Kyoto travel
Byodoin
Byodoin · 平等院
Walk beside the pond to see Phoenix Hall at Byodoin in Uji. View the hall from the garden, then explore cultural-treasure displays inside Hoshokan.
Byodoin official visitor guide Official sources Byodoin official access map
Visitor information
Admission
Individual admission to the garden and Hoshokan costs JPY 700 for adults, JPY 400 for junior and senior high students and JPY 300 for primary students. Phoenix Hall interior is a separate JPY 300, with same-day first-come reception.
Opening hours
The garden opens from 08:45 to 17:30, with reception until 17:15. Hoshokan opens from 09:00 to 17:00, with reception until 16:45. Phoenix Hall’s interior opens from 09:30 to 16:10. Same-day reception starts at 09:10 on a first-come, first-served basis. Garden and Hoshokan are listed as open year-round.
What to see at Byodoin
Phoenix Hall across the pond
Walk the garden for exterior views of Phoenix Hall across the pond. You can see it without entering the building.
Byodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan Byodoin official visitor guide
Hoshokan cultural treasures after the garden
Explore Hoshokan’s cultural-treasure displays. It is included with the garden in basic admission, so continue from exterior hall views to the exhibitions.
Byodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan Byodoin official visitor guide
How to get to Byodoin
Walk from JR Uji or Keihan Uji to Byodoin; both are listed as about ten minutes. These are separate stations with different river-crossing routes. Use the official map for your chosen station.
Byodoin official access map Byodoin official visitor guide Summer operating exceptions Changes from 16 October
Before you visit
Use same-day reception for the interior
Phoenix Hall interior reception is first come on the day. Early closure prevents entry, so check availability on site first if you want it. Services and events may also suspend interior viewing.
Date-specific interior visitor limits and sessions
Basic guidance lists 20-minute intervals and 50 people per session, but date-specific notices apply. From 16 June–15 October 2026, sessions hold 30 people; 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30 and 15:30 sessions are suspended. From 16 October 2026, sessions hold 35. These conditions concern Phoenix Hall interior viewing, not garden admission limits. Read your date’s changes alongside basic guidance.
Byodoin official visitor guide Summer operating exceptions Changes from 16 October
Questions about Byodoin
Can I reserve Phoenix Hall’s interior in advance?
Reception begins at 09:10 on the day of your visit on a first-come, first-served basis, rather than by advance reservation. Pay JPY 300 beyond basic admission. Early closure may prevent viewing, so allow time to wait for a session.
Byodoin official visitor guide Summer operating exceptions Changes from 16 October
Official sources
- Byodoin official visitor guide ·
- Official sources ·
- Byodoin official access map ·
- Official sources ·
- Official sources ·
- Official sources ·
- Summer operating exceptions ·
- Changes from 16 October ·
- Byodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan ·
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