How to Get to Miho Museum from Kyoto

Have you heard of “Miho Museum” before?
Recently it is one of the most popular museums for the tourists all over the world.
But why is it popular? Let us explain the attraction of Miho Museum in this article. Also it is easily accessible from Kyoto so we will tell you how to get there from Kyoto!

About Miho Museum

The Miho Museum opened in November 1997 amid the abundant natural beauty of the mountains of Shigaraki, Shiga prefecture. The collection started by the founder, Mihoko Koyama (1910 – 2003) and it is designed to fulfill her vision of promoting beauty, peace and joy through the art. It includes a wide range of Japanese art, along with ancient art from areas such as Egypt, Western Asia, Greece, Rome, Southern Asia and China. There are over two thousand pieces in the permanent collection, of which approximately 250 are displayed at any one time.

The approach to the museum was designed by the architect I.M. Pei, who is renowned for works such as the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris

Visitors travel down a walkway enveloped by cherry trees and pass through a tunnel and over a bridge before arriving at the museum. The design was inspired by the ethereal utopia described in the Taohua Yuan Ji (The Peach Blossom Spring), an ancient Chinese work written by Tao Yuanming. The work tells the tale of a fisherman who roams into a grotto after being drawn by the fragrant scent of a forest of blossoming peach trees. Emerging from the other side, he finds an idyllic village of inhabitants who all live joyfully, and welcome the fisherman into their homes.

The Miho Museum has been conceived as a real-world version of this village.
You will enjoy the harmonious blend of natural beauty, architecture, art and food it provides amid a vibrant backdrop of seasonal colors.

Opening hours and admission

Open The museum opens from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, with the last admission at 4:00 pm.
Close The museum closes every Monday (or the next business day if Monday is a national holiday) during periods of regular operation in the spring, summer and fall. The museum may also be closed for exhibit changes, so check the museum schedule before planning your visit.

Admission Fee Adult 1,100 yen,  *If you are Groups (of 20 or more): 900 yen
High school/university students 800 yen,  *Group: 600 yen
Elementary/junior high school students 300 yen,  *Group: 100 yen
Visitors with disability certificate 200 yen discount on admission prices above (free admission for elementary and junior high school group members)

How to Get There from Kyoto?

1. By Public Transportation

You can take a special rapid train from JR Kyoto station to JR Ishiyama Station.
Then, please take the exit on the right at JR Ishiyama station, and take the bus No.50 or 150 for Miho Museum.
The bus departs from the bus stop lane 3 and says Miho Museum in both English and Japanese on its sign.

• Train Fare: 240 yen, 15 min *You can use JR pass.
• Bus Fare: (One way) Adult 820 yen, Child 410 yen (-12)

Tips for taking a bus:
+How to pay: Please have the exact fare in cash when getting off the bus. Change is not available but if it is difficult, you can ask for breaking a bill (up to 1,000 yen is preferable) when you pay.
 +Luggage Storage: For safety measures whilst on the bus, passengers with a large baggage can store them in the luggage space provided at Ishiyama station.
 +Frequency: Frequency of the buses may increase during Spring and Fall in accordance with the number of passengers. In adverse weather conditions, bus service may be affected. Note: Services are only available during Miho Museum’s operation periods in Spring, Summer, and Autumn seasons.

【Departs JR Ishiyama Station Teisan Bus Schedule】

2. By Taxi

Ishiyama, Seta and Minami Kusatsu are the nearest JR stations. It takes 30 to 40 minutes respectively to the museum.
From Shigaraki Kogen Railway Shigaraki station, it takes about 20 minutes.

3. By Car

It takes about 1 hour from Kyoto central area.

As for Parking, the museum has enough parking space for 10 tour buses and 170 cars. They offer a free parking.

How do you think about Miho Museum?
If you want to get more information about Miho Museum, please feel free to contact us.

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Accommodation near Miho museum

Hotel name	Description
[Hotel]Reiah Hotel Otsu Ishiyama	Near Ishiyama station (2mins on foot)
[Hostel]Ishiyama Ichinobo	Near Ishiyama station (4mins on foot)
Hiraokaya (only in Japanese)	Near Shigaraki station
Shigaraki (only in Japanese)	Near Ishiyama station