Kyoto Imperial Palace at a glance
The Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyoto Gosho in Japanese, stands inside Kyoto Gyoen, a public national garden in the city. The palace was the residence of the emperors until 1869, when the court moved to Tokyo. Today the Imperial Household Agency looks after it, together with the Sento Imperial Palace and two imperial villas, Katsura and Shugakuin.
For an ordinary visit you need no ticket and no booking. You walk in through the Seishomon gate, pass a security check and follow a set route through the courtyards and gardens. You see the halls from outside: the interiors of the buildings are not open to visitors. If you want someone to explain what you are looking at, the free English tours at 10:00 and 14:00 are the easiest option, and our page on Kyoto tours compares guided walks that add Nijo Castle.
Kyoto Imperial Palace opening hours 2026
The palace keeps three seasonal timetables. Entry closes 40 minutes before the gates do.
| Months | Open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| April to August | 9:00 to 17:00 | 16:20 |
| March and September | 9:00 to 16:30 | 15:50 |
| October to February | 9:00 to 16:00 | 15:20 |
The palace is closed on Mondays. When a Monday is a public holiday, it opens that day and closes on the Tuesday instead. It is also closed from 28 December to 4 January, and on extra days for court events or bad weather. Check the current calendar before you go, especially if you plan around a single free day.
Free English guided tours of the palace
English tours start at 10:00 and 14:00 and last about 50 minutes. They are free, and normally you do not book: you join on the day while there is space. If you arrive late in the morning, the 14:00 tour is the one to aim for.
Our pick: a Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace walk
Entrance fees are covered in this small-group tour, so you see both with a guide in three hours.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle tours
Guided walks that combine the palace grounds with Nijo Castle and Kyoto day tours with castle entry as an option. Check which entry fees each tour includes.
Guided tours: what you can book
The free palace tours cover the palace alone. If you want one guide for the palace and Nijo Castle, there is a walking tour of about three hours that does both, with entrance fees included. Some full-day bus tours of Kyoto offer Nijo Castle entry as an option alongside other temples, so read what your option includes before you book.
A guided walk suits you if you want the background on the palace and the castle in one go. If you mainly want to see the gardens at your own pace, the free entry and the free English tour are enough for the palace, and you can buy the castle ticket at the gate.
Kyoto Gyoen: the park around the palace
Kyoto Gyoen National Garden is open to everyone at all times, and it is free. The palace is a separate, controlled area inside it. When the palace is closed on a Monday or over New Year, the park itself stays open, so a walk in the Gyoen is possible on any day.
The park works well as a break between sights, before or after the palace and on the days the palace is closed. Do not confuse the park's hours with the palace's: the times in the table above apply to the palace only, and the park has no closing time.
Sento Palace, Katsura and Shugakuin: visits by application
These three sites can only be seen on a guided tour. You apply in advance or try for the limited places on the day.
| Sento Imperial Palace | Katsura Imperial Villa | Shugakuin Imperial Villa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price 2026 | Free | ¥1,000 from 18; free for 12 to 17 | Free |
| Minimum age | 18 | 12; under 12 not admitted | 18 |
| Tour length | About 60 minutes | About 60 minutes | About 80 minutes |
| What you see | Gardens and grounds, no interiors | Gardens and grounds, no interiors | Grounds on a route of about 3 km |
| ID required | Yes | – | Yes |
At Katsura, visitors with a disability certificate and one companion enter free. The Shugakuin route has slopes and stone bridges without railings, so wear proper shoes. For Shugakuin you apply online from the start of the month three months before your visit until three days before; a small number of places is also handed out on the day. All three are closed on Mondays (or the Tuesday after a holiday Monday) and from 28 December to 4 January, with extra closed days for events. Without a confirmed application a place is not guaranteed. Katsura suits garden lovers who can plan ahead.
Nijo Castle Kyoto: tickets and hours
Nijo Castle, Nijo-jo, is the other big palace sight in Kyoto and belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Unlike the palace, it charges entry, and the Ninomaru Palace inside has its own price.
- Castle grounds only: ¥800 adults (2026).
- Castle with Ninomaru Palace: ¥1,300 adults, ¥400 middle and high school students, ¥300 elementary school children; younger children free.
- Honmaru Palace: extra ¥1,000 adults, ¥300 and ¥200 for students and children, on top of the castle ticket. Book a time slot online up to 30 days ahead; a few same-day tickets are sold at the information desk.
- Hours: entry 8:45 to 16:00, the castle closes at 17:00, Ninomaru reception until 16:10.
The castle closes from 29 to 31 December. The Ninomaru Palace also closes on Tuesdays in January, July, August and December, from 26 to 28 December and from 1 to 3 January. The Honmaru Palace is visited 9:30 to 16:00 and closes on the third Monday of the month and the following day. Inside the Honmaru, photos are not allowed and you take off your shoes, so bring socks. Evening events at the castle need a separate ticket.
A half day for the palace and Nijo Castle
One way to fit both into a morning or an afternoon.
Start at Nijo Castle
The castle opens for entry at 8:45. Starting early leaves time for the Ninomaru Palace and the gardens.
Kyoto's history →Join the 10:00 or 14:00 palace tour
Plan your move to the palace so you reach the Seishomon gate before the English tour starts. Allow time for the security check.
Compare Kyoto tours →Rest in Kyoto Gyoen
The park stays open after the palace closes. Sit under the trees before you move on to eastern Kyoto or the shopping streets.
On to Ginkakuji →Want more gardens on the same trip? The golden pavilion and the temples of north-west Kyoto are covered on our sister guide to Kinkaku-ji.
Kyoto Imperial Palace: frequently asked questions
Do I need to book to visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace?
No. A normal visit to the Kyoto Gosho is free and needs no booking. You enter through the Seishomon gate after a security check. Only the Sento Palace, Katsura and Shugakuin need an application.
Can I go inside the palace buildings?
No. You walk through the courtyards and gardens and see the halls from outside. The interiors are not open to visitors.
When are the free English tours?
At 10:00 and 14:00. They last about 50 minutes and you normally join on the day without booking, as long as there is space.
Is Kyoto Gyoen open when the palace is closed?
Yes. The park is open to everyone at all times and free. Palace closing days, such as Mondays, do not close the park.
How much is Nijo Castle in 2026?
¥1,300 for adults including the Ninomaru Palace, or ¥800 for the castle grounds alone. The Honmaru Palace costs an extra ¥1,000 and needs a time slot.
Can children visit the imperial villas?
At Katsura, children from 12 to 17 enter free; under 12 are not admitted. The Sento Palace and Shugakuin are open only to visitors aged 18 and over.