Kyoto International Manga Museum

During my art residency in Japan, one of the highlights of my trip was the Kyoto International Museum. Surrounded by thousands of manga in almost every language, and a quiet, cozy vibe a lot like a library, this is a must for any manga lover!

The Kyoto International Manga Museum was established by Kyoto City and Kyoto Seika University to collect, preserve and exhibit manga and manga culture with over 50,000 volumes of manga shelved in the museum’s Wall of Manga bookshelves.

Located in an old school, there are loads of nooks and crannies to curl up and read your favourite manga, or stretch out on the grassy lawn. There is even a cozy cafe in case you get hungry or want a coffee on the museum grounds. The gift shop is right next to the entrance and full of a wide range of manga that I didn’t see anywhere else in Japan, including the exclusive book “What is Manga” by the Kyoto International Museum and featuring the permanent exhibition of the museum under the same name. I bought a copy and so happy that I did, as I couldn’t find it anywhere else! I love supporting museums, and supporting a manga museum is next level.

I spent most of my day browsing through favourites such as Tokyo Ghoul and Naruto, and learning about the history of manga in the “What is Manga” history exhibition. There was also a Kamishabi (picture story show) performance that was super cute and fun! And a Gaming Exhibition where I got to play games made by the local University students!

Make sure to check out the Kyoto International Manga Museum’s website for ticket prices, upcoming events and info!