Kamigata Ukiyo E Museum

Though small and unassuming, the Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum in the heart of Dotombori is a gem of a museum for Japanese art lovers. Fans of woodblock prints will find much to delight them here.

[Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum - image © Florentyna Leow]

Tucked away down a side street in the heart of the Dotombori district is the unassuming Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum. Ukiyo-e are an Edo-period genre of woodblock prints depicting scenes from the ‘Floating World.’ For starters, think pictures of theaters, teahouses, beautiful women - images that take you away from the everyday.

This museum is unusual in that it only displays works made in Kamigata, which is the old name for the Kansai (West Japan) region. Furthermore, these works themselves are unusual as they’re centered primarily around kabuki - the traditional theatrical form where all roles are played by men, including the women’s parts. Much like movie posters, ukiyo-e prints played a major role in marketing kabuki plays to the masses during the Edo period.

The museum is relatively small and can be explored in under an hour for just JPY500, making it a nice reprieve from shopping nearby. If desired, visitors can try their hand at woodblock printing in the museum for an additional fee.

English name:
Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum

Japanese name:
上方浮世絵館

English address:
1-6-4 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, 542-0076

Japanese address:
〒542-0076 大阪市中央区難波1-6-4

Opening hours:
11am-6pm (last entry 5:30pm)
Closed Monday, or the following Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday

Admission:
Adults: 500
Junior high and elementary school students: 300

Nearest Transport:
Subway and Train: 2-minute walk from exit 14 of Namba Station.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-6-6211-0303

Website: Official Website (English)

Near To Here:
Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum is located in Osaka’s Minami district. See our complete list of things to do in the Minami district, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Are These Places Located?

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• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
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