Nijo Castle Today › Tickets
Nijo Castle tickets and entrance fee
No reservation needed for Nijo Castle — but you do need a ticket. Buy one at the gate when you arrive, or buy an e-ticket in advance to skip the ticket line.
- Most visitors want Grounds + Ninomaru Palace, ¥1,300.
- Honmaru Palace is a separate ¥1,000 ticket, bought and paid for separately, and it does not include castle entry.
- As of , no English-language site sells standard Nijo Castle tickets in advance.
The three tickets
| Ticket | Japanese name | Adult | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grounds only | 入城券 | ¥800 | Gates, gardens, castle grounds |
| Grounds + Ninomaru Palace | 入城券＋二の丸御殿観覧券 | ¥1,300 | Everything above plus Ninomaru Palace. Most visitors want this. |
| Honmaru Palace add-on | 本丸御殿観覧券 | ¥1,000 | Honmaru Palace only. Does not include entry to the castle. |
Junior high and high school students: ¥400 for grounds, ¥300 for Honmaru. Elementary school students: ¥300 and ¥200. Children under elementary school age are free.
Which one should you buy?
- Seeing the highlights: Grounds + Ninomaru Palace (¥1,300).
- Seeing everything: Grounds + Ninomaru Palace (¥1,300) and the Honmaru Palace add-on (¥1,000). That's two separate tickets and two separate payments — ¥2,300 in total.
- If you bought grounds-only by mistake, you can add Ninomaru Palace for ¥500 at the Information Desk inside.
Where to buy
| Your situation | Where to buy |
|---|---|
| I just want to get in | Ticket office at the East Gate, on the day |
| I want to skip the ticket line | Official e-ticket (Japanese-language site) |
| I want everything handled in English, with a guide | English guided tour that includes admission |
| I want to see Honmaru Palace | Official e-ticket only — reserve a time slot |
For the 60-minute tour, check the listing to see whether castle admission is included before you book.
We may earn a commission if you book a tour through these links. It doesn't change the price you pay.
Can I buy Nijo Castle tickets in English online?
Not right now. As of , Klook and Viator have both stopped selling standard Nijo Castle tickets, and GetYourGuide only lists guided tours. The official e-ticket site is in Japanese only. A step-by-step English walkthrough of that site is coming soon.
Honmaru Palace: read this before you book
- Reservation only. Tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit date.
- About 15 people enter at a time, in slots 20 minutes apart.
- No refunds, no date changes, no changes to the number of people.
- Don't book the next available slot. You need to be through the East Gate 20 minutes before your time, and the walk to Honmaru Palace takes another 15–20 minutes.
- The ticket office at the gate does not sell Honmaru Palace tickets. A few same-day tickets are sold at the Information Desk inside.
Discounts
Show a Kyoto subway one-day pass or subway & bus one-day pass at the ticket office and the grounds ticket drops from ¥800 to ¥700. This only works at the ticket office, not online.
Common questions
Do I need to book Nijo Castle in advance?
No reservation is needed for the castle grounds or Ninomaru Palace, but you do need a ticket. You can buy one at the gate on the day. Honmaru Palace is the exception: it is reservation-only, with a timed ticket.
How much is the Nijo Castle entrance fee?
Grounds only is 800 yen. Grounds + Ninomaru Palace is 1,300 yen, and that is the ticket most visitors want. Honmaru Palace is a separate 1,000 yen ticket that does not include entry to the castle. Children under elementary school age are free.
Can I buy Nijo Castle tickets online in English?
Not right now. As of October 10, 2026, Klook and Viator have both stopped selling standard Nijo Castle tickets, and GetYourGuide only lists guided tours. The official e-ticket site is in Japanese only.
Which Nijo Castle ticket should I buy?
Buy Grounds + Ninomaru Palace (1,300 yen). To see Honmaru Palace as well, add the Honmaru Palace ticket (1,000 yen). That is two separate tickets and two separate payments, 2,300 yen in total.
How do I get a Honmaru Palace ticket?
Reserve a time slot on the official e-ticket site. Tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit date and cannot be refunded or changed. The ticket office at the gate does not sell them. A few same-day tickets are sold at the General Information Center inside.
Last checked:
Last checked: . Source: Nijo-jo Castle official guide and admission fees (Kyoto City Nijo-jo Castle Office). Online ticket availability checked on . Published by Bag2Gate.