Reopened in September 2024 after 18 years
The Honmaru Palace sits in the inner part of Nijo Castle, with a garden of its own. After repairs that were completed in March 2024 it welcomed visitors again on 1 September 2024, 18 years after it had closed. Parts of the Katsura-no-miya Palace were moved here in 1893 and 1894, and the present palace is listed as an Important Cultural Property.
It is a separate visit from the better known Ninomaru Palace. You need the castle ticket and a Honmaru ticket on top, and the Honmaru Palace is not part of the Ninomaru ticket. If you are weighing both palaces, start with the Ninomaru Palace guide.
Our pick: a guided tour of Nijo Castle
A 90-minute guided tour of the castle. Check the booking page for exactly which areas the ticket covers.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Nijo Castle tours to pair with the Honmaru Palace
Guided walks through the castle with admission to the grounds. The Honmaru Palace is booked as a separate ticket.
Timed tickets and the walk from the gate
The rule is a booked time slot, with one exception.
The Honmaru Palace is entered at a time you choose when you buy the ticket. Sales open 30 days before your visit. Once bought, the ticket is final: no changes, cancellations or refunds, so choose the slot carefully. As an exception, a small number of day tickets are offered at the information centre, not at the outer ticket office. Treat these as luck, not as a plan, and do not count on getting one.
From the Higashi Ote-mon gate to the Honmaru Palace it is about 850 metres, or 15 to 20 minutes on foot. The English visitor information also asks you to arrive some time before your slot. Do not cut it fine: come early, then use any spare minutes in the grounds. The opening hours page lists the times for the day.
Groups of about 15 and an 8-minute video
Each entry group has about 15 people. Before the walk you watch an introductory video of about eight minutes, then follow a fixed route at your own pace. Waiting on site is possible when slots are busy, so build a margin into your day.
Rules inside
- Wear socks, because shoes go into lockers at the entrance.
- Do not touch pillars, walls, sliding doors or shoji screens, and do not step on the edges of the tatami.
- Photos and videos are not allowed, and neither are food and drink.
- Bags larger than 35 x 35 x 50 cm go to the luggage storage in the main rest area.
Rotating rooms and door paintings
Not every room of the palace is open at the same time. The official annual plan works in blocks, including 19 September to 15 November 2026 and 18 November 2026 to 14 March 2027, so the rooms you see depend on your date. Of the 14 pairs of door paintings, roughly one is shown at a time and changes about every half year. Do not travel for one specific motif.
Honmaru Garden
The garden was laid out after the palace was moved, and Emperor Meiji had it redesigned in 1895. Today it is open lawns, curving paths and an artificial viewing hill. It is a calmer contrast to the pond garden of the Ninomaru Palace, and the garden guide describes all three gardens. Together with the Honmaru Palace, a full visit takes two and a half to three hours.
None of the guided products we list includes the Honmaru Palace. A walk that includes castle admission and the Ninomaru Palace works well as a first visit, and you can book the Honmaru ticket separately on top. For prices of the other tickets see Nijo Castle tickets.
FAQ
Is the Honmaru Palace open?
Yes. It reopened on 1 September 2024 and is visited by timed ticket. It has its own closing days, including the third Monday of each month and the day after.
Is the Honmaru Palace included in the Ninomaru ticket?
No. It costs 1,000 JPY for adults on top of the castle admission.
Can I buy a Honmaru ticket on the day?
The rule is to book a time slot, with sales starting 30 days ahead. A small number of day tickets are offered at the information centre, but availability is not guaranteed.
Can I take photos inside the Honmaru Palace?
No. Photos and videos are not allowed inside, and food and drink are not allowed either.
Do the guided tours include the Honmaru Palace?
No. Book the Honmaru ticket separately if you want to see it.