This department was founded to integrate instruction and research in philosophy of art and art history. Emphasis is laid upon the following fields of study: theories of visual arts, German and French aesthetics, philosophical research in modern art, history of modern design, history of Japanese and Chinese art, and history of European art.
All students, including those who are primarily interested in the philosophy of art, are required to visit museums, concerts, theaters and so forth so as to enrich their experience in art. Accordingly, research trips to temples, shrines, and museums in the Kinki area are frequently organized. The department publishes the annual bulletin Kyoto Studies in Aesthetics and Art History, which replaced the Kenkyukiyo (nos.1-22) in 2002.

• http://www.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/aesthetics/index_e.html