Located in a former elementary school building, Kyoto International Manga Museum (京都国際マンガミュージアム; kyotomm.jp/en) is dedicated to the art and history of Japanese comics.
English-speaking visitors will get the most out of the bilingual permanent exhibit What is Manga? on the second floor, which shows the development of manga from 12th-century (Heian-period) scrolls, to Edo-period woodblock printing, through to modern manga and cosplay. You'll also learn basic manga principles, such as speech bubbles, and Japanese katakana script used as onomatopoeic visuals.
The main attraction is the museum's vast comic book collection, which you can enjoy in quiet reading areas. Apart from the international Manga Expo corner, virtually all the books are in Japanese. Despite the language barrier, children may also enjoy the occasional performances of kami-shibai (humorous traditional Japanese sliding-picture shows) and the artificial lawn where they can run free.
