Without a doubt, Kyoto is Japan’s center of culture and tradition. But just as the prefecture is known for its refined taste, it also happens to be home to a bunch of peculiar places. One of them is known to quirky destination enthusiasts as Kaosu no Ma, or Chaos Room in English.
Antique Art Gallery
Perhaps the phrase “art gallery” best summarizes what Chaos Room is, but it’s also a lot more than that. Occupying a small space on the second floor of an otherwise nondescript building in Kyoto’s Higashiyama District, Chaos Room offers visitors a strange but pleasurable experience. I was a bit reluctant to enter the gallery at first, but as soon as I popped in, the owner greeted me. Welcoming, with a side of quirky. I didn’t know so much personality could exude in such a short exchange of words.
After paying the ¥500 admission fee, he told me to take my time, explore freely, and take as many photos and videos as I want. He then started playing noise music, which heightened the eccentric atmosphere. Think opening song of American Horror Story. Combined with the strange objects in the room, it made me feel like something scary was going to jump out of the corner any second.
Chaotic Collection
Inside, Chaos Room is cluttered with obscure vintage objects. Mannequin and doll parts are strewn everywhere, some hanging from the ceiling, others protruding from a pile of other body parts. Medical gear, old watches and their parts, art sketches, signs and posters from a time long gone—one can argue that Chaos Room resembles a hoarder’s secret closet, albeit with a method, or in this case, aesthetic, to the madness.
In an interview, owner Sunamoto Matsuo explains that he used to be an antique seller, and while bought and sold objects of value, he also had an eye for things that are perceived of little worth. Chaos Room was the home he built for these things, which he explains has no particular theme; he collects as he like it.
While it may not seem so at first, the items at Chaos Room are actually for sale. Art students regularly come to the gallery to get materials for their pieces. In fact, the owner reports that visitors to the gallery largely comprise of artists looking for inspiration, people looking for novel experiences, and travelers like me, who find the peculiar fascinating.
Alternative Kyoto
Overall, Chaos Room provides an alternative way of enjoying Kyoto. If your itinerary is full of temples and shrines and you want to throw something unique in the mix, this eccentric art gallery definitely fits the bill.
Chaos Room in Photos
How to Get to Chaos Room
Chaos Room (Kaosu no Ma, カオスの間)
075-762-5255 (no website or official open hours)
Admission: ¥500
5-minute walk from Higashiyama Station, Tozai Line
