Kyoto International Manga Museum 京都国際マンガミュージアム

Every fan of Japanese comics should make the pilgrimage to the Kyoto International Manga Museum, the world's first comprehensive manga museum dedicated to the art form.

The Manga Museum is easily accessible by subway.

From Kyoto Station , take the Karasuma subway line to Karasuma-Oike Station. It's a two-minute walk from there.

Housed in a former elementary school, this fun and colorful museum has about 300,000 different manga in its collection. Peruse the collection inside or take a few into the courtyard outside to read on the lovely grass square on the museum's grounds.

The Manga Museum also features exhibits on the history and development of manga, which include original artwork by famous authors in the temporary exhibition. However, the facility is perhaps better understood as a library with about 50,000 manga in its collection free to read, as most of the museum is devoted to works that you can check out on your own.

Although most of the displays and available literature are in Japanese, there is a growing international section offering manga in English and other languages. The museum also features exhibits of manga by international authors, and often hosts international manga artists for talks.

If you've got kids along, check out the special children's library, as well as periodic performances of kamishibai. This Japanese artform combines storytelling with large illustrations. Tellingly, several major manga artists made kamishibai early in their careers.

The museum also holds workshops (advanced application required), drawing classes and international conferences. Visit the website for more details.

The latest information may differ, so please check the official website