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Discover Kyoto

Kyoto Sightseeing Information and Events

Kyoto City Official Travel Guide


Information is subject to change, so please make sure to inquire before visiting.

Late March to mid-April
Sakura Light Up

End of March to end of May
Hanamachi Spring Dance Performances

May 15th
Aoi Festival (Kamigamo Shrine, Shimogamo Shrine)

July 1st – 31st
Gion Matsuri (Yasaka Shrine, Yamaboko towns)

Early August
Kyo-no-Tanabata

August 16th
Daimonji Gozan Fire Festival

Early October – early December
Autumn Special Openings at Temples

October 22nd
Jidai Matsuri (Imperial Palace and Heian-Jingu Shrine)

Early November
Gion Odori (Gion-Higashi)

Early November – early December
Autumn Leaf Light Up and Special Nighttime Viewing

December
Kichirei Kaomise Kogyo Tozai Godo Grand Kabuki (Minamiza Theatre)

December to March
Promotional Campaign

Others

Koubou Ichi Market at Toji Temple, 21st of every month
Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine Festival, 25th of each month



Major Museums of Kyoto

The Museum of Kyoto

A comprehensive cultural facility that clearly and simply introduces the history and culture of Kyoto. The red-brick Annex Hall is the former Kyoto Branch of the Bank of Japan, and is designated an Important Cultural Property representing the early modern architecture of the Meiji Period. Enjoy restaurants and shopping in the Roji Tempo, a reconstruction of the Kyoto Machiya townscape.

Transportation
Take the subway to Karasuma Oike Station and walk 5 minutes.
Travel time 20 mins.
Address
Sanjo-takakura, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Telephone
075-222-0888
Kyoto International Manga Museum

A cultural facility that collects, archives, and displays manga, as well as researching manga culture, in collaboration with Kyoto City and Kyoto Seika University. The former Tatsuike Elementary School was remodeled to open the museum.

Transportation
Take the subway to Karasuma Oike Station and walk 5 minutes.
Travel time 20 mins.
Address
452 Kinpuki-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Telephone
075-254-7414
Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art

Photo: Koroda Takeru

The Museum opened in 1933 as the Kyoto Enthronement Memorial Museum of Art in Kyoto’s Okazaki district. As Japan’s oldest public art museum that is housed in its original architecture, its classical visage standing against the backdrop of Higashiyama has been highly appreciated for nearly 90 years. The innovative concepts of two leading Japanese architects, Aoki Jun and Nishizawa Tezzo, for the Museum renewal project introduced new designs while preserving original elements, thus allowing for a fusion of old and new to create a fresh image for the Museum.

Transportation
Taxi
Travel time 30 mins.
Address
(Main Building) 124 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
(Annex) 13 Okazaki Saishoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Telephone
075-771-4334
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

Contains about 12,000 works of modern art from Japan and around the world. Especially well-known for its collection of Kyoto artists and Kansai Western-style artists. Also stores woodblock prints, ceramics, sculptures, designs, photography, and other material.

Transportation
Taxi
Travel time 30 mins.
Address
Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Kyoto National Museum

A national museum that exhibits, preserves, and researches the cultural treasures of Kyoto, the thousand-year capital.
The Heisei Chishinkan Wing that opened in September 2014 has rotating displays in its Thematic Exhibitions, showing off countless famous works from the museum collection. The museum reaches its 120th anniversary in 2017.

Transportation
Taxi
Travel time 40 mins.
Address
527 Chaya-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto