-17:30)
Have you found lots going on at the Kyoto International Manga Museum?
Now let’s introduce some general information about the museum!
General information of the museum
Here’s some more general information about the museum ready for your visit.
-Admission fee
Adult 800 yen
High school and Junior high school student 300 yen
Primary student 100 yen
・You get some discount if you hold one of these – Kyoto city subway, Keihan pass, Kyoto Free pass, Kyoto kimono passport and Club France.
Adult 640 yen
High school and Junior high school student 240 yen
Primary student 80 yen
-Opening time and date
10:00 – 18:00 (entry by 17:30)
Every Wednesday is closed
If Wednesday is a national holiday it is open, but following Thursday is closed.
There may be changes so please check their website.
-Guidelines for visitors
– Non-smoking in all of the museum facilities
– Taking photographs and videos of the exhibition items and books is prohibited due to copyright, also general photography for commercial use is prohibited.
– No food and drink in the museum apart from the museum cafe and the area of grass outside.
-Access to the museum
by Train:
It takes for 5 mins to Karasuma Oike station on Kyoto city subway, Karasuma line or Tozai line from Kyoto station, then 2 mins walk.
by Bus:
Kyoto city bus No. 15, 51 or 65 to Karasuma Oike bus stop.
-Address:
452 Kinbuki-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0846
-Official Website: https://www.kyotomm.jp/en/
We would like to suggest three more museums in Kyoto for anyone who love museums!
If you would like to know the detailed atmosphere, please check this movie in the below.
Three Other great museums in Kyoto
Painting, Calligraphy, Ceramics, what kind of art do you like?
Kyoto has some great museums to see, and we especially recommend three museums.
Let us explain!
1.Kyoto National Museum
Kyoto National Museum is one of the best and the oldest museums in Japan, and it’s located in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto with a history that dates back to 1897 – when it was the Imperial Museum of Kyoto.
The collections at the museum are mainly pre-modern Japanese works, like the huge collection of Heian periods (794-1185) artifacts set in beautiful architecture. So, if you want to take your time, the museum is big enough to be able to see everything at a slower pace.
You can look at lots of collections like paintings, calligraphy, sculptures, fabrics, lacquer wares, metal works, and potteries.
-Admission fee:
for Permanent exhibition
Adult 500 yen, Student 250 yen
for Special exhibitions
Adult 1,500 yen, University student 1,200 yen, High school student 900 yen
-Opening time: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 9:30-18:00 (entry by 17:30), Friday and Saturday 9:30-20:00 (entry by 19:30), Monday is closed (the next day Tuesday closed when Monday is open as national holidays)
-Address: 527 Chaya-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0931
-Access: City bus No206 or 208 from Kyoto station to get off Hakubutsukan Sanjusangendo-mae bus stop.
7 mins walk from Shichijo station on Keihan line
2.Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art opened in 1933 as the Kyoto Enthronement Memorial Museum of Art in the Okazaki district of Kyoto but was later renamed the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art following WWⅡ.
As Japan’s oldest public art museum, its original architecture still remains, so you can imagine how many of Kyoto citizens, wearing kimono would have visited the museum in order to spend time wandering the galleries and just enjoying art.
The collections at the museum are of Japanese-style paintings, Western-style paintings, sculpture, crafts, calligraphy and prints of which there are more than 3,400 pieces.
Please be aware that the museum will reopen on the 21st March 2020, until then, only the annex is open.
The address of the annex is: 13 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8342
-Admission fee: Free
-Opening time: 10:00-17:00, closed Saturday, Sunday and national holidays
-Address: 124 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8344
-Access: Kyoto city bus No.5 or 100 from JR/Kintetsu Kyoto station and get off at Okazaki Koen/Bijutsukan, Heian Jingu-mae bus stop.
3.The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (MoMAK) has Japanese-style paintings, Western-style paintings, sculpture, crafts (ceramics, textiles, metal, wood and bamboo works, lacquers and jewelry) and photography.
The museum opened in 1963 as a local annex of Tokyo’s Museum of Modern Art.
Occasionally, the museum admission is free, but it is better to check the website before going.
It is not a big museum, so a few hours are enough to see most of the artworks.
-Admission fee:
Individuals:
Adult 1,300 yen, University student 900 yen, High school student 500 yen
Group (20 people or more):
Adult 1,100 yen, University student 700 yen, High school student 300 yen
-Opening time:
9:30-17:00 (last entry 16:30), Friday and Saturday
9:30-20:00 (last entry 19:30)
Monday is closed (if Monday is a national holiday the following Tuesday)
-Address: 26-1 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8344
-Access: Kyoto city bus No.5 or 100 from JR/Kintetsu Kyoto station and get off at Okazaki Koen/Bijutsukan, Heian Jingu-mae bus stop.
If you get interested in museums in Kyoto, please check it out.
The best 11 Kyoto Art Museums and Gallery
Now you have three good spots near Kyoto International Manga Museum for your day around the area.
Three great spots near Kyoto International Manga Museum
After you find more about manga at Kyoto International Manga Museum, there are three spots we strongly recommend visiting.
1.Nijo-jo castle
There are some castles in Kyoto, and Nijo-jo castle is the most recommended one to visit. It is a beautiful example of Japanese flatland castles with quite a history – as it was built over 400 years ago in 1603. Nijo-jo castle was the Kyoto residence of Ieyasu Tokugawa from when he was appointed Shogun by the Emperor.
The castle’s history starts from the opening to the closing of the last period of feudal rule, as well as being the starting point of the creation of a modern Japanese state. It demonstrates early Edo period Japanese architecture and design, exceptional interiors and also beautiful Japanese gardens and more – in total, it covers an area of 275,000 square meters.
You really should not miss Nijo-jo castle if you’re in Kyoto.
-Admission fee:
It includes Nijo-jo castle and Ninomaru-goten Palace
Adult 1,000 yen (800 yen for a group 30 people or more), High and Junior school students 350 yen, Primary school students 200 yen
※Please be aware that the fee will go up from 1st October 2019.
-Opening time:
8:45-16:00 (closing at 17:00)
Closing December 26th to January 4th, Tuesdays in July, August, December and January, if Tuesday is a national holiday the following day is closed.
-Address:
541 Nijōjōchō, Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto, 604-8301
-Access:
– Kyoto city bus No.9, 50, 101 and 111 from Kyoto station to get off Nijojo-mae bus stop then short walk.
– Tozai subway line from Sanjo Keihan station to Nijojo-mae station then short walk.
2.Kyoto Imperial Palace
Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan and was the residence of the Emperor from 794 to 1868 – a rich period of history known as Heian-kyo. The current Palace was rebuilt in 1855 and comprises of several structures, including the Shisinden, the Seiryoden, the Kogosho, the Ogakumonjyo, and the Otstnegoten – all reflect the architectural styles of the various periods that you can see when you visit the Palace.
The Palace is set in the huge Kyoto Imperial Park – about 1.3 km north to south, and half that east to west. The grounds have hundreds of trees including cherry trees (famous for Hanami, cherry viewing) and popular for its Autumn colors, something that the Emperor would have enjoyed.
Kyoto Imperial Palace is an important place in Japan, not only for its buildings but also for the garden which is exceptional – access to the garden is free of charge.
Such a stunning location with a contemplative and calm atmosphere that transports you back to ancient history and is totally different from temples and shrines that Kyoto is famous for.
-Admission fee: Free
-Opening time: 9:00-16:30 September to March (last entry 15:50), 9:00-16:00 October to February (last entry 15:20), 9:00-17:00 April to August (last entry 16:20)
Monday is closed (if Monday is a national holiday the following day), December 28th to January 4th
-Address: 3 Kyotogyoen, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0881
-Access: 5 mins walk from Imadegawa station on subway or 5 mins walk from Karasuma-Imadegawa bus stop.
-URL: https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/guide/kyoto.html
3.Nishiki Market
You can get pretty much anything you want from the Nishiki market in Kyoto. It is referred to as “the Kitchen of Kyoto”, boasting 126 shops and restaurants on both sides of the 390-meter long walk-through – it also has 400 years of history.
It’s for both local people and tourists who are buying various items such as Kyoto vegetables, pickles, tofu, fish, Japanese sweets, green tea and much more. Many people take away sushi and other Japanese foods from the market. You can fully explore the market, have lunch, coffee and discover local and Japanese foods in a very lively atmosphere. Please be aware that there is no eating while you are walking around the market.
-Opening time: 9:30-18:00
-Address:〒604-8054 Kyoto, Nakagyō-ku, Higashiuoyachō, Tomikoji-dori, Shijo-noboru, Nishidaimonnji-machi, 609
-Access:
– Kyoto city bus No. 5, get off Shijo takakura bus stop then 2 mins walk
– 3 mins walk from Shijo station on subway Karasuma line
– 10 mins walk from Kyoto shiyakusyo-mae station on subway Tozai line
– 10 mins walk from Shijo station on Keihan line
If you are interested in Nishiki market, please check here:
Top 7 foods that you should eat at Nishiki market
At the Kyoto International Manga Museum, visitors dive into the vibrant world of manga, with opportunities to read, draw, and even become a manga character. Alongside this cultural journey, the “Hochoshiki Knife ceremony” offers a unique insight into Kyoto’s esteemed craft traditions, showcasing the meticulous art of Japanese knife-making. This ceremony enriches the cultural tapestry of Kyoto, presenting a fascinating blend of modern and traditional arts.
https://www.hochoshiki-knifeceremony.com/
A sacred place for Japanese food, a treasure house of ingredients, Minami-Boso Takaya Shrine Kitchen knife ceremony "Ryumon-no-Koi" long story: edited by Minamiboso City Tourism Association Channel
That’s it! Thank you for reading!
Kyoto international manga museum is an enjoyable destination for tourists.
Please visit there with your family and partner.
I hope your trip to Japan would be a great experience!
