About Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art
The Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art is located in Okazaki Park in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, where visitors can enjoy the seasonal beauty of nature. It is a cultural area bustling with visitors to Heian Shrine, the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, and the Kyoto Zoo.
The museum was founded in 1933. It is known as the oldest existing public art museum in Japan. Since its establishment, the museum has collected many works of art from the Kyoto art world and other local art circles, and has hosted a wide variety of exhibitions. It is a place where many people enjoy art and culture, and has been a symbol of the Okazaki area as a place that transmits art.
In 2020, the museum will reopen after a major renovation. It has acquired a new common name, "Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art". After the renovation, the museum aims to develop into a cultural facility that represents the evolving Kyoto, where tradition and innovation intersect, as the base of the "Cultural Capital of Kyoto," and to present art that transcends time and genres.
Also, the architecture, which preserves the original design of the building while incorporating modern elements, has received high acclaim and has become an object of public appreciation.
Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art Access & Visitor Information
Address | 124, Okazakienshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8344, Japan |
Tel | 075-771-4334 |
Access from the nearest station |
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Opening hours | 10:00 - 18:00 (last admission time varies depending on the exhibition) |
Closed | Mondays (open if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays (December 28 - January 2) |
Admission | "Collection Room"
Kyoto City residents must show proof of address. *Free admission for Kyoto City residents 70 years old or older (please present ID), persons with disability certificate, etc., and one caregiver. Students registered with the Kyoto City Campus Cultural Partners Program who present their membership card or student ID card will be charged 100 yen. Admission to the "Special Exhibitions and Annexes" is different for each exhibition. |
Facilities | Parking lot, wheelchair rental, elevator, writing machine and tactile map, hearing loop hearing aid system, multipurpose restroom, first-aid station, diaper changing table, baby chair, nursing room (water purifier, water heater, sink), museum store, cafe |
Note | Visitors may be accompanied by assistance dogs |
Official Website |
Highlights of the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art
Collections
The museum's collection consists of approximately 4,200 works of art from the Meiji era to the present, including Japanese and Western-style paintings, sculptures, prints, crafts, and calligraphy.
The core of the museum's collection is represented by works from the Kyoto art world, including works by Kono Umelei, Takeuchi Seiho, and Uemura Shoen, which represent modern Japan from the Meiji to the Showa periods.
Architecture (of buildings)
Architects AOKI Jun and NISHIZAWA Tetsuo were in charge of the basic design for the reopening in the spring of 2020. At the time of the renovation, the museum was more than 80 years old and had been engraved in the memories of many people. While preserving the distinctive "Imperial Crown Style" design, new functions and attractions were added. The design has been highly acclaimed and has received numerous awards, including the "Grand Prize" at the 8th Kyoto Architecture Awards in 2020.
The most symbolic feature of the current architecture is the "glass ribbon," a transparent facade spanning from north to south on the basement level. By excavating the plaza and creating an underground entrance, a light, streamlined façade runs from north to south, creating an open space. The "glass ribbon" not only blends with the historic architecture, but also serves as a link between the inside and outside of the museum.
Representative past exhibitions
After the reopening, three new exhibition rooms, "Collection Room," "Higashiyama Cube," and "The Triangle," were established in the museum.
In the "Collection Room," exhibits are changed several times a year to showcase the museum's collection. The exhibits are centered on masterpieces of Japanese-style paintings, with seasonal exhibits in each field. In the "New Wing, Higashiyama Cube," exhibitions of diverse genres are held, with a focus on contemporary art. SUGIMOTO Hiroshi 's Ruri no Jodo (The Pure Land of Ruri) was held at this location. The Triangle" is a space for introducing emerging artists. The Triangle is a space that introduces emerging artists and serves as a base for connecting artists, museums, and the world (the viewer), presenting a wide variety of art.
〈Main Exhibitions〉
SUGIMOTO Hiroshi's Ruri no Jodo (The Pure Land of Ruri) (2020)
First Anniversary Exhibition of Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto: Modern Architecture of Kyoto"" (2021)
The First Anniversary Exhibition of Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto: Dialogue with the Collection: Six Rooms" (2021)
Special Exhibition: The Spectacular Meiji Art of Kyoto - The World's Surprised Imperial Household Artists' Deviantart" (2022)
Special Exhibition: Leaping Makers: Art, Design, and Technology for the Future of Human Beings and Nature" (2023)
Museum Shop
ART RECTANGLE KYOTO, the museum store of the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art, is a stylish space with white color scheme. The shop offers an extensive lineup of art books and exhibition goods as well as limited-edition products and original sweets that allow visitors to enjoy Kyoto's traditional culture. The sophisticatedly designed original goods are recommended as souvenirs for your stylish friends.
ART RECTANGLE KYOTO
Opening hours | 10:30-18:30 |
Closed | Same as the museum holidays |
Website |
Café and Restaurant Information
Inside the museum there is a café called ENFUSE. Although located on the basement floor, it is an open space with a view of the nature of Okazaki Park through the scale glass.
The menu includes side dish plates made with a variety of Kyoto ingredients and sandwiches baked by a local bakery.
You can enjoy dishes made with Kyoto producers and special ingredients, such as sandwiches made with bread baked by a local bakery. Take-out is also available, and you can enjoy a picnic in Okazaki Park on a fine day.
Opening hours | 10:30-19:00 (L.O. 18:00) |
Closed | Same as the days the museum is closed. |
WebsiteW |
Recommendations around Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto is located in Okazaki Park in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto. It is located close to the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art.
The museum's collection includes a wide variety of works and documents, including paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, crafts, design, and photography. In particular, the museum has a rich collection of crafts and art from western Japan, with Kyoto as its center, and special exhibitions that are closely related to the local community are a highlight of the museum's activities. Since the museum also focuses on educational outreach, participation in workshops and gallery tours is highly recommended. Programs for children are also held.
Nomura Art Museum
The Nomura Art Museum is located in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto. The museum was established in 1984 by NOMURA Tokushichi II (née Tokuan), the founder of the Nomura Zaibatsu, based on his collection of tea ceremony and Noh plays.
SEN-OKU HAKUKOKAN MUSEUM
SEN-OKU HAKUKOKAN is an art museum located in Shikagaya, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It preserves and exhibits art works donated by the Sumitomo family. The museum also has SEN-OKU HAKUKOKAN Tokyo in Roppongi, Tokyo.