Built by Tokugawa Ieyasu and the place where the last shogun announced the return of power to the emperor, Nijo Castle is the one World Heritage Site in temple-heavy Kyoto where you see samurai architecture and painted screens. The highlights are the Ninomaru Palace with its squeaking “nightingale” floors and Kano-school wall paintings, and two gardens. It is flat, easy walking, and takes about 90 minutes. This guide covers tickets, closed days, subway access and the route.
TOC
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Admission | ¥800 adults (¥1,300 including the Ninomaru Palace); ¥400 junior/senior high, ¥300 elementary |
| Hours | 8:45–17:00 (last entry 16:00; palace last entry 16:10) |
| Closed | 29–31 December; every Tuesday in December, January, July and August (next day if Tuesday is a holiday) |
| Time needed | 1.5 hours |
| Address | 541 Nijojo-cho, Nijo-dori Horikawa Nishi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto |
| Official site | nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp |
How to get to Nijo Castle
- Subway Tozai Line, Nijojo-mae Station: exit 1 is right by the Higashi Ote-mon gate. From Kyoto Station, Karasuma Line to Karasuma Oike and change, about 15 minutes in total, ¥260.
- JR Nijo Station: 15-minute walk. Use this coming from Arashiyama on the Sagano Line.
- City Bus 9, 50 or 101 from Kyoto Station to Nijojo-mae, about 20 minutes.
The route (90 minutes)
- Higashi Ote-mon gate — buy your ticket here, and the palace ticket at the same time.
- Karamon gate — brilliantly coloured carvings, restored in 2013 with gleaming metalwork.
- Ninomaru Palace — National Treasure. Six buildings in a staggered line; the corridors chirp like birds as you walk. The Great Hall is where the shogun handed back power in 1867. No photography inside.
- Ninomaru Garden — a pond garden by Kobori Enshu, designed to be seen from the palace.
- Honmaru — across the inner moat. The Honmaru Palace reopened in 2024 (reservations required at certain times). Climb the keep foundation for a view across the grounds.
- Seiryu-en and the northern gardens — tea houses and lawns; the venue for the cherry-blossom illuminations.
- Exit near the Kita Ote-mon — the shop sells castle-only sweets.
Seasonal events
- Cherry blossoms (late March–early April): about 300 trees of 50 varieties. The night illumination (“NAKED FLOWERS”) is a separate ticketed, reservation-only event.
- Autumn leaves (late November): the maples in Seiryu-en.
- Summer: remember the Tuesday closures in July and August.
- The original palace paintings are shown in rotation at the Gallery (about ¥100 extra).
Tips
- You remove your shoes for the palace; you get a bag and carry them round. Wear shoes that come off easily.
- The audio guide (¥620, in several languages) is worth it for the painting explanations.
- The grounds are almost entirely flat and pushchair-friendly; the palace has a few steps.
- Only small coin lockers inside the Higashi Ote-mon gate.
[Affiliate slot: Nijo Castle guided tour, night illumination tickets — Klook / KKday]
Nearby
- Nishiki Market — subway to Shijo, about 10 minutes
- Kinkaku-ji — about 25 minutes by bus
- Arashiyama — about 10 minutes from JR Nijo
See also the full list of things to do in Kyoto and the 3-day Kyoto itinerary.
Official information: Nijo Castle · Kyoto City Official Travel Guide · Google Maps
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