When you think of Kyoto, you might envision traditional scenes like ancient temples, shrines, and machiya townhouses. However, Kyoto is not only about its traditional charm; the city is also home to many modern art and photography spots that shouldn’t be missed. This time, we’ve gathered recommendations from local experts to introduce perfect art spots for those who want to enjoy Kyoto from a different perspective, especially during "Autumn for the Arts."
< Museums in Kyoto >
1) Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art
The Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art opened in 1996 after restoring the "Oyamazaki Sanso" villa, which was built by Kansai businessman Shotaro Kaga during the Taisho and Showa periods. The museum also added a new building, "The Underground Jewel Box," designed by Tadao Ando. The collection centers around Mingei (folk crafts) works by artists such as Kanjiro Kawai, Shoji Hamada, and Bernard Leach, alongside Western art, including Claude Monet’s "Water Lilies" series. The museum holds four special exhibitions a year, rotating its permanent displays in conjunction with these exhibitions.
Hour: 10:00-17:00
Access: https://www.asahigroup-oyamazaki.com/english/guide/access/
2) Kahitsukan Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art
This private museum, located in the heart of Kyoto's historic Gion district, opened in 1981. The museum primarily features works by Kitaoji Rosanjin, alongside a diverse collection of modern and contemporary paintings, crafts, and photography from both Japan and abroad. It also hosts special exhibitions. On the top floor (5th floor), there is a tearoom designed as both a display space and a tranquil setting, where visitors can enjoy a peaceful moment while appreciating the beautiful view of autumn leaves.
Hour: 10:00-18:00
Access: http://www.kahitsukan.or.jp/frame_e.html
3) The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, is situated in the lush surroundings of Okazaki Park, facing the approach to Heian Shrine and the Lake Biwa Canal. Its collection includes Japanese-style paintings, Western-style paintings, prints, sculptures, and crafts such as ceramics, textiles, metalwork, wood and bamboo crafts, lacquerware, and jewelry, as well as photography. In the 4th-floor collection gallery, exhibitions are changed approximately five times a year, featuring iconic works of Japanese modern art alongside modern and contemporary works from Europe and the United States.
Hour: 9:30-17:00 (Fri and Sta 9:30-20:00)
Access: https://www.momak.go.jp/English/
4) The Kyoto National Museum - The Heisei Chishinkan
The Kyoto National Museum opened in 1897 as the Imperial Kyoto Museum. Its Meiji Kotokan building is designated as an Important Cultural Property. The Heisei Chishinkan wing, opened in 2014, was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, who also designed the expansion of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. The museum houses around 14,000 items, including both its own collection and entrusted pieces, and displays a wide range of artworks and cultural artifacts, including ceramics, archaeology, paintings, sculptures, calligraphy, textiles, metalwork, and lacquerware.
Hour: 9:30-17:00
Access: http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/
5) The Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
The Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, originally opened in 1933, underwent a major renovation and reopened in 2020. It is one of the oldest existing public art museum buildings in Japan, and its design preserves this historical architecture. The museum serves as a platform for showcasing art from various periods and genres, reflecting Kyoto’s unique blend of tradition and innovation.
Hour: 9:30-17:00
Access: https://kyotocity-kyocera.museum/en/
6) The Kyoto Prefectural Domoto Insho Museum
The Kyoto Prefectural Domoto Insho Museum, built in 1966, houses a collection of approximately 2,600 works that range from traditional Japanese paintings to abstract art. In addition to exhibitions showcasing the works of Domoto Insho, the museum also regularly holds exhibitions featuring related artists.
Hour: 9:30-17:00
Access: https://insho-domoto.com/en/
7) The Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum
The Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum opened in 2000 and is the first museum in Japan dedicated to the permanent exhibition of late Edo and Meiji period artworks, including cloisonné, metalwork, maki-e lacquerware, and Kyoto Satsuma ware.
Hour: 10:00 -17:00
Access: https://sannenzaka-museum.co.jp/en/
8) The Shokoku-ji Jotenkaku Museum
The Shokoku-ji Jotenkaku Museum opened in 1984 as part of the 600th-anniversary celebration of Shokoku-ji, the head temple of the Shokoku-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. The museum was established to preserve, display, restore, and research artworks entrusted to it from Shokoku-ji, Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion), and other sub-temples, as well as to promote Zen culture. The museum currently houses a significant collection of cultural treasures, including five National Treasures and 145 Important Cultural Properties, and regularly hosts various exhibitions.
Hour: 10:00 -16:30
Closed: Year-end/New Year holidays and during exhibition change periods
Access: http://www.shokoku-ji.jp/en/
9) Imura art gallery
Imura Art Gallery opened in 1990 as an art space dedicated to contemporary art. Located in Kyoto, a city known for its traditional Japanese techniques, craftsmanship, and spirit, the gallery represents many artists who, while respecting tradition, create new works that are relevant to the modern era.
Hours: 12:00-18:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays
Access: https://www.imuraart.com/
10) The Museum "Eki" KYOTO
The Museum "Eki" KYOTO opened in 1997 and is located adjacent to the 7th floor of the JR Kyoto Isetan department store. The museum hosts exhibitions across a wide range of genres, including painting, photography, picture books, crafts, animation, and fashion, featuring both domestic and international works. It aims to serve as a cultural and information hub in Kyoto, an increasingly international cultural city, and to contribute to the creation and exchange of culture.
Hours: 10:00～20:00
Access: https://kyoto.wjr-isetan.co.jp/museum/
11) The Fukuda Art Museum
The Fukuda Art Museum opened in 2019 in the scenic area of Arashiyama, Kyoto. It is a museum where visitors can enjoy Japanese art alongside the stunning views of Arashiyama. The museum's collection primarily focuses on Japanese paintings by artists connected to Kyoto, ranging from the Rinpa School to the Maruyama-Shijō School, including works by Maruyama Ōkyo, Nagasawa Rosetsu, Itō Jakuchū, and Yosa Buson, as well as modern Kyoto artists such as Takeuchi Seihō and Uemura Shōen. These works are showcased in four special exhibitions each year.
Hour: 10:00～17:00
Access: https://fukuda-art-museum.jp/en/
12) The Hosomi Museum
The Hosomi Museum opened in 1999 and houses approximately 1,000 exquisite works of Japanese art, collected over three generations by the Hosomi family. The museum does not have a permanent exhibition; instead, it holds seasonal exhibitions focused on popular pieces from its collection, particularly Rinpa School works and Edo period paintings, including those by Itō Jakuchū. The museum also features a traditional sukiya-style tearoom where visitors can enjoy seasonal sweets and matcha while admiring the Higashiyama mountains, as well as a shop offering modern Japanese goods and a café.
Hour: 10:00～17:00
Closed: Monday
Access: http://www.emuseum.or.jp/eng/
13) Mizunoki Museum of Art
Mizunoki Museum of Art, located in Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, is operated by the social welfare corporation Shokaen. It opened in 2012 in a renovated two-story wooden building, originally a barbershop built in the Taisho era. The museum embraces diversity in its approach to art, offering a wide range of exhibitions. Shokaen also operates a facility supporting people with disabilities, called Mizunoki, which has been running an art class since 1964. Under the guidance of instructor Shuichi Nishigaki (1912–2000), the residents' artworks were the first from Asia to be permanently included in the Art Brut Collection in Switzerland.
Hour: 10:00～18:00
Closed: Monday, Tuesday
Access: http://www.mizunoki-museum.org/english/
14) The Raku Museum
The Raku Museum is an art museum in Kyoto dedicated to Raku pottery. It was established in 1978 by the 14th-generation head of the Raku family, Kichizaemon Jikinyū, and is located adjacent to the Raku family kiln. The museum's collection primarily consists of works by successive generations of the Raku family, as well as tea ceremony utensils, decorative arts, and historical documents related to the Raku family.
The museum is open from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed on Mondays.
Hour: 10:00～16:30
Closed: Monday
Access: https://www.raku-yaki.or.jp/e/index.html
< Galleries in Kyoto >
15) AMMON KYOTO
AMMON KYOTO opened in July 2022 in Sanjo, Kyoto. As a contemporary gallery handling works from both domestic and international artists, it plans to host exhibitions across a wide range of genres, including Western painting, Japanese painting, sculpture, printmaking, and photography. In addition to showcasing works by veteran artists, the gallery aims to become a platform where young artists, who will shape the future of the Japanese art world, can demonstrate their talents and passion.
Hour: 11:00～19:00
Access: http://www.ammon.co.jp
16) ART OFFICE OZASA
ART OFFICE OZASA is a contemporary art gallery that organizes solo and group exhibitions of both young and deceased artists, from Japan and abroad. In 2016, it moved and opened in a symbolic building in Kyoto’s Nishijin area, known for its traditional Japanese Nishijin weaving. The gallery is located in the Nishijin Industry Hall, and from this hub of traditional Japanese culture in Kyoto, it broadly introduces contemporary art. In collaboration with architects and construction companies, the gallery is also engaged in commissioned works related to a variety of architectural projects.
Hour: 11:00～18:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays.
Access: https://artozasa.com/?page_id=6454&lang=en
17) eN arts
eN arts opened in 2008 in the historic Gion Maruyama Park in Kyoto. The gallery introduces notable artists from Japan and abroad through high-quality exhibitions based on global standards, presenting their work to the world. Located in an 80-year-old Sukiya-style building, visitors can enjoy cutting-edge contemporary art in a unique, traditional setting.
Hour: 12:00～18:00
Closed: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (By appointment only from Monday to Thursday)
Access: http://www.en-arts.com/en2/
18) HOTEL ANTEROOM KYOTO / Gallery 9.5
GALLERY 9.5, connected to the entrance of Hotel Anteroom Kyoto, is a highly flexible space named after its location between Kujo and Jujo. The gallery hosts various exhibitions, including ones featuring creators based in Kyoto. In addition, it collaborates on projects with "SANDWICH," directed by sculptor Kohei Nawa.
Hour: 12:00～21:00
Closed: Open year-round
Access: https://www.uds-hotels.com/en/anteroom/kyoto/artculture/#gallery
19) MtK Contemporary Art
MtK Contemporary Art is a commercial gallery that opened in March 2021 in Okazaki, Kyoto. Directed by contemporary artist Kengo Kitō, and operated by Matsushima Holdings, the gallery is a project that explores new gallery formats, with a foundation based on artists living in the Kansai region. From Kyoto, it aims to present art to the world.
Hour: 10:00～18:00
Closed: Sundays
Access: https://mtkcontemporaryart.com/en/
20) VOU
At the gallery, borderless exhibitions are held once a month, primarily featuring artists based in Kyoto. In the shop space on the second floor, works created by artists, as well as zines, ceramics, and other items, are selected and sold. Additionally, original products from VOU are created in collaboration with the makers.
Hour: 13:00～19:00
Closed: Thursday
Access: http://voukyoto.com
21) The Kyoto Art Center
The Kyoto Art Center is a creative hub in Kyoto City with the primary mission of supporting young artists. It engages in the creation, presentation, and exchange of contemporary art across various genres, through a diverse range of activities.
Hour: 10:00～20:00
Closed: from December 28th to January 4th, and on other temporary holidays.
Access: http://www.kac.or.jp/en/
22) The Kyoto City University of the Arts Gallery / KCUA
In addition to special exhibitions, the gallery organizes a wide range of activities, including workshops and lectures for young artists, featuring active domestic and international artists as instructors.
Hour: 11:00～19:00
Closed: Mondays
Access: https://gallery.kcua.ac.jp/en/
23) GALLERY TOMO
The gallery exchanges contemporary art assets with partner galleries abroad, aiming to accumulate cross-cultural and regional research. Alongside outstanding contemporary artists from Japan and East Asia, the gallery seeks new outlets for presenting new works.
Hour: 13:00～19:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays
Access: https://gallery-tomo.com/
24) Galerie Tamenaga
Founded in 1969 in Ginza as a gallery dealing with Impressionism to contemporary art, Galerie Taménaga also has locations in Paris and Osaka. On the same day as the 50th anniversary of its Paris branch, which opened in 1971, the gallery opened its Kyoto branch in a renovated machiya (townhouse) along the Kamo River in Shichijo. Located near landmarks such as Sanjūsangen-dō and the Kyoto National Museum, the Kyoto gallery promotes Japanese contemporary artists, showcasing the talents of those who will continue to be remembered even a thousand years from now.
Access: https://www.tamenaga.com/en/
25) GRAND MARBLE Gallery PARC
Gallery PARC was established in July 2010 by Grand Marble, with its mission to promote the creation and dissemination of new food culture rooted in Kyoto. The gallery is committed to the inheritance and creation of culture through "craftsmanship." Its activities focus on organizing and hosting exhibitions across a wide range of creative fields, including art, craft, design, photography, video, and performance. Since 2014, the gallery has held the annual "Gallery PARC Art Competition" and continues to support the activities of young creators through collaborative exhibitions with various art universities.
Access: https://galleryparc.com/
26) Contemporary Art Sokyo
Contemporary Art Sokyo was established in 2013 in a corner of the antique district in Gion, Kyoto. Under the two main pillars of contemporary crafts and contemporary art, the gallery represents over 30 domestic and international artists. It handles a diverse range of works, including ceramics, lacquerware, painting, photography, drawing, and textiles.
Hour: 10:00～18:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays
Access: http://gallery-sokyo.jp/en/
27) COHJU
COHJU opened in 2008 in the Eiju Building, facing Marutamachi Street, south of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The gallery holds four curated exhibitions a year, primarily featuring young artists based in the Kansai region, across various genres. The gallery focuses on contemporary art, collaborating with overseas galleries and participating in art fairs, particularly in Europe and North America.
Hour: 13:00～18:00
Access: https://www.cohju.com
28) ZENBI
Kagizen Yoshifusa, a long-established Japanese confectionery shop that has been loved by people and scholars in this area since its founding during the mid-Edo period (Kōhō era), established its own art museum.
Hour: 10:00～18:00
Closed: Mondays
Access: https://zenbi.kagizen.com
29) DOHJIDAI GALLERY OF ART
DOHJIDAI GALLERY OF ART is a large gallery that aims to make contemporary art accessible not only to specific art enthusiasts but also to the general public. Located on the first floor of the 1928 Building (a registered tangible cultural asset of Kyoto City) in the lively center of Kyoto, it spans four rooms, showcasing contemporary art, crafts, and art merchandise. Additionally, the gallery manages Café Andepandan located on the basement level of the same building, offering a space for music and live painting events.
Access: https://www.dohjidai.com/
30) FINCH ARTS
FINCH ARTS opened in 2016 in Kyoto’s Pontocho district. In 2019, it relocated to the art complex Jōdo Complex in Kyoto’s Jōdoji area. Through solo and curated exhibitions in its gallery space, the gallery actively introduces young artists from the Kansai region.
Access: https://www.finch.link
31) YUMEKOUBOU GALLERY
YUMEKOUBOU GALLERY is located in a quiet area along Shirakawa, on Shinmonzen Street in Gion, Kyoto. Upon entering, visitors pass through a bamboo installation created by the gallery's artist, the fourth-generation Tanabe Chikunsai, leading to a building that is over 150 years old, evoking the essence of Kyoto's rich history.
The gallery exhibits both antique art masterpieces and contemporary works, fostering the creation and dissemination of new values.
Access: https://www.yumekouboukyoto.com/exhibitions/
32) Laboratory of Art and Form
Laboratory of Art and Form, established in 2019, is a contemporary art space run by a collective of art curators from Japan, Germany, the UK, and Italy. The gallery organizes a wide range of contemporary art exhibitions, including painting, sculpture, performance, video, internet-based art, and conceptual art, all reflecting the context of the contemporary era, both domestically and internationally.
Hour: 12:00～19:00
Closed: Tuesday, Wednesday
Access: https://www.loaf-jp.com/
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