Ryukoku Museum
Kyoto Station, Kyoto
- Tue to Sun
- 10:00 to 17:00
- Mon
- Closed
Last entry 16:30. Open on Monday public holidays, closed the next day instead. Also closed between exhibitions.
Source: museum.ryukoku.ac.jp, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Ryukoku University's museum stands on Horikawa-dori facing Nishi Hongan-ji and puts on exhibitions on the history of Buddhism, from its start in India to Japan. Don't miss the full-size reconstruction of the corridor of Cave 15 at Bezeklik, near Turfan in Xinjiang, about 15 m long and 3.5 m high, with nine murals of about 3 m each.
Insider tip
Each exhibition sets its own price, and the smaller series shows are ¥550. The autumn 2026 exhibition, on Fumon-ji temple in eastern Aichi, runs to 23 November. Closed Mondays and between exhibitions. It's 12 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station.
Tickets and tours
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What's on at Ryukoku Museum
Upcoming events at Ryukoku Museum, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Everyone Come! Fumon-ji of Higashi-Mikawa
秋季企画展「みんなおいでん！東三河の普門寺さん」
Time 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30). Closed Mondays except Sep 21, Oct 12 and Nov 23, and closed Sep 24 and Oct 13
Autumn exhibition of Buddhist statues and historical documents kept at Fumon-ji in Toyohashi, Aichi, which marks 1,300 years since its founding in 2027. The display changes partway through the run.
663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0 Buddha Portrait Caricatures at Ryukoku Museum
仏像似顔絵屋さん 龍谷ミュージアム
Time 11:00 to 17:00 in 30-minute slots, no slot 12:30 to 13:30 Station Kyoto Station about 12 min walk; Nishi-Hongwanji-mae bus stop about 2 min
An artist draws postcard-size caricatures that turn visitors' faces into Buddha images, in 30-minute slots in the museum's entrance hall. Advance booking required, one person per slot, no museum ticket needed.
663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0 Talk Session on Fumonji Buddhas at Ryukoku Museum
トークセッション「普門寺のキセキ－三遠仏を語る－」 龍谷ミュージアム
Time 13:30 to 15:00 Station Kyoto Station about 12 min walk; Nishi-Hongwanji-mae bus stop about 2 min
A talk by a Hamamatsu museum curator and a Ryukoku Museum curator on the Buddhist images of Fumonji temple, tied to the autumn exhibition. Free to hear but advance booking and a museum ticket are needed, 60 seats.
663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0 Hug-a-Jaki Experience at Ryukoku Museum
「抱き邪鬼」体験 龍谷ミュージアム
Time 11:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00 (45 minutes each) Station Kyoto Station about 12 min walk; Nishi-Hongwanji-mae bus stop about 2 min
A hands-on session at the museum where visitors hold a Jaki demon figure, in four 45-minute slots, with a Fumonji paper-cut goshuin as a gift. Advance booking and a museum ticket are required.
663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ryukoku Museum: Indian Miniature Paintings, Gods and Buddhas (Hatakenaka Collection)
龍谷ミュージアム 特集展示 インド細密画の神やほとけたち－畠中光享コレクション－（仮称）
Station Kyoto Station about 12 min walk; Nishi-Hongwanji-mae bus stop about 2 min
A feature show of Indian miniature paintings from the collection of the painter and Indian art scholar Hatakenaka Mitsuyuki, part of the series on Buddhist thought and culture. The title is provisional.
663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0 Smaller local events nearby
Gallery talk by the Fumonji priest at Ryukoku Museum Exhibition
11 and 17 November, 16:00 to 16:45. Next: Wed 11 Nov · Ryukoku Museum (3F exhibition room), Kyoto Station
The priest of Fumonji explains the highlights of the autumn show in the exhibition room. No booking, free to listen, a museum ticket is needed on the day.
Free to listen, museum ticket needed · 16:00 to 16:45 · Map · Source: Ryukoku Museum · 普門寺御住職によるギャラリートーク（龍谷ミュージアム）
Shinran's Day at Nishi Hongan-ji Festival
16th of every month except January. Next: Mon 16 Nov · Nishi Hongan-ji, Kyoto Station
On the 16th, except in January, free events include a Goeido service at 10:00, a talk at 10:40 and a Shoin guided tour at 11:00 for 40 people. Tickets go out from 9:00 at Ryukoden.
Free · 10:00 · Map · Source: Nishi Hongan-ji · 親鸞聖人の日（西本願寺）
Nearby
Around Kyoto Station
Free temples and late ramen a few minutes from the platforms
Most visitors only see Kyoto Station on the way in or out, which is a shame. Higashi Hongan-ji is 7 minutes north on foot and free, To-ji's pagoda is 15 minutes south, and at the railway museum to the west a working steam engine will pull you along. After dark, 15,000 LEDs light the station's 171-step staircase.
Kyoto Station has 23 places on the Roam Kyoto map: 4 shrines and temples, 4 museums, 3 restaurants, 2 shops, 2 cafes, 2 parks and gardens, 2 bathhouses, 1 bar, 1 landmark, 1 viewpoint and 1 market. Read the Kyoto Station guide.
Good to know
- What is the address of Ryukoku Museum?
- Horikawa-dori Shomen-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都市下京区堀川通正面下る（西本願寺前）).
- What are the opening hours of Ryukoku Museum?
- Tue to Sun 10:00 to 17:00; Closed Mon. Last entry 16:30. Open on Monday public holidays, closed the next day instead. Also closed between exhibitions.
- How do I get to Ryukoku Museum?
- The nearest station is Kyoto (JR, Karasuma Line, Kintetsu). Ryukoku Museum is in Kyoto Station, Kyoto.
- How much does Ryukoku Museum cost?
- Ryukoku Museum is cheap, marked ¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Ryukoku Museum?
- Plan for 1 hour.
- When is the best time to visit Ryukoku Museum?
- Rainy afternoons.
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