* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Kyoto National Museum
京都国立博物館
Overview
Museum Overview
Opened in 1897 (Meiji 30), it stands as one of Japan's foremost national museums, dedicated to the preservation, research, and exhibition of cultural properties centered in Kyoto. The combined collection of holdings and loans totals approximately 14,600 items, including 29 National Treasures and 200 Important Cultural Properties. Two structures face Shichijo Street: the original main building (Meiji Koto-kan, designed by Katayama Tokuma), designated an Important Cultural Property as Meiji-era architecture, and the new Heisei Chishin-kan (designed by Taniguchi Yoshio), which opened in 2014.
Blade Exhibition
The blade exhibition features a permanent gallery on the first floor of Heisei Chishin-kan, displaying masterwork swords centered on the Yamashiro tradition. Kyoto is ancient Yamashiro Province and the birthplace of the Yamashiro tradition, foremost among the Five Great Schools of Japanese blade-making. Yamashiro smithing, beginning with the Sanjo and Gojo schools, descended through an unbroken lineage of the Awatauchi school (including Kunitsuna, Kuniyoshi, and Yoshimitsu) and the Rai school (including Rai Kuniyuki, Rai Kunitori, and Rai Kunimitsu), achieving a unique position in sword history through refined and dignified craftsmanship. Kyoto National Museum's blade collection represents one of Japan's finest assemblies for tracing Yamashiro tradition history through original works.
Decorative Arts
The National Treasure tachi inscribed 'Yasuke' is the work of Yasuke, a swordsmith of Hōki Province during the late Heian period. Its gentle curved blade with fine kosashi displays elegant hamon, while the slender and graceful tachi form embodies the refined aesthetic befitting Heian nobility. The museum houses numerous masterworks of the Awatauchi and Rai schools, enabling systematic appreciation of the Yamashiro tradition's sophisticated sensibility. The collection also includes celebrated blades of the Aizhu and Bizen traditions transmitted to Kyoto, with many pieces from the former holdings of temples, shrines, and court nobility—a distinctive feature of Kyoto National Museum.
Cultural Facilities
The special exhibition 'Kyoto Blades: Artisanal Craft and the Spirit of Refinement,' held in autumn 2018, became a legendary exhibition that created an unprecedented sensation in sword-collecting circles. Approximately 200 masterwork blades, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, were assembled in one place, presenting the full scope of Kyoto's accumulated blade culture centered on the Yamashiro tradition. The extraordinary crowds—with queues reaching up to five hours—symbolized the surging interest in Japanese swords.
Visiting and Access
The Heisei Chishin-kan, designed by Taniguchi Yoshio, stands as a masterpiece of contemporary architecture with its linear forms and beautiful water-feature approach—unmissable for architecture enthusiasts. Located directly across from Sanjusangendo, it sits along Kyoto's golden tourist route. The Higashiyama-Shichijo district concentrates historic landmarks: Chishakuin temple, and to the east of the museum, Myohonji temple and the Great Buddha Hall ruins of Hokaiji (now Toyokuni Shrine). The pleasures of historic exploration in this area are boundless.
Highlights
- National Treasure tachi inscribed 'Yasuke'—work of the Hōki Province swordsmith Yasuke from the late Heian period. Its gentle sori with kosashi reveals elegant hamon, while the slender, graceful tachi form conveys the refined aesthetic of the Heian court.
- Awatauchi and Rai school Yamashiro tradition blade collection—masterworks reflecting refined and dignified craftsmanship, befitting the birthplace of the Yamashiro tradition, foremost among the Five Great Schools. Works by celebrated smiths including Kunitsuna, Kuniyoshi, Yoshimitsu, Rai Kuniyuki, Rai Kunitori, and Rai Kunimitsu.
- Heisei Chishin-kan exhibition galleries (designed by Taniguchi Yoshio)—a contemporary architectural masterpiece with striking linear forms and graceful water-feature approach. Expertly designed galleries offering optimal conditions for appreciating blades.
- Permanent exhibition centered on blades with Kyoto provenance—a distinctive feature with many pieces from temple, shrine, and court nobility collections. Beyond the Yamashiro tradition, the museum holds masterworks of the Aizhu and Bizen traditions transmitted to Kyoto.
- 'Kyoto Blades' 2018 special exhibition legend—approximately 200 masterwork blades, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, assembled in one place, drawing unprecedented crowds with queues up to five hours. A historic exhibition that greatly expanded appreciation for blade culture.
* Opening hours and exhibitions are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.