Blog · 6 November 2026 · 6 min read
Nijo Castle, the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns, is open every day except the end of December. But its two palaces have their own hours, prices and closed days, and one of them needs a booking. This guide sets out the opening hours, ticket prices and closing days in one place, explains which ticket to buy, and how to avoid the queues.
The short version
- Hours: 8:45 am to 5 pm, last entry 4 pm. Closed to visitors only from 29 to 31 December.
- The ticket most people want: castle + Ninomaru Palace, ¥1,300 for adults. No booking needed.
- Ninomaru Palace closed days: every Tuesday in January, July, August and December, plus 26 December to 3 January.
- Honmaru Palace: ¥1,000 extra, advance online booking for a set time, on sale 30 days ahead.
- Go at 8:45 am for the quietest palace corridors, and buy your ticket online to skip the ticket office queue.
Opening hours
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| Castle grounds | 8:45 am to 5 pm, last entry 4 pm |
| Ninomaru Palace | Visitors taken 8:45 am to 4:10 pm |
| Honmaru Palace | Visitors taken 9:30 am to 4 pm, at your booked time |
These are the regular daytime hours. Nijo Castle also holds evening light-ups, usually for the cherry blossoms from mid-March to mid-April and for events in summer and autumn. They have their own tickets and times, so check the castle's website for the dates.
Closed days
This is where most visitors get caught out. The castle grounds are open almost every day, but the palaces close on certain days:
| Closed | |
|---|---|
| Castle grounds | 29 to 31 December |
| Ninomaru Palace | Every Tuesday in January, July, August and December (if the Tuesday is a public holiday, it opens and closes the next day instead), 26 to 28 December, and 1 to 3 January |
| Honmaru Palace | The third Monday of each month and the following day (it opens if the Monday is a public holiday), 26 to 28 December, and 1 to 3 January |
If your only free day in Kyoto is a Tuesday in summer or winter, you can still walk the grounds, gates and gardens, but you won't get inside the Ninomaru Palace or hear its nightingale floors.
Ticket prices
| Ticket | Adults | Junior high and high school | Elementary school |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle grounds only | ¥800 | ¥400 | ¥300 |
| Castle + Ninomaru Palace | ¥1,300 | ¥400 | ¥300 |
| Honmaru Palace (castle ticket also needed) | ¥1,000 | ¥300 | ¥200 |
| Painting Gallery (castle ticket also needed) | ¥100 |
- Children under elementary school age are free.
- If you bought a grounds-only ticket and change your mind, you can add the Ninomaru Palace for ¥500 at the information desk inside.
- With a Kyoto City Subway one-day pass or a subway and bus pass, the adult grounds ticket is ¥700 instead of ¥800. Show the pass at the ticket office on the same day; this discount isn't available online.
- Groups of 30 or more get group rates at the ticket office.
Which ticket should you buy?
For almost everyone, castle + Ninomaru Palace (¥1,300). The Ninomaru Palace is the heart of Nijo Castle: a National Treasure, with chirping nightingale floors and rooms of gold-leaf paintings, and the great hall where the last shogun announced the return of power to the emperor in 1867. Without it, you see the gates, walls and gardens, but not the inside of any building.
Add the Honmaru Palace if you have time and a strong interest in the castle. It was the Edo-period palace of the Katsura-no-miya, a branch of the imperial family, moved here from beside the Kyoto Imperial Palace in 1893 to 1894. It's the only large imperial-branch palace of its age still standing, with paintings from the last years of the Edo period, and it gets far fewer visitors because of the booking system. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours in total if you see both palaces and their gardens.
Where to buy tickets
| Where | What you can buy | Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Online, in advance (official web ticket site) | Castle + Ninomaru Palace, castle only, Honmaru Palace | Credit card |
| Ticket office, by Higashi Ote-mon Gate, on the day | Castle + Ninomaru Palace, castle only, group and discount tickets. Not the Honmaru Palace | Cash, credit cards, IC cards such as ICOCA and Suica, QR payment apps |
| Information desk, inside the castle, on the day | Ninomaru Palace add-on, Painting Gallery, a small number of same-day Honmaru Palace tickets | Cash, credit cards, IC cards, QR payment apps |
You don't need a reservation for the castle or the Ninomaru Palace, but buying online in advance lets you walk straight in. Online tickets can't be changed, cancelled or refunded, so check the closed days before you choose a date.
Booking the Honmaru Palace
- Book online. Tickets go on sale 30 days before the date, for a set entry time. Only about 15 people go in at a time, so popular times sell out.
- You still need a castle ticket. The Honmaru Palace ticket doesn't include castle admission.
- Arrive early. The palace is about 850 metres, or 15 to 20 minutes on foot, from the Higashi Ote-mon entrance, and the castle asks you to be there at least 20 minutes before your time. If you're late, you may not get in, with no refund.
- Allow about 40 minutes inside, including a short introductory video. Shoes off, socks on, bags in the lockers.
- Some rooms open on a rotating schedule to protect the original paintings. Check the castle's schedule if there's a particular room you want to see.
Tips
- Go at 8:45 am. The palace corridors are quietest in the first hour, before the tour groups arrive.
- Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the Ninomaru Palace and its garden, the castle's own estimate.
- Wear socks. You take your shoes off for both palaces.
- No photos inside the palaces. Photos are fine on the grounds and in the gardens, and in the Painting Gallery without flash.
- Come by train or bus. Nijojo-mae Station on the Tozai subway line is right by the castle, and the castle asks visitors to use public transport.
- Large bags can go in the coin lockers by the ticket office or the luggage storage in the main rest area (¥500).
See Nijo Castle with a private guide
Our 2.5-hour private Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace tour is just your group and an English-speaking guide, at your own pace. You walk the nightingale floors of the Ninomaru Palace while your guide explains the paintings, the rooms and what happened there in 1867, then you continue to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where the story of the shoguns ends. The castle + Ninomaru Palace ticket (¥1,300) isn't included in the tour price. See tour dates and prices.
Book this tour
Kyoto: 2.5-Hour Private Nijo Castle & Imperial Palace Tour
A private walk through the shogun's Nijo Castle and the Kyoto Imperial Palace, with an English-speaking guide.
2 h 30 min · Kyoto · Nijo
Please note. We wrote this guide in November 2026 from Nijo Castle's official website. Prices, hours and closed days can change, and special events can change the hours. Check the castle's website before you go.
Sources
- Nijo Castle: Opening hours, days closed, etc.
- Nijo Castle: Fees
- Nijo Castle: Tickets
- Nijo Castle: Viewing the Honmaru-goten Palace
- Nijo Castle: FAQ
- Nijo Castle: Services
- Nijo Castle: Access
Frequently asked questions
What are Nijo Castle's opening hours?
Nijo Castle is open from 8:45 am. The last entry is at 4 pm and the castle closes at 5 pm. The Ninomaru Palace takes visitors from 8:45 am to 4:10 pm, and the Honmaru Palace from 9:30 am to 4 pm.
How much is a Nijo Castle ticket?
For adults, the castle grounds alone cost ¥800, and the castle plus the Ninomaru Palace costs ¥1,300. The Honmaru Palace is ¥1,000 more and must be booked online in advance. Children under elementary school age are free.
Do I need to book Nijo Castle tickets in advance?
Not for the castle grounds or the Ninomaru Palace: you can buy tickets at the ticket office on the day, or online in advance to save queuing. The Honmaru Palace is different: it needs an advance online ticket for a set time, on sale 30 days before your visit, with only a few same-day tickets at the information desk.
When is Nijo Castle closed?
The castle itself closes only from 29 to 31 December. The Ninomaru Palace is also closed every Tuesday in January, July, August and December, from 26 to 28 December and from 1 to 3 January. The Honmaru Palace is closed on the third Monday of each month and the following day, and from 26 December to 3 January.
Is the Ninomaru Palace worth the extra ¥500?
Yes. The Ninomaru Palace is the reason most people visit: it's a National Treasure, with the famous nightingale floors and rooms of gold-leaf paintings. Without it you only see the grounds, gates and gardens.
How long do you need at Nijo Castle?
Nijo Castle says the Ninomaru Palace and its garden take 1 to 1.5 hours. With the Honmaru Palace and garden as well, allow 2.5 to 3 hours.
Can I pay by card at Nijo Castle?
Yes. The ticket office takes cash, major credit cards, IC transport cards such as ICOCA and Suica, and several QR payment apps. Online tickets are paid by credit card.