What would you like to see in Kyoto Prefecture?
For a shogun's palace, see Ninomaru paintings and carvings and Nijo's garden. Choose Tenryu-ji for an Arashiyama garden, Byodo-in for Phoenix Hall and cultural exhibits, or Fushimi Inari for red torii paths. For Amanohashidate's sandbar and pines, compare northern return travel time.
Attraction admission, hours and access
Nijo Castle
Nijo-jo Castle元離宮二条城
What did a shogun's palace look like? See Ninomaru's wall paintings and carved decorations, then walk the garden. Choose a Ninomaru-inclusive ticket for the interior. Honmaru Palace needs a separate ticket and advance reservation.
- AdmissionAdult general entry is ¥800; including Ninomaru Palace is ¥1,300. Honmaru Palace and the Painting Gallery charge separately.
- HoursCastle entry is 08:45–16:00, closing 17:00. Ninomaru reception lasts until 16:10, but enter the castle by 16:00. Year-end castle closures differ from palace closures.
- Getting thereLeave Nijojo-mae Exit 1 towards the castle and buy tickets beside the East Main Gate. From Kyoto, change at Karasuma Oike; search actual-date trains and fares separately.
- Additional visit conditionsChoose Honmaru separately with a date/time advance reservation. On Ninomaru closure days, check tickets for the areas available instead of buying its inclusive ticket unchanged.
Official Nijo Castle access mapNijo Castle admissionNijo Castle operations and closuresKyoto City transport bureau Nijojo-mae exits and area mapNinomaru wall paintings, carvings and garden
Tenryu-ji
天龍寺
Choose Tenryu-ji for an unhurried garden visit in Arashiyama. Decide on buildings after checking extra admission and the day's operations.
- AdmissionGarden: high school age and older ¥500; elementary/junior high students ¥300. Buildings add ¥300; Dharma Hall Cloud Dragon viewing is a separate ¥500.
- HoursGarden 08:30–17:00, admission until 16:50. Buildings 08:30–16:45, admission until 16:30.
- Getting thereWalk about 13 minutes from JR Saga-Arashiyama, 5 minutes from Randen Arashiyama or 15 minutes from Hankyu Arashiyama. Compare JR Sagano Line from Kyoto Station.
- Additional visit conditionsGarden admission excludes buildings and Dharma Hall. Check official building/hall suspensions and early garden openings for your date. Check garden operations separately even when buildings or hall close.
Tenryu-ji accessTenryu-ji Japanese hours and visit suspensions
Byodo-in
Byodoin平等院
Choose Byodo-in for Phoenix Hall views across the pond, followed by Hoshokan cultural exhibits. Basic admission includes the garden and Hoshokan; interior visits require first-come same-day registration and separate payment.
- AdmissionGarden/Hoshokan: adults ¥700; junior high/high school students ¥400; elementary students ¥300. Phoenix Hall interior adds ¥300. Individual prices from official visitor information checked on 2026-10-08.
- HoursGarden 08:45–17:30, admission until 17:15; Hoshokan 09:00–17:00, admission until 16:45. Interior registration starts at 09:10, first-come on the day.
- Getting thereWalk from JR Uji or Keihan Uji. Both are listed at about 10 minutes, but station locations and river-crossing routes differ; use the official access map.
- Additional visit conditionsInterior registration is first-come on the day. From 16 June to 15 October 2026, each session holds 30 visitors, with 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30 and 15:30 sessions suspended. From 16 October, capacity is 35. This differs from garden entry limits. Early registration closure prevents an interior visit.
Official Byodo-in visitor informationOfficial Byodo-in access mapSummer operating exceptions16 October changeByodo-in pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan
Amanohashidate
天橋立
Pine paths follow a long sandbar between Miyazu's waters. Consider Amanohashidate for close-up sea scenery as you walk among pines. Sandbar walks are free. (Miyazu · 宮津)
- AdmissionSandbar walks are free. Viewpoints, lifts, boats and bicycle rental are excluded.
- HoursWalks have no regular closure days. Choose your extent according to weather and on-site restrictions.
- Getting thereWalk about 5 minutes from Kyoto Tango Railway's Amanohashidate Station to the sandbar entrance. Crossing the entire sandbar takes about 50 minutes one way, separate from station-to-entrance access. The Monju-based 4-day/5-day routes walk only the southern section and return the same way.
- Additional visit conditionsFor a boat return, check that vessel's operations, fare and boarding point separately. The September 2026 Daitenkyo notice restricts vessels below the bridge and explicitly states no pedestrian impact. Recheck date-specific construction/access notices officially and on site.
Amanohashidate accessSeptember 2026 Daitenkyo construction notice
Fushimi Inari Taisha
伏見稲荷大社
Visit Fushimi Inari Taisha to walk the red torii paths. Visit the main shrine, then continue towards Senbon Torii. Ordinary shrine access is free.
- AdmissionOrdinary visits are free. Return JR fares, prayer services and religious items are separate.
- HoursShrine visits have no regular closure days. Check separate hours for religious-item counters and prayer registration.
- Getting thereTake a JR Nara Line train stopping at Inari from Kyoto; the shrine is opposite. Official guidance gives about 5 minutes by train and the second stop, excluding waits, hotel travel and walking to the main shrine. Keihan Fushimi-inari is separate.
- Return routeAfter the main shrine and torii area, return to Inari for a Kyoto-bound train to the same hotel. Eat outside the grounds. Avoid blocking narrow paths for photos and respect no-photography areas.
- Additional visit conditionsThis visits the main shrine and torii area without a Mount Inari summit hike. Check actual-date JR returns and fares separately.
Shrine admission and operationsShrine transport informationOn-site visitor rulesFushimi Inari Senbon Torii
Frequently asked questions
Does Nijo's ¥1,300 ticket include Honmaru Palace?
It covers castle and Ninomaru Palace. Honmaru needs a separate ticket and date/time reservation. On Ninomaru closure days, check tickets for available areas.
Is an Amanohashidate walk the same as a viewpoint visit?
Walking the sandbar differs from looking down from mountain viewpoints. The Monju-based 4-day/5-day routes use the swing bridge, Daitenkyo and pine path, returning the same way. Viewpoints, lifts and boats are excluded. A full sandbar crossing takes about 50 minutes one way, separate from this southern-section return walk.
Amanohashidate accessTourism association walking map, page 2
Official sources and dates checked
- Tenryu-ji access ·
- Amanohashidate access ·
- Official Nijo Castle access map ·
- Nijo Castle admission ·
- Nijo Castle operations and closures ·
- Official Byodo-in access map ·
- Official Byodo-in visitor information ·
- Summer operating exceptions ·
- 16 October change ·
- Shrine admission and operations ·
- Shrine transport information ·
- On-site visitor rules ·
- Tourism association walking map, page 2 ·
- September 2026 Daitenkyo construction notice ·
- Kyoto City transport bureau Nijojo-mae exits and area map ·
- JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stop map (revised 2024-03-16) ·
- Tenryu-ji Japanese hours and visit suspensions ·
- JR Kyoto Line stop map (revised 2026-03-14) ·
- Ninomaru wall paintings, carvings and garden ·
- Byodo-in pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan ·
- Fushimi Inari Senbon Torii ·