KYOTO MUSEUMS & ART GALLERIES

Kyoto International Manga Museum which holds a collection of 200,000 items including rare Meiji Period magazines and postwar Manga rental books. Kyoto International Manga Museum is located in the former Tatsuike Elementary School building in the Nakagyo in central Kyoto.

Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art is an art museum located in Kyoto which opened in 1933. The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art was established to commermorate the Showa emperor's coronation. The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art includes collections by Takeuchi Seiho.

Kyoto National Museum displays around 6,000 items from collections on loan from temples, shrines and the Imperial Household including 230 which are designated National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. The Kyoto National Museum is divided into three sections: Fine Arts with sculptures, paintings and calligraphy. Handicrafts with pottery, fabrics and metalworks. Archaeology with items of a historical or archeological nature. The Kyoto National Museum is located in the Higashiyama Ward of Kyoto. The Kyoto National Museum is currently closed for renovations until 2013.

Miyako Messe, also known as the Kyoto International Exhibition Hall, is a modern exhibition hall which has special exhibition, but also has permanent exhibitions of dyed fabrics (like kimonos), Kyo dolls, Kyo laquerware, Kyo ware, Nishinjin textiles and Kyo Buddist Altar (Butsugu).

National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto, also known as MoMAK, is an art gallery dedicated to works from the 20th century and particularly from artists in the Kansai region. The National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto building was designed by Fumihiko Maki and opened in October 1986 with 2,600sqm of exhibition space. National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto is located next to the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art in Kyoto.

Sumiya Pleasure House was a restaurant and entertainment venue for wealthy. The Sumiya Pleasure House is a designated Important Cultural Property as it is the only Ageya style architecture building remaining in excellent condition in Japan. The Sumiya Pleasure House was built in 1641 and then expanded to its current design in 1787. For the whole of the period from 1641 to 1985 when it was converted to a museum, the Sumiya Pleasure House was owned an operated by 13 generations of Nakagawa family. Historically the Sumiya Pleasure House served banquets and dinner parties. In addition Geisha would perform tea ceremonies.

The Museum of Kyoto, located in Central Kyoto, is a general cultural facitility which has permanent exhibitions covering the extensive history and culture of Kyoto. The Museum of Kyoto also has an art gallery displaying works of both Japanese and Western artists and a hall showing films associated with Kyoto. The Museum of Kyoto holds special exhbitions. The Museum of Kyoto is located in the former Bank of Japan - Kyoto Branch building which was constructed in the Meiji Period.

Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum, located in Kyoto, a railway museum focused on steam locomotives. Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum, which opened in 1972, has 19 locomotives on display. The Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum is centered around a 20 track round house, built in 1914, which is the oldest building of its kind in Japan and is a designated Important Cultural Property. Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum has a short section of track which is used to exhibit some of the locomotives three times a day.