Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art

Overview

Opened in 1963, the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art boasts a collection that emphasizes Kyoto and the Kansai/western Japan region's art while considering the entirety of Japanese modern art history. You can admire works by prominent artists such as Nara Yoshimasa, Asai Tadashi, Saeki Yuzo, Fujishima Takeji, Murakami Kaguake, Uemura Shoen, Yokoyama Taikan, Kishida Ryusei, Kanayama Hirazo, Fujita Tsuguharu, Umehara Ryuzaburo, Yasui Sotaro, Koiso Ryohei, Tomioka Tessai, Dohmoto Insho, Takeuchi Seiho, Hashimoto Kansetsu, Dota Bakusen, Fukuda Heihachiro, Kayama Matazo, Suda Kokutaro, Akatsuka Jitoke, Sugai Kumi, and Tsuchiya Takeshi, to name a few. The museum also features a rich collection of ceramics by Kawai Kanjiro and other craftworks, allowing visitors to appreciate the fusion or contrast between modern art and crafts. The museum building, completed in 1986, was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Fumihiko Maki. Designed to be lower than the adjacent Heian Jingu's large torii gate, it harmonizes beautifully with the surrounding landscape. The Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art offers a valuable experience for deeply understanding Japanese modern art within the setting of modern architecture and the lush greenery of Okazaki Park.