Travel in Kyoto
Byodoin
Byodoin · 平等院
Visit Byodoin in Uji for a pond-side walk with views of Phoenix Hall. Look at the hall from the garden, then explore cultural treasures inside Hoshokan.
Byodoin official visiting guidance Sources and dates checked Byodoin official access map
Visitor information at a glance
Address
〒611-0021 京都府宇治市宇治蓮華116
116 Uji Renge, Uji City, Kyoto 611-0021, Japan
View location on the map →Admission
For individual visitors, garden and Hoshokan admission is JPY 700 for adults, JPY 400 for junior and senior high school pupils and JPY 300 for primary school pupils. Phoenix Hall interior admission costs JPY 300 separately and uses same-day first-come registration.
Opening hours and closed days
Garden hours are 08:45–17:30, with last admission at 17:15. Hoshokan opens from 09:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:45. Phoenix Hall interior visits run from 09:30 to 16:10; same-day first-come registration starts at 09:10. The garden and Hoshokan are listed as open throughout the year.
What can I see at Byodoin?
Phoenix Hall across the pond
Walking through the garden gives exterior views of Phoenix Hall across the pond. You can enjoy the building from the garden without entering it.
Byodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan Byodoin official visiting guidance
Hoshokan's cultural treasures after the garden
Explore the cultural treasures displayed in Hoshokan. It is included with the garden in the basic ticket, so continue to the exhibitions after seeing Phoenix Hall's exterior.
Byodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan Byodoin official visiting guidance
How to get to Byodoin
Walk to Byodoin from JR Uji or Keihan Uji. Official guidance gives about ten minutes from either station. They are separate stations with different routes across the river, so use the official access map for your station.
Byodoin official access map Byodoin official visiting guidance Summer operating exceptions Changes from 16 October
Before you visit
Register on the day for the Phoenix Hall interior
Interior admission uses same-day first-come registration. If registration closes early, you cannot enter, so check availability locally first if the interior matters to you. Religious services and events may also suspend interior visits.
Date-specific interior capacity and sessions
Basic guidance lists sessions every 20 minutes with 50 people per session, but separate date-specific notices change these conditions. From 16 June to 15 October 2026, each session admits 30 people, with no sessions at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30 or 15:30. From 16 October 2026, capacity is 35 per session. This concerns Phoenix Hall interior admission, not garden capacity. Check the date-specific changes alongside the basic guidance when visiting.
Byodoin official visiting guidance Summer operating exceptions Changes from 16 October
Questions about Byodoin
Can I reserve Phoenix Hall interior admission in advance?
It uses first-come registration from 09:10 on the visit day rather than advance reservation. Pay JPY 300 for the interior separately from the basic ticket. Early registration closure can prevent entry, so allow time to wait for a visit.
Byodoin official visiting guidance Summer operating exceptions Changes from 16 October
Sources and dates checked
- Byodoin official visiting guidance ·
- Sources and dates checked ·
- Byodoin official access map ·
- Sources and dates checked ·
- Sources and dates checked ·
- Sources and dates checked ·
- Summer operating exceptions ·
- Changes from 16 October ·
- Byodoin pond, Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan ·
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