At by At · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMuseum & venue · Kyoto
Raku Museum
樂美術館
The Raku Museum stands next to the home and workshop of the Raku family, who have made tea bowls in Kyoto for about 450 years, over sixteen generations. It was founded in 1978 by the 14th head, Kakunyu, and holds works by each generation that the family kept as models for the next.
Raku bowls are shaped by hand, not thrown on a wheel, and fired in small batches, which gives them soft, uneven forms and deep black or red glazes. Seeing them in a quiet room shows why tea masters value them so much. The museum holds three shows a year, and special programmes sometimes let you handle real bowls.
What to see and do
Works by each Raku head, from the Momoyama period to today.
'Kikka Ryoran' looks at chrysanthemum motifs across the Raku generations.
Special sessions let you pick up and study pieces by hand; see the official site for dates.
Tea served in bowls from the collection, hosted by the 15th head, Raku Jikinyu (booking required).
What’s on
Good to know
- No reservation is needed for a normal visit, but tea gatherings and talks must be booked ahead.
- Seimei Shrine and the Nishijin Textile Center are 5–6 minutes' walk away.