Japanese people feel an enormous sense of pride when thinking about Kyoto and its cultural richness. Home to an array of tranquil temples, shrines, and gardens, Kyoto embodies the very essence of traditional Japanese culture. In November 2006, a new attraction appeared in Kyoto that showcases an art form that is also an established part of the culture-manga. In what is undoubtedly a dream-come-true for manga enthusiasts around the world, the Kyoto International Manga Museum recently opened in the ancient capital.That's right, a manga museum in Kyoto!

The Kyoto International Manga Museum is jointly operated by the city of Kyoto and Kyoto Seika University. Its mission is to collect, preserve and exhibit manga as well as conduct research on manga culture; essentially acting as both a museum and a library. The museum’s facilities include a gallery zone, research zone, workshop zone, and a library.

The museum not only covers contemporary manga, but also manga from the Meiji era (1868-1912) and manga from overseas. There are about 200,000 works currently preserved in the museum, with the aim to expand the collection to 300,000 by 2008.


The museum is also excited to host a number of upcoming events and seminars. From February 10th to March 25th, the museum will be hosting an exhibition on Gundam-a worldwide hit anime featuring giant robots.
On the first day of the event Yoshiyuki Tomino, Gundam's director, and Saburo Sugii, an anime director, will give a talk about anime in what will surely delight manga and Gundam fans alike.In 2008, Kyoto will be the site of the "International Manga Summit", an event that hopes to promote international cultural communication through manga.

The Kyoto International Manga Museum is truly a must-see on anyone's Kyoto itinerary; it’s not only for manga lovers but also for those who want to experience another proud aspect of Japanese culture.

Admission: Adults 500 yen, Junior high / High school students 300 yen,
Elementary schools students 100 yen.
Access: 1 minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station
(Kyoto Municipal Subway, Karasuma Line/Tozai Line)