To know the origin of Japan, learning about the history of Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace is a must for all visitors to Kyoto. Nijo Castle, which is registered as UNESCO World Heritage site, is the eyewitness venue as the advent of modern Japan after the long Samurai age ruled by Shogun while Imperial Palace is the holy place once lived by the Emperor when Kyoto was the capital city of Japan, and is still occasionally visited by the current Emperor even today. During the compact 2.5-hour-tour, you will discover the Genesis of the ancient capital for over 1100 years in a small group with well-experienced guide with vast knowledge and humor.
Larger groups pay less per person.
In demand: 12 of the next 60 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 18.
For this guided tour in a small group (less than 8 guests), you can choose one from two different time slots, morning tour or afternoon tour. You will meet the guide simply in front of the huge white main gate of Nijo Castle.
After one-hour guided tour in Nijo Castle, you will transfer to Imperial Palace by public transportation with the guide, and you will have another one-hour-guided tour in Imperial Place. Entry fee and transportation are all included in the tour fee.
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace Visit with Guide lasts about 2h 30min. The itinerary has 2 stops.
Prices start at $78 per person for this Kyoto experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
Children aged 6–11 pay from $39, adults from $78. Infants go free.
It can: 12 of the next 60 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Meet in front of Nijo Castle’s white main gate. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 11 participants.
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 58 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by WaRaiDo Guide Networks.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
My adult sons and I really enjoyed the tour of the Castle and the Imperial Palace. We were absolutely blown away by the incredible history and our tour guide, Mia, was outstanding putting it all in context and explaining it in a very entertaining way. We just loved having her as our tour guide. It’s really been the highlight of our trip to Kyoto.
1.00 pmTour was cancelled and we were informed only at 3.29 pm.we waited in front of the entrance for 45 minutes, called thr phone # given ,just received a recording , finally decided to buy our own ticket .though we will be reimbursed the place was not closed as stated by the operator.. big dissapointment..
Our guide, Haruto was very good guide. Speaks clear in English and good knowledge of the area.
The tour operator did not show up and when I was finally able to contact them they had made an error on what time the tour was. No tour ended up happening. A waste of precious holiday time.
Our guide, Mia was absolutely wonderful. It was obvious not only was she very knowledgeable, but she clearly enjoys what she does. I'm glad we booked the tour as it made walking through Nijo Castle and the Imperial Place more meaningful.
Excellent tour with guide Mia despite very cold weather. Mia met us outside the castle gate, she had a sign with our name so very easy. Her English was excellent and her knowledge, as a local person who was raised in the region, was extensive. After touring the castle we took the subway to the Imperial palace for a tour through the grounds. Afterwards, Mia located a taxi for us and gave the driver instructions for our hotel. So despite the extreme cold and only two people on the tour Mia did a great job and we are grateful. Highly recommend.
The visit was delightful, informative, and fun. Mia was an amazing tour guide — we learned so much about Japanese history while having a great time!
Mia was a superb guide on our tour of two historic palaces, and the lovely garden next to one of them. She not only explained what we were viewing, but she also offered an historical and/or cultural context that was very informative. She answered questions knowledgeably. Although the palaces were interesting, Mia’s commentary really added to our understanding of these sites.
The guide was friendly and funny, it was a great experience! Very easy meetup location and getting between the castle and palace was a breeze.
Mie was amazing! She was warm and shared so much information. Her English was perfect and she shared just enough historical information without going overboard, but answered any and all our specific questions, as well. She had some great visual aides to help explain things and also has a great sense of humor! Wonderful tour of both sites.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace Visit with Guide | 2h 30min | 4.8 (58) | $78 | |
 Kyoto Morning Tour: Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle & Imperial Palace | 4–6 hours | 4.5 (457) | $85 | View |
 Kyoto Imperial Palace & Nijo Castle Guided Walking Tour - 3 Hours | 3 hours | 4.6 (184) | $38 | View |
 Kyoto. Nijo Castle, Imperial Palace, Fushimi Inari. Private Tour. | 6 hours | 5.0 (25) | $181 | View |
 Private Nijo Castle Sightseeing and Nishiki Food Tour | 6 hours | 5.0 (2) | $129 | View |
 Kyoto: Nijo Castle World Heritage Guided Tour with Admission | 1h 30min | 5.0 (532) | $41 | View |
 Nijo Castle Samurai Inside Story — Top-Rated Guide (Max 8) | 3 hours | 5.0 (31) | $98 | View |