What would you like to see in Kyoto Prefecture?
For a shogun's palace, see Ninomaru's wall paintings/carvings and Nijo gardens. Choose Tenryu-ji for Arashiyama gardens or Byodoin for Phoenix Hall pond views and cultural treasures. Fushimi Inari offers worship beneath red torii. For northern Amanohashidate sandbar/pine walks, allow return travel time too.
Sights: prices, hours and access
Nijo Castle
Nijo-jo Castle元離宮二条城
See a shogun's palace through Ninomaru's wall paintings and carved decorations, then walk Nijo Castle's gardens. Choose a Ninomaru-inclusive ticket for its interior. Honmaru needs a separate ticket and advance reservation.
- AdmissionAdult basic admission is 800 yen or 1,300 yen including Ninomaru. Honmaru and the Painting Gallery cost separately.
- HoursCastle admission runs 08:45–16:00; closing is 17:00. Ninomaru admission ends at 16:10, but you must enter the castle by 16:00. Year-end castle closures differ from palace closures.
- Getting thereUse Nijojo-mae exit 1 and walk towards Nijo Castle. Buy at the east-gate ticket office. From Kyoto Station, change at Karasuma Oike; check date-specific trains/fares separately.
- Additional viewing conditionsBook Honmaru separately for a date/time in advance. On Ninomaru closure days, choose a ticket for open areas rather than automatically buying its inclusive ticket.
Nijo Castle official access mapNijo Castle pricesNijo Castle hours and closuresKyoto City Transportation Bureau: Nijojo-mae exits and area mapNinomaru wall paintings, carvings and gardens
Tenryu-ji
天龍寺
Choose Tenryu-ji for leisurely Arashiyama garden viewing. Decide whether to add buildings around extra cost and same-day operations.
- AdmissionGarden: high school age and above 500 yen; elementary/junior high school pupils 300 yen. Buildings add 300 yen; Dharma Hall Cloud Dragon painting costs 500 yen separately.
- HoursGarden 08:30–17:00, last admission 16:50. Buildings 08:30–16:45, last admission 16:30.
- Getting thereWalk about 13 minutes from JR Saga-Arashiyama, 5 from Randen Arashiyama or 15 from Hankyu Arashiyama. Compare JR Sagano when starting at Kyoto Station.
- Additional viewing conditionsGarden tickets exclude buildings and Dharma Hall. Check official date-specific building/hall closures and early garden opening. Check garden operations separately even when buildings/hall close.
Tenryu-ji accessTenryu-ji Japanese hours and viewing-closure information
Byodoin
平等院
Choose Byodoin for Phoenix Hall views across its pond. See the building from the garden, then cultural treasures at Hoshokan. Basic admission includes garden/Hoshokan; Phoenix Hall interior needs first-come same-day admission and an extra fee.
- AdmissionGarden/Hoshokan: adults 700 yen, junior/senior high school pupils 400 yen, elementary pupils 300 yen. Phoenix Hall interior adds 300 yen. Individual rates from official viewing information checked on 8 October 2026.
- HoursGarden 08:45–17:30, last admission 17:15; Hoshokan 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:45. Interior first-come same-day admission starts at 09:10.
- Getting thereWalk from JR Uji or Keihan Uji. Both give about 10 minutes, but station locations and river-crossing routes differ; use the official access map.
- Additional viewing conditionsPhoenix Hall interior admission is first come on the day. From 16 June–15 October 2026, capacity is 30 per session; 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30 and 15:30 sessions do not run. From 16 October, capacity is 35. These are interior-viewing conditions, not garden admission limits; early closure of admission prevents interior viewing.
Byodoin official viewing informationByodoin official access mapSummer operating exceptionsChanges from 16 OctoberByodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan
Amanohashidate
天橋立
A pine path follows Miyazu's long sandbar between the waters. Choose Amanohashidate for close sea views between the pines. Sandbar walks are free. Miyazu · 宮津.
- AdmissionSandbar walks are free. Decks, lifts, boats and bicycle hire are excluded.
- HoursWalk freely, with no regular closure days. Choose your walking extent around weather and local access restrictions.
- Getting thereWalk about 5 minutes from Kyoto Tango Railway Amanohashidate to the sandbar entrance. A whole crossing takes about 50 minutes one way, separate from station-to-entrance access. The 4-/5-day Monju overnight routes walk only the southern section and return the same way.
- Additional viewing conditionsFor a boat return, check that service's operations, fares and boarding location separately. The September 2026 Daitenkyo notice restricts vessels passing underneath and explicitly states pedestrians are unaffected. 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 for walks beneath red torii. After the main sanctuary, continue towards Senbon Torii. Ordinary visits are free.
- AdmissionOrdinary visits are free. JR return fares, prayers and shrine items cost separately.
- HoursVisit freely, with no regular closure days. Check shrine-item office and prayer-registration hours separately.
- Getting thereTake a JR Nara service from Kyoto stopping at Inari; the shrine is directly in front. Official guidance gives about 5 minutes aboard and the second stop from Kyoto. Waiting, hotel travel and walks to the main sanctuary are extra. Keihan Fushimi-inari is a different station.
- ReturningAfter the main sanctuary/torii area, return to Inari and take a Kyoto-bound train to the same hotel. Eat outside the grounds. Avoid photography blocking narrow paths and observe no-photography areas.
- Additional viewing conditionsThis route visits the main sanctuary/torii area and excludes a Mount Inari summit hike. Check JR return fares and date-specific trains separately.
Visit prices and operationsShrine transport informationOn-site rulesFushimi Inari Senbon Torii
Frequently asked questions
Does Nijo's 1,300-yen ticket include Honmaru?
It covers the castle and Ninomaru. Honmaru needs a separate ticket and date/time reservation. On Ninomaru closure days, choose a ticket for open areas rather than automatically buying its inclusive ticket.
Are Amanohashidate walks and observation decks the same visit?
Sandbar walks differ from hillside deck views. On the 4-/5-day Monju routes, you walk over the rotating bridge and Daitenkyo to the pine path, returning the same way. Decks, lifts and boats are excluded. A whole sandbar crossing takes about 50 minutes one way, distinct from southern-section return walks.
Amanohashidate accessTourism association walking map, page 2
Official sources and check dates
- Tenryu-ji access ·
- Amanohashidate access ·
- Nijo Castle official access map ·
- Nijo Castle prices ·
- Nijo Castle hours and closures ·
- Byodoin official access map ·
- Byodoin official viewing information ·
- Summer operating exceptions ·
- Changes from 16 October ·
- Visit prices and operations ·
- Shrine transport information ·
- On-site rules ·
- Tourism association walking map, page 2 ·
- September 2026 Daitenkyo construction notice ·
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau: Nijojo-mae exits and area map ·
- JR West Sagano/Biwako stopping-pattern map, revised 16 March 2024 ·
- Tenryu-ji Japanese hours and viewing-closure information ·
- JR Kyoto Line stopping-pattern map, revised 14 March 2026 ·
- Ninomaru wall paintings, carvings and gardens ·
- Byodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan ·
- Fushimi Inari Senbon Torii ·