Things to do near Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle sits in central Kyoto, so the list of things to do near Nijo Castle is a mix of short stops and longer trips. Within the city center you can combine the visit with Nishiki Market for lunch, the quiet garden of Shinsen-en and the Imperial Palace. For the big temples and the bamboo grove you will need more time, which is where the day tours come in.
The castle itself takes around one to one and a half hours with the garden, and two and a half to three hours if you add the Honmaru Palace. Leave the rest of the day for one or two of the places below instead of trying to fit in all of them.
Our picks: tours around Nijo Castle
Three ways to add Kyoto food and nearby sights to your castle visit: two Nishiki Market food walks and a day by car.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. 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.
Nishiki Market brunch walking tour
- Brunch at a restaurant
- Seven tastings
- Certified local guide
Three hours that add a sit-down brunch to the market tastings. The guide also takes photos during the walk.
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Nishiki Market food tour with seven tastings
- Seven food tastings
- Local guide
- Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine entry
About three hours of Kyoto food after your castle visit, walking the market and Nishiki Tenmangu with a local guide.
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Day tour from Kyoto or Osaka: Nijo, Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji
- English and Chinese guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Round-trip transfer from the meeting point
Ten hours by car that cover Nijo Castle, Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji. Admission to Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji is paid separately.
Check availability →Kyoto tours near Nijo Castle
Food walks through Nishiki Market and day tours that stop at the castle and then continue to other parts of Kyoto.
Nishiki Market
Kyoto's food street, best taken slowly.
Nishiki Market is a lane of food shops and stalls in central Kyoto, and a natural lunch stop after the castle. The shops do not share one closing day or one set of opening hours. Many are closed on Wednesdays, and many close from 1 to 3 January, so a weekday visit with a flexible plan works best.
The market asks visitors to eat at the shop or inside rather than walking around with food, which keeps the narrow lane moving. If you want help choosing what to try, food walks with a local guide take you through about seven tastings; one of them is a brunch tour that lasts three hours. A tea ceremony or a matcha set is another quiet option in this part of the city, and the castle's own Waraku-an teahouse is covered on the garden page.
Shinsen-en
A temple close to Nijojo-mae station.
Shinsen-en is a temple close to the castle. The temple gives its distance from Nijojo-mae station as 2 minutes on foot and from JR Nijo station as 10 minutes. These are times from the stations, not from the castle gate, and the temple has no parking of its own. Check the temple's current opening hours before you go.
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Free to enter and a good match for the castle.
The Imperial Palace is free to enter, needs no reservation and is closed on Mondays. Together with the castle it shows the two sides of Edo period Kyoto, the shogun and the court. The page on Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace has opening hours by season, the free guided tours and combined walking tours.
Kinkaku-ji
The Golden Pavilion, a day tour away.
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, is one of the stops of the full-day tour that starts in Kyoto or Osaka and also visits Nijo Castle and Arashiyama. Castle admission is not part of that tour, so plan to buy your own ticket. Our Kinkakuji guide covers the temple, its fee and the way there.
Arashiyama
The bamboo grove, reached on a day tour or on its own.
Arashiyama appears on the day tours that also stop at Nijo Castle. For the bamboo grove, the bridge and how to reach them, read our Arashiyama guide.
Fushimi Inari
The shrine known for its rows of red gates.
Some full-day bus tours with a Nijo Castle stop also call at Fushimi Inari. The shrine and its walking routes are described in our Fushimi Inari guide.
Kiyomizu-dera
A temple that some bus tours combine with the castle.
Kiyomizu-dera appears in some of the bus tours that include the castle, with its admission added when you choose that option. Read our Kiyomizu-dera guide before you go.
More of Kyoto
Other temples and sights across the city.
One long tour combines the castle with Nanzen-ji and a matcha experience, with the castle ticket included. For the rest of the city, see our Kyoto guide. If you plan your own route from the castle, the page on how to get to Nijo Castle covers the subway and buses.
Near Nijo Castle: frequently asked questions
What can I combine with Nijo Castle in half a day?
Nishiki Market for lunch and the Imperial Palace are the easiest pairings in the city center. Start at the castle in the morning, since the first entry is at 08:45.
Are all Nishiki Market shops open on the same days?
They do not share one schedule. Many shops are closed on Wednesdays and from 1 to 3 January, so plan your market visit for another day of the week if you can.
Does a day tour include Nijo Castle admission?
It depends on the tour. The tour with Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji does not include the ticket for Nijo Castle, while the tour with Nanzen-ji includes it. Read the inclusions before you book.
Can I go to the Imperial Palace the same day?
Yes, and entry is free. See the Imperial Palace page for the seasonal closing times, and the tours page for guided options.