Nijo Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site that dates back to the 17th century. It was built by the Japanese shogun, who were military leaders that ruled over Japan for many periods of its history. On a Nijo Castle tour, you can explore the last stronghold of the shogun, as this is where they formally handed over power to the Japanese emperor in the late 19th century. Be sure to check out the "singing" floors designed to alert the shogun of any intruders.
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Nijo Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site that dates back to the 17th century. It was built by the Japanese shogun, who were military leaders that ruled over Japan for many periods of its history.
On a Nijo Castle tour, you can explore the last stronghold of the shogun, as this is where they formally handed over power to the Japanese emperor in the late 19th century. Be sure to check out the "singing" floors designed to alert the shogun of any intruders.
Here's all you need to know about Nijo Castle, one of the most historic attractions in Kyoto.
The price of Nijo Castle tickets depends on your age and if you only visit Nijo Castle or would also like to include the Ninomaru-goten Palace, which is located in the same complex.
You can either buy your tickets on-site or online in advance. If you book ahead of time, you can skip the line at the ticket booth and enter directly with the QR code downloaded to your phone.
Discounted tickets to Nijo Castle are available to visitors who are still in grade school, as listed above. Children who haven't started school yet (under 6 years old) can visit Nijo Castle for free.
Tickets to Nijo Castle and Ninomaru-goten Palace are reduced by 200 yen (US$1.50) per person for groups of 30 adults or more.
If you have a valid 1-day subway or bus pass, you can get a small discount of 100 yen (US$1) on Nijo Castle tickets (but not on the ticket with Ninomaru-goten Palace).
Booking your Nijo Castle tickets is a good idea to avoid waiting in line at the ticket booth. With the purchase of an e-ticket, you can walk right into Nijo Castle simply by presenting the QR code downloaded to your phone.
Most tours of Nijo Castle include visits to other popular attractions in Kyoto, including the Golden Pavilion, the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
Some tours also include a sightseeing tour around the Gion District to see the geishas or a food tour at Nishiki Market to try some typical Kyoto snacks.
Spend the entire morning or afternoon exploring two of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage sites — Nijo Castle and the Golden Pavilion.
First, you will visit Nijo Castle, which was the final stronghold of the Japanese shoguns and was contstructed in the 17th century. Then, you'll move on to the Kinkaku-ji Temple, whose Golden Pavilion dates back to the 14th century.
This is an all-inclusive private tour that offers hotel pickup and drop-off and includes the admission fee to both attractions. Please note that since this is a private tour, the booking is per group rather than per person.
This Nijo Castle tour is perfect if you want to pack in as many sites as possible in a single morning. Besides the castle, you'll also stop at the Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Yasaka Shrine before heading to Gion and the Nishiki Market.
Gion is known for the geishas who live and work there. It's the perfect place to experience a tea ceremony and try the matcha tea. Once you've build up an appetite, you can try all different types of local foods at the Nishiki Market.
As this is a private tour, you can truly customize your experience and let your guide know which aspects of the tour you're most interested in and adjust for any dietary restrictions you may have.
This is another great tour for those who have limited time in Kyoto and want to pack in as many must-see sites in one morning.
Instead of walking around Gion as in the tour listed above, you can explore the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. This Buddhist temple is the largest wooden building in the world and has enough room to lay out over 900 tatami mats.
Please note that this tour requires a moderate fitness level, as you will need to walk quite a bit around Kyoto at a steady pace to visit all these different sites around Kyoto.
If you're a foodie, this is the Nijo Castle tour for you. Half of this tour is spent sampling food at the Nishiki Market, so you'll be able to spend the next couple of hours burning of all those calories walking around the Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace.
At the Nishiki Market, there are over 130 shops along a 400-meter corridor. That's a lot of options! You might have some trouble choosing where and what to eat. This is where your guide can be very helpful by showing you to their favorite spots and most special delicacies — maybe a sea urchin or fried fish cake, for example.
Nijo Castle was an important fortification for the Japanese shogun, or military leaders, who ruled Japan at different times up until the late 19th century. This is the site where the last shogun handed over power to the Japanese emperor.
Inside Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace, you can appreciate how the shogun once lived, particularly the elaborate carvings on the walls and gates of the castle and palace.
Nijo Castle is located in the center of Kyoto, northwest of the main downtown area. You can easily get there by foot and public transport. Also, it isn't very far from the Kyoto Imperial Palace, so it makes sense to visit both in the same day.
From Kyoto Imperial Palace, you can get to Nijo Castle on foot in less than 15 minutes, as it's only about a kilometer. The Nishiki Market is twice as far, but still within walking distance for most people.
The easiest and most convenient way to reach Nijo Castle is by train. The castle is just a short walk from two train stations: Nijo and Nijojo-mae station.
You can also take the Randen tram line to reach Nijo Castle. From Shijo-Omiya Station, take the Randen tram towards Katabiranotsuji or Arashiyama, and alight at Shijo-Omiya Station. From there, it is about a 15-minute walk to the castle.
From Kyoto Station, take bus number 9, 50 or 101, and get off at the Nijojo-mae bus stop, which is located right in front of the castle entrance.
Nijo Castle is open from 8:45 AM to 5 PM every day of the week with last entry at 4 PM. Nijo Castle only closes from December 29 to 31, whereas the Ninomaru-goten Palace is closed from December 26 to 28, January 1 to 3 and every Tuesday in December, January, July and August.
The most popular time to visit Nijo Castle is in the spring and autumn to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom or the fall foliage. However, these are also the busiest times to visit. In the winter, there'll be less tourists and the chance to see the castle dusted with snow.
The best time of day to visit Nijo Castle is certainly in the early morning as soon as it opens. This is the best way to avoid crowds that tend to arrive in the hours before and after lunch.
Besides the attractions listed in the tours above, be sure to check out the Fushimi Inari Shrine during your time in Kyoto. Don't miss your chance to walk its pathway up the mountain through the thousands of red torii gates.