Kyoto Tower
By Andrew Liyan · Last updated: September 28, 2026
Kyoto Tower is the 131-meter white tower across the road from Kyoto Station, the tallest tower in Kyoto. Its observation deck, 100 meters up and the highest viewpoint in the city center, costs ¥1,000 for adults from October 1, 2026 (¥900 until then) and is open 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with last entry at 8:30 p.m. Most visitors spend 15 to 30 minutes at the top.
- Area
- Kyoto Station / Central Kyoto
- Best For
- Views, City Orientation, Night Views, Arrival or Departure Day
Visiting Kyoto Tower
Kyoto Tower stands on the roof of a nine-story building across Shiokoji-dori from Kyoto Station's Central Exit. It opened on December 28, 1964, the year the Tokaido Shinkansen began running, and at 131 meters it is still the tallest tower in Kyoto. Its architect, Yamada Mamoru, drew it as a lighthouse for a city without a sea, with the tiled roofs below standing in for waves. Since April 2024 its official name has been Nidec Kyoto Tower.
The observation deck, 100 meters up, is a ring of windows on two levels. Because Kyoto limits building heights, little blocks the view: the operator points out Toji's pagoda, Nishi Hongan-ji, the stage of Kiyomizu-dera, Sanjusangen-do and the gates of Tofuku-ji and Chion-in, and on a clear day Osaka. The telescopes are free, and there is no time limit.
It is a short visit. The operator says most people stay 15 to 30 minutes, and the view is at its best in clear weather, around sunset or after dark. In rain or low cloud it shrinks to the nearest districts, so look at the sky before buying a ticket.
The building below holds Kyoto Tower Sando: a food hall in the basement, souvenir shops on the ground floor and hands-on workshops, such as Japanese sweet-making and kimono rental, on the second floor. A public bath, Yuu, is three floors underground.
When to go up
Short answer
Go on a clear day around sunset or after dark; in low cloud, pick another time.
- Clear evening
- Sunset and the first hour of darkness show the city and the hills around it.
- Daytime
- Best for picking out temples and the mountains; haze can hide Osaka.
- Rain or low cloud
- The view shrinks to the nearest districts.
- August 16 and January 1
- Special hours: the deck closes early on August 16 before the bonfire viewing, and opens at 6:30 a.m. on January 1.
Fitting Kyoto Tower into a day
Short answer
The tower is a 15 to 30 minute stop that fits around a train or an evening near Kyoto Station.
One stop west
Kyoto Railway Museum
Kyoto Railway Museum, one stop on the JR Sagano Line; closed on most Wednesdays.
South of the station
Toji
Toji and its pagoda, which you can pick out from the deck, 15 minutes on foot from the Hachijo exit.
Two stops south
Fushimi Inari
Fushimi Inari Taisha on the JR Nara Line; go in the morning and save the tower for the evening.
What's at Kyoto Tower
The observation deck
Buy a ticket at the counter on the ground floor of the tower building, take the lift to the 11th floor and change to the deck lift. The windows run all the way round; free telescopes and touch-screen guides on the upper level help you pick out landmarks, and free Kyoto Wi-Fi works on the deck. It has one toilet, so use the ones in the building first.
After dark
The deck stays open until 9:00 p.m., when the lit city spreads across the basin to the dark hills around it. The tower itself is lit white most nights and in colors for awareness campaigns on some dates.
Kyoto Tower Sando
The basement food hall (11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.) lets you order from several counters and sit anywhere. The ground floor sells Kyoto sweets and souvenirs (10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.), and the second floor runs workshops such as sweet-making and kimono rental (10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), booked with each shop.
How to Get to Kyoto Tower
Kyoto Tower is directly north of Kyoto Station, across Shiokoji-dori. The deck ticket counter is on the ground floor of the tower building.
From the Shinkansen
Leave by the Shinkansen Central gate, not the Hachijo gates on the south side, take the escalator up to the north-south passage, walk through to the Central Exit and cross the bus terminal to the tower.
Underground
From the Karasuma subway gates or the Porta mall, follow the signs to the tower's basement entrance, open 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and take the lift.
By car
The tower has no car park and no partner parking; use coin parking nearby.
- •Kyoto Station Central Exit, then 2 minutes on foot across the bus terminal.
- •The deck does not hold luggage or strollers: use the coin lockers at Kyoto Station first.
Best Time to Visit Kyoto Tower
Around sunset or after dark on a clear day.
- •The deck is open 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day; last entry is 8:30 p.m.
- •A clear evening shows the most; in rain or low cloud the view shrinks to the nearest districts.
- •On August 16 the deck closes at 6:30 p.m. (last entry 6:00 p.m.) before a separate bonfire viewing; on January 1 it opens at 6:30 a.m.
Entry Fee & Hours
| Category | Price (JPY) | Approx. (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | ¥1,000 | ~$6.7 |
| High school student | ¥800 | ~$5.3 |
| Elementary and junior high school student | ¥700 | ~$4.7 |
| Child (3 and over) | ¥300 | ~$2 |
From October 1, 2026. Until September 30, 2026: ¥900, ¥700, ¥600 and ¥200. Under 3 free.
- •Disability certificate holders and one companion pay ¥500 from October 1, 2026 (¥450 before). Tickets are sold on the ground floor of the tower building; cash, cards and mobile payments are accepted.
- •There is no luggage storage or stroller parking at the deck and no re-entry. Photography is fine on the deck but not in the lifts.
Nearby Attractions
Places to pair with Kyoto Tower
Two ways to fit Kyoto Tower in
Both start from Kyoto Station.
Arrival evening
About an hour.
After check-in
Leave bags at the hotel or in Kyoto Station lockers.
Sunset
Up the tower as the light goes down over the western hills.
Dinner
The Kyoto Tower Sando food hall in the basement.
Station-area morning
Half a day, not on a Wednesday.
10:00 a.m.
The Kyoto Railway Museum as it opens.
Midday
Back to Kyoto Station for lunch.
Afternoon
Kyoto Tower before your train.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
View references
Nidec Kyoto Tower
Kyoto Tower Sando
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