Museums in Kyoto · Gojozaka, Higashiyama, Kyoto

Kawai Kanjiro's House (Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum)

In 1937, ceramic artist Kanjiro Kawai designed the Kyoto home and workshop where he would live until his death in 1966. The property preserves his residence, pottery studio, climbing kiln and furniture, bringing together the everyday surroundings and artistic creations of a leading figure in Japan's Mingei folk-craft movement. The museum offers something different from a conventional ceramics gallery: the opportunity to explore a domestic environment shaped by the artist's own ideas about living and making things.

Hours, admission and access

Hours

10:00 AM–5:00 PM. Last admission at 4:30 PM. Published by the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation.

Closed

Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a national holiday. Summer closure approximately August 11–20; winter closure approximately December 25–January 8. Exact closure dates are subject to confirmation.

Admission

Adults: ¥1,000; high school and university students: ¥500; elementary and junior high school students: ¥300. Published by the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation. Direct confirmation from the museum operator for 2026 was not obtained.

Access

Approximately 10 minutes on foot from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station on the Keihan Main Line, or approximately 2 minutes from Umamachi city bus stop.

Nearest station

Kiyomizu-Gojo Station (Keihan Main Line)

Checked against official information on 2026-10-28. Details change, so check the official website before you go.

Sources: Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation — Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum, Kyoto Museums Association — Kawai Kanjiro's House, Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Exploring the Aesthetics of Old Japan, Kyoto Association of Owners of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, Kyoto Art Box — Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum, Kyoto City International Foundation — Life in Kyoto, Winter 2021

Pochikichi's story corner

How did a Kyoto potter turn his own home into a work of art?

Kanjiro Kawai was born in 1890 and became a ceramic artist, sculptor, writer and designer active during Japan's Taisho and Showa periods. Kyoto City's official travel guide describes his interests as extending beyond pottery into poetry, sculpture and interior design. His work developed within Kyoto's established ceramic culture, but his artistic concerns were broader than the production of individual vessels. Kawai was interested in the relationship between making objects and living with them.

The house visitors encounter today was designed by Kawai in 1937. The Kyoto Association of Owners of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties identifies his elder brother as the person responsible for its construction. The residence combines architectural influences associated with Kyoto townhouses and other Japanese regional building traditions. The association specifically describes exterior features resembling traditional townhouses along the Nakasendo route, elements of Kyoto latticework, substantial interior timbers and flooring influenced by Korean domestic architecture.

The property was conceived as both residence and workplace. Kyoto City's official travel feature describes a large central living space with substantial beams and pillars, together with furniture designed by Kawai himself. The Kyoto Museums Association explains that ceramics, woodcarvings, calligraphy and objects collected by the artist remain displayed throughout the house. Instead of arranging everything in conventional display cases, the museum preserves the relationship between artworks and their domestic surroundings. The museum association also records works associated with Soetsu Yanagi and Tatsuaki Kuroda, revealing Kawai's connections with the wider Japanese craft movement.

Kawai lived in the house until his death in 1966. Although modifications were made to accommodate museum visitors, Kyoto City's guide explains that much of its domestic character survives. The property also retains the pottery studio and climbing kiln. These features are particularly important because they connect Kawai's artistic life to the working environment of the Gojozaka ceramic district. So when you visit, look for the relationship between the central living space, the specially designed furniture, the workshop and the kiln: together they show how Kawai connected everyday life with artistic production.

Sources: Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Exploring the Aesthetics of Old Japan, Kyoto Museums Association — Kawai Kanjiro's House, Kyoto Association of Owners of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, Kyoto Art Box — Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum

Long ago, around here

What occupied Gojozaka before Kawai created his home?

The exact buildings occupying the museum's present plot approximately 1,200 years ago could not be established from the sources consulted. The existing residence is a twentieth-century structure and should not be mistaken for a surviving building from Kyoto's earliest history. What can be documented is the development of Gojozaka as a center of ceramics production. The area's identity became closely connected with pottery workshops, climbing kilns and the people whose skills supported the firing and finishing of Kyoto ceramics.

The Kyoto City International Foundation describes Gojozaka as an active pottery district during the early twentieth century, when approximately 20 climbing kilns were said to be operating in the area. Its account explains that Kawai studied pottery at Tokyo Higher Technical School and subsequently worked as an adviser on glazes at the pottery of Kiyomizu Rokubei. He eventually obtained a climbing kiln from the Kiyomizu family and established himself in Kyoto. The same account states that typhoon damage to his earlier residence prompted him to design and rebuild the house. The museum therefore preserves a connection between the personal history of an artist and a formerly active urban manufacturing neighborhood.

Sources: Kyoto City International Foundation — Life in Kyoto, Winter 2021, Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Exploring the Aesthetics of Old Japan

Hidden highlights

The finger-shaped sculpture

Kyoto City's official travel feature describes an unusual sculpture resembling an upright index finger with a sphere at its tip, positioned to the right after entering. Its modern form creates a striking contrast with the traditional Japanese architectural setting.

The hearth-side chair

A wooden chair near the hearth was designed with the height of the opposite tatami seating in mind. Kyoto City's guide explains that someone sitting in the chair and someone sitting on the raised tatami floor can meet at approximately the same eye level.

The double-sided shelf

Look for shelving designed to be used from either side. This practical invention demonstrates how Kawai incorporated everyday usefulness into furniture design.

The storage drawers

Kyoto City's guide identifies small drawers built beneath chairs. They demonstrate Kawai's interest in making efficient use of domestic space.

The compact household shrine

The official travel feature describes a household shrine designed to fit within a small space. It is another example of Kawai adapting traditional domestic elements to his own interior arrangements.

The climbing kiln

The kiln was shared with neighboring potters. Kyoto City's guide records that Kawai was said to have fired his ceramics in its second chamber, offering an insight into how the artist worked within the surrounding pottery community.

Sources: Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Exploring the Aesthetics of Old Japan

How to explore Kawai Kanjiro's House

1. Entrance — Examine the relationship between the traditional entrance and the unusual finger-shaped sculpture described in Kyoto City's guide. (5 minutes min)
2. Main living room — Look at the substantial wooden beams, the open interior and the relationship between the living space and its furniture. (10 minutes min)
3. Hearth and furniture — Study the hearth-side chair, raised tatami seating, double-sided shelving and integrated storage. (10 minutes min)
4. Artworks and collected objects — Explore the ceramics, woodcarvings and calligraphy displayed throughout the domestic interior. (10 minutes min)
5. Pottery workshop — Observe the relationship between the residence and the space used for artistic production. (10 minutes min)
6. Climbing kiln — Finish by examining the surviving kiln and considering its former role in the surrounding pottery community. (10 minutes min)

All durations are Kyochika estimates rather than official museum timings. The suggested sequence is editorial and may need to be adjusted according to the museum's current visitor route and access restrictions.

Sources: Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Exploring the Aesthetics of Old Japan, Kyoto City International Foundation — Life in Kyoto, Winter 2021

Through the seasons

Spring

Kyochika suggests combining the museum's indoor collections with a walk through the surrounding pottery district.

Summer

The museum can form part of an indoor cultural itinerary, but visitors should check the published summer closure around August 11–20.

Autumn

The museum is suitable for a visit focused on Japanese craftsmanship and historic interiors. The Kyoto Museums Association confirms that displays undergo minor seasonal rotations.

Winter

Consider the museum for an architecture-focused itinerary, but check its extended winter closure before traveling.

Getting there by taxi or bus

Taxi

Ask for Kawai Kanjiro's House in Gojozaka, Higashiyama. The verified museum address is 569 Kaneicho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto.

Bus

Kyoto City Bus routes 206 or 207 to Umamachi (馬町), followed by approximately 1 minute on foot according to Kyoto Art Box. The Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation gives approximately 2 minutes on foot.

Other

Keihan Main Line to Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, followed by approximately 10 minutes on foot. Kyoto Art Box specifies Exit 2.

Sources: Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation — Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum, Kyoto Art Box — Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum

Pair it with

• Kyoto National Museum — The Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation lists the museum among nearby attractions, making it a practical option for extending a day devoted to Japanese art. (Walking time not officially confirmed min walk)
• Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple — The temple is listed among nearby sites by the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation and provides a contrasting religious-history destination. (Walking time not officially confirmed min walk)
• Toyokuni Shrine — The shrine is listed among nearby attractions by the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation and can broaden a neighborhood walk beyond ceramics. (Walking time not officially confirmed min walk)

Good to know before you go

• The Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation lists opening hours of 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, with final admission at 4:30 PM.
• The published adult admission is ¥1,000 according to the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation.
• An older Kyoto Art Box listing gives an adult admission price of ¥900 and explicitly warns that its information may differ from current arrangements.
• The Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation states that the museum is not wheelchair accessible.
• The Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation lists no dedicated parking.
• The Kyoto Museums Association provides an English-language introduction to the museum and its collections.
• Kyoto City's official travel guide discusses furniture that visitors can experience physically. Follow current museum instructions before touching or sitting on individual objects.
• The Kyoto Museums Association confirms that artworks are displayed throughout the house and that minor seasonal changes occur.
• Card-payment arrangements, interior photography rules, luggage storage, reservations and audio-guide availability could not be confirmed from the opened sources.
• The museum operator's own website was not successfully verified, so the 2026 operating arrangements could not be independently confirmed directly with the museum.

FAQ

What is Kawai Kanjiro's House (Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum)?

In 1937, ceramic artist Kanjiro Kawai designed the Kyoto home and workshop where he would live until his death in 1966. The property preserves his residence, pottery studio, climbing kiln and furniture, bringing together the everyday surroundings and artistic creations of a leading figure in Japan's Mingei folk-craft movement. The museum offers something different from a conventional ceramics gallery: the opportunity to explore a domestic environment shaped by the artist's own ideas about living and making things.

Hours at Kawai Kanjiro's House (Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum)?

10:00 AM–5:00 PM. Last admission at 4:30 PM. Published by the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation.

Closed at Kawai Kanjiro's House (Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum)?

Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a national holiday. Summer closure approximately August 11–20; winter closure approximately December 25–January 8. Exact closure dates are subject to confirmation.

Admission at Kawai Kanjiro's House (Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum)?

Adults: ¥1,000; high school and university students: ¥500; elementary and junior high school students: ¥300. Published by the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation. Direct confirmation from the museum operator for 2026 was not obtained.

Access at Kawai Kanjiro's House (Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum)?

Approximately 10 minutes on foot from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station on the Keihan Main Line, or approximately 2 minutes from Umamachi city bus stop.

Is Kawai Kanjiro's House a museum or a historic residence?

Both. It preserves the home and workplace of ceramic artist Kanjiro Kawai, with ceramics, furniture, sculptures, a workshop and a climbing kiln.

Can visitors see the original pottery kiln?

The property preserves a climbing kiln associated with Kawai's work. Follow museum instructions regarding access to individual areas.

How long should I allow?

Kyochika suggests approximately 45–60 minutes for a visit focused on the architecture, furniture and ceramics. This is an editorial estimate, not an official museum duration.

Is the museum wheelchair accessible?

The Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation lists the museum as not wheelchair accessible. Visitors with specific accessibility requirements should contact the museum before traveling.

More sights in Kyoto → · This page in Japanese