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Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto Gyoen 京都御所

Checked October 2026 · next check January 2027 · 2 posts since 2012

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Visiting Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto Gyoen today

  • What it is: The Imperial Family's residence until 1868, set in Kyoto Gyoen, a national garden about 1.3 km north to south and 0.7 km east to west. The current palace buildings date from 1855.
  • Getting there: Take the Karasuma Subway Line from Kyoto Station to Imadegawa (10 minutes, ¥260), which is closer to the palace entrance, or to Marutamachi. Visitors enter through the Seishomon Gate on the west side.
  • Hours: The garden is open at all times and free. The palace opens 9:00-17:00 from April to August, 9:00-16:30 in March and September, and 9:00-16:00 from October to February. Last entry is 40 minutes before closing.
  • Admission: The palace is free and needs no reservation. It is closed on Mondays (or the next day after a Monday holiday) and from 28 December to 4 January.
  • Then and now: The Shishinden main hall is being renovated for about nine years from October 2026 and will be covered, though the palace stays open. When this post was written, palace visits needed an advance reservation.
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Weeping cherries by Konoe Pond, late March to mid-April

Checked against: Kyoto Imperial Palace (japan-guide.com) · Kyoto Gyoen National Garden (Ministry of the Environment) · Kyoto Imperial Palace Guide (Japan City Tour). Check opening times and prices before you go.

Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto Gyoen on Shibuya246

Photos and stories from our visits, as they were written at the time.

Photos

Spring Walk, Kyoto Gosho

The Kyoto Gosho, Imperial Palace and gardens are a great spot for casual walking, playing sports or just sitting down and reading a book. As Spring hots up, the trees are starting to take on a different color. It was a nice weekend to go out and capture a few plum blossoms ahead of the coming sakura season.