7 Recommended Spots to Visit in Kimono! “The History and Art Museums of Kyoto”

Located in Okazaki, Sakyo Ward, this museum first opened in 1928 as the “Great Ceremony Commemorative Kyoto Art Museum” to celebrate the enthronement ceremony.
It is the oldest existing art museum building in Japan. Preserving the design of the original main building while adding modern elements, the museum was reborn in spring 2020 as the “Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art,” with hopes of carrying on its traditions and developing further into the future.
The new annex “Higashiyama Cube” specializes in contemporary art, while “The Triangle” supports emerging artists, and “Kyocera Square” serves as an event space with learning as its theme. A public rooftop terrace, café, and shops have also been newly added.
The exterior, designed by architect Maeda Kenzaburo, is a very modern structure, perfect for taking elegant kimono photos. Inside, the spiral staircase designed by the architectural team Jun Aoki and Tezzo Nishizawa is highly recommended as a photogenic spot.
Official URL: https://kyotocity-kyocera.museum/

Facing the main street of Kitayama in northern Kyoto, this stylish building is an unexpected spot where masterpieces are displayed—it’s the “Kyoto Prefectural Ceramic Plate Painting Garden.”
In fact, it is the world’s first outdoor garden where you can appreciate paintings!
The facility was designed by Tadao Ando and exhibits durable ceramic plate reproductions of masterpieces, faithfully capturing their beauty. As you enter from the ticket booth, accompanied by the sound of flowing water, you are immediately greeted by Monet’s Water Lilies: Morning, floating on water—perfectly matched with the scenery.
As you proceed through the concrete structure, you encounter one masterpiece after another, until the main work suddenly comes into view:
Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment
Surely one of the most famous works of art in the world. The building has three floors with a spiral layout, allowing you to view and photograph it from every level. Its sheer size is overwhelming! At the lowest level is the main photo spot, where many visitors pose in creative ways. Looking up from below makes the experience even more awe-inspiring.
Wearing an antique kimono with a headdress here creates a stunning mix of Japanese and Western styles, making for perfect Instagram-worthy photos.
Although only eight masterpieces are displayed, the building itself—with its waterfall walls and artistic design—is a paradise for photography lovers.
Best of all, admission is just 100 yen! A truly great value.
Located right outside Kitayama Station on the subway, it is adjacent to the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. The area also has plenty of stylish cafés, and the Kamo River is within walking distance, making for a delightful stroll.
Official Website: http://kyoto-toban-hp.or.jp/

Located slightly south of Kyoto, near the Kyoto Aquarium and Central Market, is the “Sumiya Museum of Hospitality Culture.”
Walking through the neighborhood feels like slipping back in time to an old Kyoto townscape.
Next to the gate stands a stone pillar inscribed with “Sumiya, bearing the sword scars of the Shinsengumi,” as this was a place where Shinsengumi members often visited during the late Edo period. Designated as an Important Cultural Property, it is the only surviving example of ageya-style architecture. The building features elegant and innovative designs throughout, with each tatami room styled differently, and even the walls decorated with raden (mother-of-pearl inlay).
The collection includes works such as Red and White Plum Screens by Yosa Buson (Important Cultural Property), fusuma paintings by Maruyama Okyo and the Kishi school, among others. The refined garden inside is truly charming, harmonizing beautifully with kimono.
History lovers will surely want to visit this spot. Many guests at Rental Kimono Okamoto have also mentioned coming here, as Kyoto is indeed synonymous with history. An “ageya” was a banquet hall where courtesans and geisha entertained with song and dance, equivalent to today’s traditional restaurants. Wealthy merchants and cultural figures gathered here, engaging in literary activities. Not only the Shinsengumi, but also Kusaka Genzui, Saigo Takamori, and Sakamoto Ryoma are said to have visited—an incredible place indeed.
Official Website: http://sumiyaho.sakura.ne.jp/
※ Currently closed. Open only from March 15–July 18 and September 15–December 15, 10:00–16:00 (closes at 16:30). Please be sure to check opening dates in advance!

Located in Higashiyama, Kyoto, the traditional center of Japanese culture, the Kyoto National Museum focuses on tangible cultural properties of Kyoto and aims to preserve and pass down Japan’s traditional culture while sharing its value both domestically and internationally.
The museum strives to maintain a high standard of activities, responding to globalization and digitalization, while also serving as a hub for school education, lifelong learning, research, creativity, healing, and tourism for visitors from around the world.
At the Museum Shop Kyoto Benrido, you can find a wide range of museum goods, including postcards, clear files, and letter sets featuring masterpieces from the collection, as well as popular Choju-jinbutsu-giga (Caricature of Frolicking Animals and People) items, past exhibition catalogs, and specialized books.
The museum’s official mascot character, Torarin the Tiger, is also very popular. In 2022, a special New Year exhibition titled “Full of Tigers—Cherishing the Zodiac” was held, perfect for celebrating the Year of the Tiger.
Official Website: https://www.kyohaku.go.jp/jp/

Another Shinsengumi-related spot, the “Ryozen Museum of History” is located near Kodaiji Temple and Kiyomizudera Temple. This museum specializes in the Bakumatsu (late Edo period) and the Meiji Restoration.
It exhibits relics, letters, and materials related to Restoration figures such as Sakamoto Ryoma, Katsura Kogoro (Kido Takayoshi), Saigo Takamori, Takasugi Shinsaku, as well as Shinsengumi leaders Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo. Nearby are Kyoto Ryozen Gokoku Shrine, dedicated to Restoration patriots, and the cemetery where Ryoma and other heroes rest—making the area a historical treasure trove. Visiting in kimono makes the experience even more enjoyable, and wearing a hakama can add a cosplay-like flair.
Beyond history, just a short walk leads to Ninenzaka and Nene-no-Michi, areas filled with street food shops. There’s even a Starbucks in a renovated machiya townhouse, perfect for a Kyoto-style coffee break.
Official Website: https://www.ryozen-museum.or.jp/

Next, a recommended spot outside central Kyoto in Uji City. While Uji is famous for matcha sweets, it is also home to the World Heritage Site Byodoin.
If you recognize the Phoenix Hall depicted on the 10-yen coin, that’s Byodoin.
Located within the temple grounds, the Byodoin Museum Hoshokan is largely underground to harmonize with the historic garden and landscape. The museum’s modern design, contrasting with history, makes it a great photo-worthy destination.
Its permanent exhibits include the original pair of Phoenix statues, the original Brahma Bell, and the Cloud-Riding Bodhisattvas on Rafts—all designated National Treasures! The Phoenixes date back to the Heian period, while the bell is one of the Three Famous Bells of Japan, said to be the most beautiful in form.
The 26 Bodhisattva statues in Phoenix Hall appear to ride on clouds, each with unique facial expressions, full of lifelike motion. Take your time to appreciate their individuality.
From Rental Kimono Okamoto Fushimi Inari Store, it’s only about 20 minutes by train—easy to visit!
Official Website: https://www.byodoin.or.jp/museum/

The last recommended spot is the “Kyoto International Manga Museum.”
Housed in a former elementary school, it offers both a nostalgic atmosphere and an immense manga collection.
Of the 300,000 manga materials in the collection, about 50,000 manga books published since the 1970s are available on the “Wall of Manga,” a 200-meter-long bookshelf covering the walls. First-time visitors are sure to be amazed by the sheer volume.
Generally, manga are categorized by floor: shonen (boys’) manga on the 1st floor, shojo (girls’) manga on the 2nd floor, and seinen (young men’s) manga on the 3rd floor, arranged alphabetically by author for easy browsing.
In the center of the building stands a giant sculpture of Tezuka Osamu’s “Phoenix,” one of his representative works. Installed in 2009, this massive 4.5m by 11m wooden sculpture was created using traditional Buddhist carving techniques—yosegi (joined wood blocks) and gyokugan (crystal eyes)—as part of Kyoto’s “Kyomono Project” to promote traditional crafts. Its overwhelming presence grows the closer you get.
The museum also displays plaster handprints of famous manga artists who have visited for events, a fascinating highlight. On the 2nd floor, Gallery 6 holds unique treasures found nowhere else in the world.
Manga can be read anywhere, without time limits—truly a paradise for manga lovers. With a café on-site, you can easily spend the entire day immersed in manga.
Official Website: https://www.kyotomm.jp/
Kyoto offers countless attractions, but exploring them in kimono will surely make your trip even more memorable!
At Rental Kimono Okamoto, we offer a full range from retro to basic styles—you’re sure to find the perfect kimono for you.



Author of this Article
Rental Kimono Okamoto Fushimi Inari Store
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