Eastern

Rakuto Ihokan

Highlight
Wedding headrests (pillows) with gold lacquer decoration

The collection of a wealthy Edo merchant

The Kawabara family was originally from Kyushu, with the family forefather being a samurai of rank who moved to Kyoto in 1645, and set up a shop on the present site, dealing in cotton cloth, lacquer ware and paper as a Kyoto businessman with a store in Edo. This business did so well that the family became wealthy Kyoto merchants.
The museum collection consists of Edo heirlooms passed down through each generation of the Kawabara family. Of these, some 8,000 are family-orientated pieces such as wedding robes and furnishings; while a further 10,000 pieces are manuscripts such as business records, old documents and old books. Added to these, there are panel paintings depicting scenes from the Tale of Genji as well as other arts and crafts such as paintings (scrolls, folding screens and ukiyoe), Zen monk penmanship, ceramics, tea utensils, swords and clothing. Pieces from this vast collection are selected each spring and autumn for themed exhibitions that are open to the public along with the magnificent house itself, which was built in 1763 and retains much of the ambience of a wealthy Edo merchant.

photoPart of the series of screens depicting the Tale of Genji

Part of the series of screens depicting the Tale of Genji

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Address 472 Nishi Tachibana-cho Tonyamachi-dori Gojo-sagaru 3 chome, Higashiyama-ku
TEL 075-561-1045
FAX 075-561-3651
URL http://www.kuroeya.com/05rakutou/index.html
Hours 10:00~16:00 (entry by 16:00) only for 1/4~5/5 and 1/10~3/11
Closed Mon (following day if Nat Hol)
Adm Adults ¥300, High school and college students ¥200, Elementary and junior high school students ¥100, people wearing kimono ¥100
Access A 3-min walk from Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Stn/A 5-min walk from Gojo-Keihan-mae Stop of City Bus/A 5-min walk from Gojo-Keihan Stop of Keihan Bus

Facilities near by

photo:Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple

Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple

See close up the works of the stars of Heian and Kamakura sculpture

photo:Kawai Kanjiro’s House

Kawai Kanjiro’s House

A space echoing resoundingly to the aesthetic sense of the artist

photo:Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design 

Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design 

An insight on the world of beauty and crafts amidst the tradition of Kyoto

photo:Obentobako Museum

Obentobako Museum

Lunchboxes that speak volumes about the food culture of Edo times

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