Kyoto Imperial Palace & Nijo Castle Guided Walking Tour - 3 Hours

Overview

Available languages

Chinese

English

French

Spanish

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Discover two of Kyoto's amazing attractions with a warm and knowledgeable local guide by your side.

Step into the Kyoto Imperial Palace, once home to Japan's imperial family, and learn about its history.

Explore Nijo Castle on a guided tour to admire its exquisite feudal-era architecture. (Note: For the Nijo Castle visit, tour guides will only bring you to the Ninomaru-goten Palace and Garden.)

Book at your convenience – we even welcome last-minute reservations!

Select from various start times that suit your schedule.

Relish the personal touch of a small group tour, limited to just 9 participants.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

English-speaking tour guide

Entrance fees

3 hour walking tour

Hotel pick up and drop off

Meals and other drinks

Personal expenses

What To Expect

Nijo Castle

The historical city of Kyoto is one of Japan’s most famous cities. It was once the capital of Japan and the place of the emperor’s residence for more than a thousand years. In this guided walking tour, we’ll explore the grandeur and rich history of Japan’s past with a visit to Nijo Castle. Admire the castle’s impressive architecture, beautiful gardens, and intricate interiors that offer a glimpse into the lives of Japan’s shoguns.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Included

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Learn about the Kyoto Imperial Palace and how it was once the residence of Japan’s imperial family. Your friendly TripGuru will take you around the impressive structure, giving you time to admire the stunning architecture, beautiful gardens, and more.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Included

Options

Private Tour in Chinese

Chinese-speaking tour guide

Private Tour in Spanish

Private Tour in Spanish: Select this option for a Private tour with a Spanish Guide. Entrance fees are included.

Private Tour in English

with a private tour guide

Small Group Tour

Private Tour in French

Private Tour in French: Select this option for a Private tour with a French Guide. Entrance fees are included.

Reviews

4.67

93 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Hermanos en Japón
Mabel B,
Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Kata was our tour guide for the Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. He was very thoughtful of our needs and very knowledgable of the two places he shared with us. We learned not only about the places we saw but about the history behind them. The day was spectacular and we learned so much from Kata about Japanese culture. I strongly recommend a visit to both the Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace while in Kyoto.
Find another guide
Q6038CSnancym,
Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00
Was never contacted by guide ahead of time. Couldn't find how to contact when lost. Tour was rushed. Guide was not engaging nor friendly. Would not recommend this guide.
Excellent Tour of Niko-Jo Castle and the Kyoto Imperial Palace with a friendly local!
Yebubbleman,
Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Alex was a phenomenal guide and, honestly, the perfect person to serve as the introduction to my first Japan trip! He was both friendly and knowledgeable and he provided a really good insight into both Japan’s history as well as its present. I booked this tour on a whim and I could not be any more glad that I did. This trip has been a life changing experience and Alex was definitely a huge part of that! Cannot recommend his tour enough!
The Nijo that represents Kyoto well
thibautr746,
Oct 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We visited the Nijo-jo with Jasmine who was a great guide! The visit was very rewarding. The place is well preserved and maintained.
In the home of the Shogun
Seaside14897490732,
Oct 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Nijo castle is a fundamental part of Japan's national heritage. This will suddenly become very clear stepping into it. Visitors must be aware that it's preservation is a priority for Japan's government, and photos cannot be taken in the interior of the main building (also, visitors have to remove their shoes). Nonetheless, I found the interior of the Castle so magnificent in its austerity and so impressive that I'm even glad that taking photos is not allowed, so that I could focus more intensively on the living this experience. Jasmine has been a lovely guide. She explained very clearly the story of the Castle and she told us several interesting anecdotes and unexpected features of the artworks in it. I suggest to book quite in advance and to check the email for updates before the visit, because the Imperial Palace, being still a official building, may be closed from time to time due to force majeure. This happened in my case. In place of the Imperial Palace, we visited the Art Gallery, which contains some original artworks too fragile to be left inside the Castle.
Tour was rushed
9Traveler8,
Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
The tour guide rushed through the tour and frankly I can’t fully understand the English of the guide too well due to his accent.
You should definitely do...
oceangator,
Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
You should definitely do a tour to understand the subtleties of the palace and grounds. Our guide, Cecilia, was sweet, enthusiastic and informative. I would request her if you do the tour.
Informative and interesting tour
Y7157YBethanr,
Oct 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great tour! Our guide Jasmine showed us through the castle and the beautiful gardens, then a tour around the imperial palace close by. My partner and I learned a lot and had a great time. Jasmine was really good at teaching us about the sites we were at and also happy to have a chat! Highly recommend for anyone interested in Japan’s history.
I enjoyed the tour to the Palace. I enjoyed the time I spent with Alex. He was very helpful.
Pioneer07829134182,
Sep 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Alex was helpful in explaining the significance and history of the Imperial Palace. Very interesting place deeply rooted in history. He was also helpful in helping me search for a place to stay as the hotels were all booked up. I found an Air BnB. Got lost and he stayed with me until I arrived at the place. It was most comforting knowing that he was available during that time. Thank you Alex.
Awesome!
789lynitaa,
Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The Nijo-Jo palace was my favorite tour of my trip! Jasmine was an amazing tour guide. She really took time to explain the history and importance of both the shogun dynasty and imperial palace.