The Kyoto National Museum and Municipal Museum of Art

Kyoto not only has a large number of beautiful old temples with significant artworks, but it also has a lot of fantastic collections housed in top-notch museums and galleries. The National Museum, an art gallery founded in 1897 and widely perceived as the most important such museum in Japan, is perhaps the most well-known.

The museum, which focuses mostly on examples of pre-modern Asian art from Japan, has undergone a thorough restoration. The many examples of historic art and applied arts, as well as ongoing exhibitions, are highlights of a visit (be prepared for plenty of walking). The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art is also noteworthy. Takeuchi Seih, one of Japan's most prominent 20th-century artists, has important works on display in this fine gallery.

Address: 527 Chayacho, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0931
Official site: www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/index.html