International Licensing Guide

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in Image Archives.

Image Archives is an image licensing service providing access to artworks and cultural heritage materials held by museums, archives, and cultural institutions in Japan.

We assist researchers, publishers, museums, educational institutions, media organizations, commercial businesses, and merchandise producers seeking permission to use images from our collections.

For international inquiries, please review the information below and contact us using the inquiry form at the bottom of this page.

Please see How We Handle Personal Information 

Please use the inquiry form below to contact Image Archives.

Contact Image Archives

About Image Archives

Image Archives provides licensing support for a wide range of cultural and artistic materials.

The availability of images and licensing conditions may vary depending on the collection, institution, copyright status, and intended use.

Featured Partner Institutions

Available Worldwide

  • Ajinomoto Foundation for Dietary Culture
  • Asai Collection (Cool Art Tokyo)
  • Daijôji Temple
  • Fukuoka Art Museum
  • Fukuoka City Museum
  • Gallery MoMo
  • Hayashibara Museum of Art
  • Hikone Castle Museum
  • Ikuta Makoto Collection
  • Inoue Hakudo
  • J. Front Retailing Archives Foundation Inc.
  • Kobe City Museum
  • Mainichi Newspapers
  • Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
  • Nadamoto Tadahito
  • Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
  • National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
  • Nijô Castle
  • POLA Research Institute of Beauty & Culture
  • Pola Museum of Art
  • Seikado Bunko Art Museum
  • Seiryo-ji Temple
  • Takehisa Yumeji Museum of Art
  • Tenri Central Library
  • The Ancient Orient Museum, Tokyo
  • The National Museum of Art, Osaka
  • The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
  • The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
  • The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
  • The Sumida Hokusai Museum
  • The Tokugawa Art Museum
  • The Tokugawa Museum, Mito
  • Tokutani Hideki
  • Tokyo Fuji Art Museum
  • Tokyo Kasei Gakuin University
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
  • Tokyo National Museum
  • Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
  • Tokyo University of the Arts
  • Yamanobe Shrine (Gakken)
  • Yokoyama Taikan Memorial Hall
  • Yumeji Art Museum

Available in Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea

  • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Available in Japan and South Korea

  • Bridgeman Art Library

Available in Japan Only

France

RMN (GrandPalaisRmn)

United Kingdom

The British Museum
The National Gallery, London

United States

Art Resource

Italy

Alinari

Russia

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

Czech Republic

Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague

Switzerland

Zentrum Paul Klee

Austria

Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien

Taiwan

National Palace Museum, Taipei
National Museum of History, Taipei

Services Available

We accept inquiries regarding:

  • Quotation Requests
  • Image Licensing Applications
  • Commercial Use
  • Editorial Use
  • Academic Use
  • Exhibition Use
  • Website Use
  • Advertising Use
  • Merchandise Production

Please note that certain uses may not be available for all collections or institutions.

Approval requirements and licensing conditions differ depending on the rights status of each image and the policies of the holding institution.

Licensing Process

  1. Inquiry

    Submit an inquiry describing the image(s) you wish to use and the intended purpose.

  2. Rights Review

    We review the availability of the requested images and confirm any applicable rights or restrictions.

  3. Quotation

    A quotation will be prepared based on the intended use and licensing conditions.

  4. Application

    After the quotation is approved, the formal application process will begin.

  5. Approval

    Where necessary, approval from the holding institution or rights holder will be obtained.

  6. Delivery

    Approved image files will be delivered after completion of the required procedures.

Pricing Information

Licensing fees vary depending on factors including:

  • Type of Use
  • Print Run or Distribution Volume
  • Territory
  • Language Edition
  • Duration of Use
  • Collection Owner
  • Rights Status

Detailed quotations are provided after review of each request.

File Delivery

Image files are generally supplied in JPEG format.

TIFF files may be available for certain collections upon request.

File availability and specifications vary depending on the image source and collection.

Rights and Restrictions

Please note the following:

  • Not all images are available for licensing.
  • Additional permission from copyright holders or other rights holders may be required.
  • Commercial products and merchandise projects may require additional review and approval.
  • Licensing conditions vary among collections and institutions.
  • Processing times may vary depending on the complexity of the request.

Credit Line Requirements

A credit line is generally required when licensed images are published or reproduced.

The required wording varies depending on the collection and institution.

Failure to display the required credit line may constitute a breach of licensing conditions.

Contact Us

For inquiries regarding image licensing, quotations, commercial use, publications, exhibitions, academic projects, websites, advertising, or merchandise production, please contact us using the inquiry form below.

Before contacting us, please prepare the following information whenever possible:

  • Organization Name
  • Contact Person
  • Intended Use
  • Publication or Project Title
  • Distribution Area
  • Language(s)
  • Publication Date or Launch Date
  • Image Information, if known

Please use the inquiry form below to contact Image Archives.

Contact Image Archives

Disclaimer

All licensing decisions are subject to review by the relevant institution and/or rights holder.

Image Archives reserves the right to decline requests that do not meet licensing requirements or institutional policies.

In the event of any discrepancy between translated content and the original Japanese materials, the Japanese version shall prevail.

Image Use Application Form

Customers who intend to make payment under an individual name are not eligible to register as users on this website.

Instead, we kindly ask such customers to submit their application by fax using the form provided below. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Image Use Application Print.pdf
Image Use Application Film Broadcast.pdf
Image Use Application Web Social.pdf
Image Use Application Merchandise.pdf

Application for Image Data

Please print the Image Loan and Usage Application Form below, complete all required fields, and send the completed form to us by fax.

Please note that customers making payment under an individual name are required to pay the image usage fee in advance.

Fax: +81-3-6735-6518

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