Kyoto Imperial Palace
By Andrew Liyan · Last updated: September 28, 2026
The Kyoto Imperial Palace was the home of Japan's emperors until the capital moved to Tokyo in 1869. It is open to walk-in visitors, free, with no booking: you enter at the Seishomon Gate after a bag check and follow a one-way route past the halls, which you see from outside. Last entry is 4:20 p.m. from April to August, 3:50 p.m. in March and September, and 3:20 p.m. from October to February, and it is closed on Mondays.
- Area
- Central Kyoto
- Best For
- History, Architecture, Free Entry
Visiting Kyoto Imperial Palace
Emperors lived on this site from 1331, when Emperor Kogon was enthroned in a nobleman's mansion here, until the move to Tokyo in 1869. The present buildings date from 1855 and follow the plan of a 1790 rebuilding, which recreated the main ceremonial halls in the style of the Heian-period palace. The enthronements of the Taisho and Showa emperors took place here.
The visit is a walk along a one-way gravel route. You cannot go inside, but the outer doors of the Shodaibu-no-ma, the Seiryoden and the Kogosho are partly open so you can see into some of the rooms, and the Shishinden, the hall of state, faces a wide white courtyard. The Imperial Household Agency runs free tours in English, Chinese and Japanese, and a free audio guide app in six languages.
The palace stands inside Kyoto Gyoen, the large public park in the middle of the city, which is open to anyone. The Sento Imperial Palace, in the southeast of the same park, is a separate site seen only on a guided tour, booked in advance online or registered for in person on the day.
The visitor route
Short answer
Enter at the Seishomon Gate and follow the one-way route: the reception halls, the Shishinden courtyard, the Seiryoden, the Kogosho and the Oikeniwa pond garden, then back to the gate.
Start
Seishomon Gate
Bag check, then the visitor room, where guided tours begin.
Next
Shodaibu-no-ma and the carriage porches
Where courtiers waited and arrived; the outer doors of the Shodaibu-no-ma are partly open.
The center of the visit
The Shishinden
The hall of state, facing a white gravel courtyard enclosed by a vermilion corridor.
Then
The Seiryoden and the Kogosho
Halls of the emperor's daily life and audiences, with some rooms visible through open doors.
Exit
The Oikeniwa garden
A pond garden with an arched bridge, before the route returns to the gate.
When to go
Short answer
Time your arrival to the English tour at 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m., and allow for the early last entry in autumn and winter.
- April to August
- 9:00 a.m. to last entry 4:20 p.m.
- March and September
- 9:00 a.m. to last entry 3:50 p.m.
- October to February
- 9:00 a.m. to last entry 3:20 p.m.
- Closed
- Mondays (Tuesday after a Monday holiday), December 28 to January 4, and some court event days.
Fitting the palace into a Kyoto day
Short answer
The palace is central and on the Karasuma subway, so it pairs with Nijo Castle and Nishiki Market. Avoid planning it for a Monday.
Eizan Railway from Demachiyanagi, east of the park
Kibune
A half day at Kifune Shrine in the northern mountains.
Better on another day
Mondays
The palace is closed on Mondays (Tuesday after a Monday holiday); plan it for another day.
What to see at the Kyoto Imperial Palace
Free guided tours
Tours in English start at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., in Chinese at the same times, and in Japanese at 9:30, 10:30, 1:30 and 2:30. Be at the visitor room inside the gate by the start time; no registration is needed, though that can change when it is crowded. Tours take about 50 minutes. Self-guided visitors can use the free audio guide app in English, Chinese, Korean, French and Spanish.
What you can bring
Bags are checked at the Seishomon Gate. Suitcases and other large luggage are not allowed; lockers in the visitor rest area take smaller bags. Pets and drones are not permitted, and there is no eating, drinking alcohol or smoking inside. Photography is allowed, but not with tripods or large professional equipment.
How to Get to Kyoto Imperial Palace
The palace is inside Kyoto Gyoen, the park in the center of the city. Visitors enter only through the Seishomon Gate, on the palace's west side.
By subway
Take the Karasuma Line to Imadegawa Station, 5 minutes' walk from the gate. The line runs north from Kyoto Station.
By bus
City buses stop at Karasuma Imadegawa, 7 minutes' walk.
By car or bicycle
The palace has no parking for cars or bicycles. Use the paid car park in Kyoto Gyoen, or public transport.
- •Imadegawa Station on the Karasuma subway line is 5 minutes' walk from the Seishomon Gate.
- •The Seishomon Gate is the only visitor entrance, with a bag check.
- •Leave suitcases at your hotel or a station locker; they are not allowed inside.
Best Time to Visit Kyoto Imperial Palace
At 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m., for the free English tour.
- •Entry starts at 9:00 a.m. Last entry is 4:20 p.m. from April to August, 3:50 p.m. in March and September, and 3:20 p.m. from October to February; visitors must be out 40 minutes later.
- •Closed on Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday) and from December 28 to January 4. It can also close at short notice for court events or bad weather, so check the palace calendar.
- •The palace stays open in rain; the route is gravel throughout.
Entry Fee & Hours
- •Admission and the guided tours are free and need no registration. The Sento Imperial Palace, in the same park, is a separate guided tour booked through the Imperial Household Agency.
- •You can visit in a wheelchair, and wheelchairs with electric assist can be borrowed at the entrance. Two multi-purpose restrooms are near the entrance and the Kenshunmon Gate.
Nearby Attractions
Places that pair with the Kyoto Imperial Palace
Two ways to build a day around the palace
Both avoid Mondays, when the palace is closed.
Central Kyoto
Palace, market and castle.
10:00 a.m.
The English tour from the Seishomon Gate.
Lunch
Karasuma subway to Shijo and Nishiki Market.
Afternoon
Nijo Castle, entry until 4:00 p.m.
Palace and the northern mountains
An early palace visit, then Kibune.
9:00 a.m.
The palace at opening, self-guided with the audio guide app.
Late morning
Walk east across the park and the Kamo River to Demachiyanagi.
Afternoon
Eizan Railway to Kifune Shrine.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
View references
Imperial Household Agency
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