The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto is located in the lush green Okazaki Park in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto. The museum is located in an area with a strong sense of history and culture, with Heian Shrine, the Kyoto Kyocera Museum of Art and the Rohm Theatre Kyoto (Kyoto Kaikan) in the vicinity.
The idea for the museum was born when MATSUKATA Kojiro, the first president of Kawasaki Dockyard (now Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.), collected works of art in Europe that had been shipped overseas and lobbied for their return to Japan. As a repository for the artworks, Kyoto City invited the establishment of the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, which opened in 1963 as a branch of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; in 1967 it became an independent museum as the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, and in 1986 the current museum was completed, designed by architect MAKI Fumihiko.
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto's guiding principles are to contribute to the richness of art in our time by researching and exhibiting a wide variety of modern art genres, and to provide a broad perspective through international exchange. The museum is also committed to supporting learning and dissemination activities, so regular events such as workshops, lectures and gallery tours are organized.
Access and information on the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
Address | 26-1, Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8344, Japan |
Tel | 075-761-4111 |
Access from nearest station |
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Opening hours | Regular hours: 10:00-18:00 (last admission at 17:30) *Only on Fridays during special exhibitions: 10:00-20:00 (last admission at 19:30). |
Closed | Mondays (if Monday is a holiday, the museum is closed the following day), exhibition change periods, year-end and New Year's holidays. |
Admission | ¥430 for adults, ¥130 for university students, free for high school students under 18 and over 65. Fees for special exhibitions vary according to the exhibition. Free admission for disabled persons with a disability certificate and one accompanying person. *Free admission for single-mother or single-father household members. Other reductions and exemptions are available. Proof of exemption must be presented. |
Facilities | disabled parking, barrier-free access, wheelchair rental (6 self-propelled, 4 assisted), electric lift wheelchair, multipurpose toilet, stroller rental, baby feeding room, diaper changing table, lockers (100 yen returnable), museum shop, café. |
Note | Assistance dogs and other dogs are allowed. Multilingual pamphlets and exhibits are available in English. |
Official Website |
Highlights of the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
Collections
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto has a collection of over 13,000 works, covering a wide variety of genres including painting, sculpture, crafts, photography and contemporary art. Among these, the museum has a large collection of works by artists from Kyoto and other parts of western Japan. Among the representative works are the Japanese-style painting Haruyuki (Spring Snow) by TAKEUCHI Seiho, from Kyoto, and the ceramic work Iroe Gilt Camellia Bowl with Design of Camellia by KITAOJI Rosanjin. Special emphasis is placed on crafts, with a wide variety of works including ceramics, lacquerware, metalwork and dyeing and weaving.
The collection of works from outside the country focuses on works with a relationship of influence with Japan. The focus has been on works that had a significant influence on Japanese artists, such as Dadaism, which rejected conventional artistic conventions and became one of the paradigm shifts.
Architecture (of buildings)
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto was designed by architect MAKI Fumihiko. Maki is an internationally acclaimed architect who has received the Pritzker Prize, the Nobel Prize in architecture, and the Gold Medal of the International Union of Architects. He is the embodiment of modernist architecture and is known for his designs for the Spiral and Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo and the 4 World Trade Centre in New York.
Okazaki Park, where the museum is located, was once designated as a scenic area, and in order to protect the landscape there were various restrictions, such as the need to design the building to be lower than the Otorii gate of Heian Shrine. In order to achieve an open space while keeping the height down, the interior features a high-ceilinged entrance and lobby, top lights to let in sunlight and glass walls.
The architectural cornerstone is intended to be the 'de Stijl' style proposed by the painter Piet Mondrian. The De Stijl style is characterized by a geometric design using verticals and horizontals, primary colors and achromatic colors, which can be seen everywhere, from the Portuguese granite on the exterior to the white marble inside and the vermilion and grey columns in the stairwells. Another highlight is the beautiful light effect created by two types of glass, one transparent and the other milky white.
Representative past exhibitions
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto presents a diverse range of exhibitions throughout the year, including special exhibitions, collection exhibitions and Curatorial Studies, in which the results of researchers are presented.
The third-floor exhibition space hosts a variety of special exhibitions of modern and contemporary art about four to five times a year, including artist retrospectives and exhibitions that follow artistic trends, while the Collection Gallery on the fourth floor hosts about five collection exhibitions a year, mainly of art and crafts from Kyoto and other parts of western Japan. It is designed so that visitors can encounter new works of art each time they visit.
Main exhibitions.
'The Beauty of Kitaoji Rosanjin: The Genius of Japanese Cuisine' (2015), commemorating the registration of Rosanjin as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
'From Maruyama Okyo to the Modern Kyoto Art World' (2019)
'100 Years of Czech Design' (2020)
Ludwig Museum Exhibition: Trajectories of 20th century art - a collection of gems created by citizens" (2022).
'The 60th anniversary of the museum: The whole story of KAINOSHO Tadaoto - an individuality that crosses borders between painting, theater and film' (2023).
Museum shop
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto has a museum shop called "Artprue". The shop offers a wide variety of items, including exhibition-related catalogs and original museum goods, as well as glass crafts and museum goods from overseas. Among the most notable items are those featuring masterpieces by artists associated with the Kansai region. Unique designs such as bookmarks, incense and masking tapes are a feast for the eyes. Stop by the shop to find your favorites.
Opening hours |
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Closed | Mondays (or the following day if a holiday) *Open according to museum opening hours. |
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onlineshop |
Cafe and restaurant information
Cafe de 505, attached to the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, is a café/restaurant with a popular pasta-based menu. The restaurant's homemade fresh pasta is characterized by its mochi (chewy) elasticity, with carbonara, tomato cream and other dishes on the menu. Curry, homemade sweets and sandwiches made with yuba, which is typical of Kyoto, are also recommended.
During the museum's special exhibitions, menus and desserts related to the works and artists are available. Check out the new menu when you visit the exhibition.
Opening hours | Regular hours: 10:00-18:00 (last orders until 17:30) Fridays during special exhibitions: 10:00-19:00 (last orders until 18:30) Fridays: Collection only, 10:00-18:00 (last orders until 17:30) |
Closed | Mondays (or the following day if a holiday) *Open according to museum opening hours. |
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Places to visit around the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
Kyoto city KYOCERA Museum of Art
Like the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, this museum is located in Okazaki Park. It is the oldest existing public art museum in Japan and is attracting a great deal of attention following its reopening in 2020 following extensive renovations.
The Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art exhibits works of art associated with Kyoto, as well as contemporary art works and works by emerging artists. Entering the museum through the distinctive 'glass ribbon' façade, visitors will find a museum shop and café, making it a popular public spot for visitors. As well as the exhibitions, the open-plan architecture is well worth a visit.
Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design
Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design is a facility where visitors can observe and experience up close the traditional industries of Kyoto, which have been nurtured over a millennium of history. The museum exhibits 74 traditional industries that have been handed down through the ages, including Nishijin textiles, Kyo-yuzen and other dyed textiles, as well as Kyo-yaki, Kiyomizu-yaki and Kyo lacquerware. Visitors can also use touch panels and tablets to learn about explanations and production processes. A hands-on production corner where visitors can experience first-hand the skills of masters and demonstrations by craftspeople are also popular.
The museum shop offers a range of products born from traditional craft techniques, such as Kyo lacquerware, Kyo fans and incense. These products are recommended not only for your own use, but also as souvenirs of Kyoto.
Address | 京都府京都市左京区岡崎成勝寺町9-1 京都市勧業館みやこめっせ地下1階 |
Tel | 075-762-2670 |
Access from nearest station | ・10-minute walk north from Exit 1 of Higashiyama Station on the Subway Tozai Line. ・From Kyoto Station: 5-minute walk from Okazaki Park Museum/Heian Jingu-mae bus stop on Line 5, or 5-minute walk from Higashiyama Nijo/Okazaki Koen-guchi bus stop on Line 206. |
Opening hours | 10:00 - 18:00 (admission by 17:30) |
Closed | irregular holidays (twice a month, please check official website), year-end and New Year holidays (29 Dec - 3 Jan). |
Admission | General (including university students): 500 yen (groups of 20 or more: 400 yen); elementary, junior high and high school students and technical college students: 400 yen (groups of 20 or more: 300 yen). *Preschool children are free of charge. Free admission for the disabled and up to one accompanying person with a disabled person's identification card. Free admission for residents of Kyoto City aged 70 and over. (Present proof of age when entering the museum). Free admission for elementary, junior high and high school students residing in Kyoto City. (Show proof of residence at the time of admission). *Free admission for visitors in kimono. |
Facilities | wheelchair-accessible toilets, Braille blocks, museum shop. |
Note | Visitors may be accompanied by assistance dogs. Multilingual support available. |
Official website |
The Hosomi Museum Kyoto
The Hosomi Museum Kyoto is a private museum in Okazaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto. It was opened in 1998, based on the collections of three generations of the Hosomi family, beginning with the industrialist and Japanese art collector HOSOMI Kokaan.