News On Japan

Kyoto International Manga Museum Releases First Official Guidebook

KYOTO, Mar 26 (News On Japan) - The Kyoto International Manga Museum, celebrating its 17th year since opening, is set to release its first official guidebook titled "What is Manga? Understanding Manga through Manga" in mid-April, published by Seigensha.

The museum's permanent exhibition "What is Manga?"—often the subject of inquiries by foreign visitors—served as the foundation for this publication, which aims to answer common questions about manga. The book expands upon the exhibition's content to serve as a comprehensive guide to manga culture.

Within its pages, the guidebook presents a variety of topics surrounding manga, including "The History of Manga," "The Manga Industry in Numbers," and "The Expansion of Digital Publishing." It also functions as a visual book that showcases the museum's impressive collection of over 300,000 manga-related materials through extensive illustrations. Additionally, it serves as an educational manga featuring original characters like Neko Curator and Dr. Neko, making it an enjoyable read for both children and adults.

The appendix "True Stories! The Person Inside Neko Curator" reveals some of the lesser-known activities of the Kyoto International Manga Museum. From April 1, the museum's shop will offer an advance sale of the book, with plans for digital distribution on Kindle within April. To celebrate the publication, the museum is selling a limited-time online ticket package that includes admission and the guidebook at a discounted rate from the release date until June 25. The guidebook will be presented to visitors at the reception desk upon their visit. For more details, check the official website of the Kyoto International Manga Museum.

Comment by Hiroshi Aramata, Director of the Kyoto International Manga Museum: "Manga is an incredible invention that has silently connected the entire world and become 'the next language' after words. It's like a 'monitor that doesn't need electricity.' Once reflected on the manga screen, anything can be transformed into manga. Now, where will manga take us next?"

Source: Natalie

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

JR East has launched a preview version of its new online Shinkansen booking platform, JRE GO, promising reservations in as little as one minute and easier handling of sudden schedule changes.

A 37-year-old father arrested over the alleged abandonment of his son's body in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture may have contacted associates to say the child had gone missing before the boy's school informed the family, investigators said.

A bear that had remained in a residential area in central Sendai since early Sunday morning was euthanized last night in an emergency cull. No injuries were reported.

Police investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy whose body was found in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture believe his father moved the remains between several locations over a number of days in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime.

A large and powerful Typhoon No. 4, internationally named Sinlaku, was located near the Mariana Islands and moving north-northeast as of the latest update. The storm is expected to gradually shift its course eastward and pass southeast of the Ogasawara Islands around April 18, before making its closest approach around April 19.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Entertainment NEWS

In today's video, we explore the April performances at the Kabuki-za theatre in Tokyo! (Kabuki In-Depth)

A man accused of violating copyright law by publishing so-called spoiler articles summarizing films on the internet was handed a suspended prison sentence after the Tokyo District Court ruled that the posts infringed copyright.

A theater directly connected to Tokyo Station is set to open in May inside a large-scale redevelopment complex scheduled to fully launch in autumn, marking a new step in efforts to strengthen the area’s cultural and artistic presence.

A farewell performance titled "Farewell April Grand Kabuki" is being staged at Osaka Shochikuza in Chuo Ward, Osaka, which is set to close in May due to the aging of the building, marking the beginning of a two-month run of kabuki performances that have drawn audiences with comedies and dances featuring a colorful cast of characters, continuing through April 26th.

Today we have a look at the kabuki performances taking this April at the Shochiku-za theatre in Osaka! (Kabuki In-Depth)

A talk event was held at a bookstore in New York on March 9th to commemorate the publication of the English translation "SAKURA" of the bestselling novel "Sakura" by Naoki Prize-winning author Kanae Nishi, who appeared alongside American translator Allison Powell to discuss the book’s central theme of family love.

The winner of the 2026 Japan Booksellers Award, in which bookstore staff across the country vote for the book they most want to sell, was announced on April 9th, with Ryo Asai, 36, receiving the top prize for the novel "In the Megachurch," published by Nikkei Publishing.

Athletes from across Japan boasting finely trained physiques are set to gather in Okinawa for a major fitness competition, as more than 300 participants prepare to compete in the "Muscle Gate" body make contest, marking the event’s first-ever staging in the prefecture.