Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto

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This is the Kyoto National Museum (not to confuse with the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art) Here you can find interesting exhibitions regarding the city and Japan history as well as other interesting exhibitions and National Treasures.

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This room presents Japanese lacquerware decorated in the makie technique (using sprinkled gold powder), as well as Chinese and Korean lacquerware. Various themes, periods, techniques and styles of lacquer are explored in its display.

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This room prsents Japanese lacquerware decorated in the make technique (using sprinkled gold power), as well as Chinese and Korean lacquerware. Various themes, periods, techniques and styles of lacquer are explored in its display.

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This is one of my favorites in the Museum because of the colorful kimonos on display. This room features costumes and textiles from early to early modern Japan, and introduces their techniques and designs.

In the early spring, Girl's Day is celebrated with a special display of dolls.

The Calligraphic works - including Buddhist sutras, early documents, and records from China and Japan are highlighted as visual art.

You can skip this room if you wanted to. It is kind of boring especially when you cannot understand the language. Just proceed to Room 14 which is the Textile Room.

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In Room 5 of the Museum are the valuable treasures of Japan! Early Gandharan and Chinese stone and gilt bronze Buddhas, and Japanese Buddhist schultures from the Nara and Heian periods (8th-12th c.) are shown.

In Room 6 exhibits small gilt bronze Buddhas and Kamakura-period (1185-1333) Buddhist sculptures. Guardian lions and lion-dogs and masks are also featured for special displays.

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The museum was very dark when we were there. There is not a lot of lighting and I am not sure if it was intentional to preserve some of the artifacts. However, it is a good idea to get the map of the museum and figure out which room displays what artifacts.

Rooms 3-4 displays is the Ceramic Room of the Museum. The ceramics on display are those from the Nara (710-793) to Edo (1616-1867) periods, and introduces the stuylistic features of various kilns.

Room 4 displays Chinese ceramics, including burial figurines from the tombs of the Han (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) to Tang (618-c. 907) dynasties. Song and Yuan dynsasty (10th-14th c.) celadon and tenmoku ware, and Yuan and Ming-dynasty (13th-1th c.) bule-and-white and five-colored porcelain, and Korean ceramics.

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Plan to stay longer at the museum when there is a special event. And, don't forget to to go to Rooms 1-2, the Archaelogy room. Room 1 exhibits archaelogical artifacts from the Paleolithic, Jomon, Yajoi, and Kofun periods (16,000 B.C. A.D. 7th c) from various regions of Japan, and photographs of the excavation sites from each period.

Artifacts excavated from sites in the Heian capital of Kyoto and of former temples and sutra mounds from the Nara (710-793) to Heian (794-1185) periods are surveyed in room 2.