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Castles & palaces

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Kyoto Imperial Palace

The Kyōto Imperial Palace , also known as Dairi (内裏) or Kinri (禁裏), is the former palace of the Emperor of Japan from 1331 to 1869 located in Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Since the Meiji Restoration in 1869, the Emperors have resided at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, while the preservation of the Kyoto Imperial Palace was ordered in 1877. Today, the grounds are open to the public, and the Imperial Household Agency hosts public tours of the buildings several times a day.

What it is

The Kyoto Imperial Palace is the former residence of Japan's emperors, used from 1331 until 1869, when the imperial court relocated to Tokyo. The buildings you see today are reconstructions in the historical style, set within a large walled compound of gates, courtyards, and gardens. Visitors come to walk through the grounds and view the exteriors of the main halls, including the Shishinden, which was used for enthronement ceremonies, rather than to see furnished interiors.

Getting there

The palace sits within Kyoto Gyoen, a large public park in Kamigyo-ku near the city centre. From Kyoto Station, it's roughly 15-20 minutes by subway (Karasuma Line to Marutamachi or Imadegawa Station) followed by a short walk into the park, or about 20-25 minutes by taxi depending on traffic.

How much time to allow

Walking the grounds and the palace perimeter typically takes 1 to 1.5 hours. Allow extra time if you plan to explore the wider Kyoto Gyoen park as well, which has open lawns and wooded areas.

When to go

Mornings tend to be quieter than afternoons. The park is popular for walking and picnics, especially during cherry blossom season in spring and when the autumn foliage turns, so weekends in those periods can feel busy in the surrounding park even if the palace grounds themselves stay manageable.

Combine it with

The Kyoto International Manga Museum is about 1.5km away, and Nijō Castle, Honnō-ji Temple, and Shimogamo Shrine are each roughly 1.8km away, all reasonably walkable or a short bus/taxi ride, making them easy to pair in a single day.

Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors

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Tickets & tours

Admission prices and opening hours change often, so we don't list them here. Check what's on sale and at what price below — booking ahead can cut the queue at some places.

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Stays near Kyoto Imperial Palace

Sorted by distance, walkable ones first. Distances are straight-line.

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Kyoto Imperial Palace Nearby stays

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Good to visit alongside

Kyoto International Manga Museum

Museums & galleries

Kyoto International Manga Museum

The Kyoto International Manga Museum is located in Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The museum's collection includes approximately 300,000 items as of 2016, with 50,000 volumes of manga that can be accessed and read by visitors and approximately 250,000 items in its closed-stack collection, which can be accessed via a dedicated research room supported by reference facilities. Collected materials include Edo period woodblock prints, pre-war magazines, post-war rental books, and popular modern series from around the world.

1.5 km away
Honnō-ji Temple

Temples & religious sites

Honnō-ji Temple

Honnō-ji (本能寺) is a temple of the Nichiren branch of Buddhism located in Kyoto, Japan.

1.8 km away
Shimogamo Shrine

Temples & religious sites

Shimogamo Shrine

Shimogamo Shrine is an important Shinto sanctuary in the Shimogamo district of Kyoto city's Sakyō ward. Its formal name is Kamo-mioya Shrine . It is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan and is one of the seventeen Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto which have been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The term Kamo-jinja in Japanese is a general reference to Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine, the traditionally linked Kamo shrines of Kyoto; Shimogamo is the older of the pair, being believed to be 100 years older than Kamigamo, and dating to the 6th century, centuries before K...

1.8 km away
Nijō Castle

Castles & palaces

Nijō Castle

Nijō Castle is a flatland castle in Kyoto, Japan. The castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens. The surface area of the castle is 275,000 square metres, of which 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft) is occupied by buildings.

1.8 km away
Sanjō Ōhashi Bridge

Views & landmarks

Sanjō Ōhashi Bridge

Sanjō Ōhashi (三条大橋) is a bridge in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It spans the Kamo River as part of Sanjō-dōri. It is well known because it served as the ending location for journeying on both the Nakasendō and the Tōkaidō; these were two of the famous "Five Routes" for long-distance travelers during the Edo period in Japan's past.

2.0 km away
Heian Jingū

Temples & religious sites

Heian Jingū

The Heian Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The Shrine is ranked as a Beppyō Jinja (別表神社) by the Association of Shinto Shrines. It is listed as an important cultural property of Japan.

2.1 km away