If you think manga (Japanese comics, or graphic novels) are just for kids, you'll come away with a whole different perspective after touring the largest manga museum in the world. With more than 300,000 items in its collection, it not only serves as a research facility for the study of manga's history and cultural influence but also strives to preserve manga in all its forms, including early and contemporary Japanese works, foreign manga, animation, and other related images. Most visitors, however, come because of its changing exhibitions, with about 50,000 items on display at any one time. Occupying a former primary school built in 1869, its various rooms include a children's library with manga and picture books, an archive illustrating the long history of Japanese manga, a display describing the process of making manga, an exhibit dedicated to the building's former life as an elementary school, and, perhaps most amazing of all, a Wall of Manga with shelves containing thousands of manga you can look through at leisure. On weekends, you can even see manga artists at work. Of course, while descriptions are in English, unless you can read Japanese you'll mostly be looking at pictures rather than taking full advantage of what this place offers. But that shouldn't be a deterrent for enjoying this unique art form.
Kyoto
Travel Guide
Kyoto› Attraction
Kyoto International Manga Museum
452 Kinbuki-cho, Nakagyo-ku
Our Rating
Neighborhood
On Karasuma Dori near Oike Dori
Hours
Thurs–Tues 10am–6pm
Transportation
Subway: Karasuma-Oike (1 min.)
Phone
075/254-7414
Prices
¥800 adults, ¥300 junior-high and high-school students, ¥100 children
Web site
Kyoto International Manga Museum
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.