Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace Visit with Guide
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Kyoto, Japan
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get a deeper insight into Japanese history than would be possible independently on this private guided tour of Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace. As you explore the historic buildings, enjoy the undivided attention of your guide who introduces you to Japan's Edo period when it was under the control of a shogunate, and the establishment of Kyoto, the ancient capital.
- Private tour for just you and your party: A personalized experience
- Get insights into Japanese history and culture from your guide
- Choice of morning or afternoon tour to fit your schedule
- Includes entrance fees and public transport costs
What's Included
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Entrance fees
- Public transportation during the tour
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Nijō Castle541 Nijōjōchō, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8301, Japan
Meet in front of Nijo Castle’s white main gate
End point
- Kyoto Gyoen National Garden3 Kyōtogyoen, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0881, Japan
Tour ends in front of Imperial Palace
Itinerary
1
Nijo Castle
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Kyoto Imperial Palace
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 54 reviews
Margaret_C, Mar 2026
Our guide, Mia was absolutely wonderful. It was obvious not only was she very knowledgeable, but she clearly enjoys what she does. I'm glad we booked the tour as it made walking through Nijo Castle and the Imperial Place more meaningful.
Lorne_S, Nov 2025
Mia was a superb guide on our tour of two historic palaces, and the lovely garden next to one of them. She not only explained what we were viewing, but she also offered an historical and/or cultural context that was very informative. She answered questions knowledgeably. Although the palaces were interesting, Mia’s commentary really added to our understanding of these sites.
Nathaniel_M, Nov 2025
The guide was friendly and funny, it was a great experience! Very easy meetup location and getting between the castle and palace was a breeze.
Jacqueline_C, Nov 2025
Mie was amazing! She was warm and shared so much information. Her English was perfect and she shared just enough historical information without going overboard, but answered any and all our specific questions, as well. She had some great visual aides to help explain things and also has a great sense of humor! Wonderful tour of both sites.
Stephen_B, Oct 2025
Two magnificent places to visit! If you loved Shogun then these are a must see. And I think we hit the jackpot with Mia as our guide. She’s well-informed, fun and totally funny. She made everything so accessible and interesting to learn about. The castle is just cool, and the gardens at the Imperial Palace are wondrous. Book this tour with Mia. You’ll be glad you did!
michael_t, Oct 2025
The tour guide makes all the difference and Mia was wonderful.
We picked up several nuances that we would have missed otherwise
Stephen_L, Sep 2025
Miya was amazing. Very knowledgeable about the castle and its history and the palace grounds. We got to see so much and learned a lot about the workings of the Shogun. Highly recommended.
Anna_S, Jul 2025
It was a fantastic experience! Our guide, Mia (I hope I’m spelling her name correctly 😊), was absolutely amazing. She was kind, knowledgeable, engaging, and fun! She even recommended a great place to try Kobe beef, which turned out to be another unforgettable experience. Truly an outstanding guide!
piers_y, Jul 2025
great guide- Mia
she knew everything about the castle and palace, and also lots around japanese culture and politics.
Jason_S, Jun 2025
We booked this tour expecting a small group but we were the only ones to show up! Lucky us we got to have Mia, our guide, all to ourselves!
Mia was a joy to learn from. She shared the history of Nijo Castle and the shogun who built it while also sharing Japanese culture. Her knowledge was both personal and broad; she was able to answer all our questions! When we went to the Imperial Palace, she was able to add more information than was on the placards giving a wonderful look into the religious and spiritual traditions. At the end of our time, she was thoughtful enough to recommend a really tasty yakitori restaurant, calling ahead to manage a reservation for us. We will remember 150 and 126 for years to come!! Strongly recommend this tour with Mia! Thank you Mia-san!!
Frank_H, Jun 2025
Private tour was worth the money. Our tour guide was awesome and very knowledgable. Everyone in our family loved the one on one experience.
Randy_M, Jun 2025
This was one of the best tours we have ever had in only 2.5 hours. Mia is so pleasant and personable with a great sense of humor, and her knowledge of the Tokugawa Shogunate period and the transfer of power to Emperor Meiji was exceptional. We learned so much from Mia about the time and all the symbolism at each venue. You will thoroughly enjoy this tour!
Elene_K, May 2025
Uncomparable experience!
Excellent tour guide Mia!
Admire of her deep professional knowledge!
Highly-highly-highly recommend this tour!!!
Hailey_W, May 2025
Our guide Mia (sp?) was great and had the perfect mix of historical information along with some more personable stories of the historical figures involved. Of note, the end point of the tour is not where you begin the tour.
Isaac_R, Apr 2025
This tour is highly recommended. Our tour guide, Mie, was very knowledgeable and brought additional visuals to explain some of the history and to answer some of the questions. She did her homework. It was fantastic! One of the best tours we have done.
Deborah_L, Apr 2025
Fabulous guide, lots of knowledge about Castle and Palace.
Easy but ensure comfortable shoes as lots of walking.
Both sites are beautiful and definitely worth the visit.
Kim_S, Apr 2025
This was our favorite tour in Kyoto. Mia was knowledgeable and very engaging. We appreciated the way she shared her knowledge regarding the Shogun era and the imperial family. She was easy to spend time with and gave us a great restaurant recommendation! Wish we could give her more stars!
Eric_S, Mar 2025
Mia was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable about the history and culture of the shogun period. Her perspective was very enlightening and educational.
John_L, Feb 2025
Great guide and excellent tours of both historic sites. You tour the interior of Nijo castle which is just amazing. Imperial palace is also stunning.
Amber_L, Nov 2024
Great tour around Nijo Castle and the Imperial palace. Our tour guide was really knowledgeable and very funny!
Carlos_T, Nov 2024
Mia was a superb guide with in-depth knowledge of the palace and castle. She provided invaluable knowledge of the shogun meetings and location in the castle and overall history of the shogun era. Mia provided interesting information on the emperor’s family and lineal descendants!
Ovidiu_B, Sep 2024
We had a great experience and learned a lot about the history of Japan. Our guide, Choko, was very friendly and knowledgeable. She spoke good English and answered all our questions.
Charles_T, Sep 2024
Our guide, Mia, was animated, informative and a lot of fun. She had a great balance between respect for the historical national treasures and a light and airy demeanor. Overall a great experience!
Cath_C, Apr 2024
We arrived early and easily found our tour guide. She deftly guided us through the shogun castle, subway and imperial palace. At the same time, she explained interesting features, history and Japanese culture. This was an excellent tour and I would highly recommend.
Melinda_W, Feb 2024
Mike was an amazing tour guide. Shared a wealth of knowledge of Shogun and imperial history. Couldn’t have asked for a better guide.
Nick_D, Oct 2023
This was an amazing personalized tour! I would highly recommend over a big group tour if you’re interested in learning the history of the Shogun or Emperor. Plus both Niko-Ji and the Imperial palace are beautiful!
Arthur_K, Apr 2023
The guide was knowledge and congenial, and the sites are magnificent. Choco knew the history of the sites well and was able to fully answer my many questions. I would highly recommend this tour.
Ursina_B, Feb 2023
Our guide was extremely knowledgeable which made this tour really fantastic in every way ! Thank you
Aleke_K, Dec 2022
The Nijo Castle was great. Our tour guide explained the history very well and provided great explanations within the castle. It was unfortunate the Imperial palace was closed due to an event. But I would still recommend this tour for first time visitors to this historical city.
Allison_P, Aug 2019
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Japan in general and these sites in particular. She was friendly, professional, and spoke good English. I would recommend this tour to anyone interested in the history of Kyoto.
From $77.47
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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