Kyoto International Manga Museum

A comprehensive museum about mangas, that manga fans and people new to the subject can both enjoy

Everything there is to know about manga

Manga is becoming more and more popular outside of Japan, where it was once only enjoyed. As awareness of this emerging cultural phenomenon spread, the Kyoto International Manga Museum (founded in 2006) moved quickly to collect, conserve, and display such manga content before conducting surveys and research to look into the culture that underlies it.

About 300,000 manga materials are in the collection; 50,000 of these, which date from the 1970s to the present, are arranged top to bottom in 200-meter-long bookshelves along a museum wall. As long as they are on museum property, visitors can use the museum as a library to read manga anywhere they choose.

And note that there is an entire section of translated mangas. Whatever language you speak, you can do some reading.

A museum, a library, or a school?

Just by virtue of its hybrid concept, the Kyoto International Manga Museum is fascinating to explore. A 1929 elementary school serves as the iconic backdrop for this manga extravaganza, which takes place in the heart of Kyoto. You enter the building after crossing the schoolyard, and to view the exhibit, you must pass through classrooms, the event hall, restrooms, and corridors and the principal's office as well. Even though you have never been there before, there is something nostalgic about the wooden floor that creaks beneath your feet. It feels like entering the utopia of an elementary school student, with all the walls converted into manga-filled shelves.

Any book on the school's shelves may be taken by guests, who can then settle in at any of the desks scattered throughout the building and begin reading. Not to be missed is the amazing Phoenix statue, which measures 4.5 meters in height and 11 meters in length and appears to be floating in midair in the school hall. It is from Tezuka Osamu's well-known manga, "Phoenix" (Hi No Tori), and it was carved from wood using the same methods as Buddha statues.

You’re not a manga fan? Perfect, this is for you

Have you never read a manga before and believe that they are only for kids or nerds? How about changing your mind?

From newspaper cartoons to digitalized manga today, the main hall exhibition explores the history of manga from its inception. It also goes into great detail about the social ramifications of the art, the enormous global market that exists today, and the nature of the manga industry—from who wants to be a manga to how much they make. Even if you do not read them, how about taking a glimpse at this market that has captivated millions of souls around the world, and maybe figuring out why?

What makes this place unique is also the range of people you will encounter, whether they are yearly members or just quiet, curious first-time visitors. Everyone has a different way of appreciating this place, from young foreign and Japanese manga fans to inquisitive tourists and elderly Japanese visitors who came to reread the manga from their childhood.

A space that is as effervescent and ever-changing as the world of manga itself

In addition to the manga walls and permanent exhibitions, there are a variety of events and exhibitions. To name a few:

• "Manga Studio," where current artists display their actual manga production work, offers a counseling session where aspiring mangakas can ask questions.
• A café with drawings on the walls created by manga artists worldwide
• A display of the hand plaster casts from well-known manga artists
• Presentations of "Kamishibai," a traditional Japanese narrative technique that uses illustrations
• An abundance of short-term exhibitions showcasing the work of well-known artists or addressing current issues in the manga industry or the wider world.

et cetera

Get your ticket now to avoid missing this chance to explore the world of the most globally represented Japanese art form.

※ Our website ask you to choose a time, but your ticket is valid for a whole day, so please note that you can go at anytime.

※ Non-refundable or changeable