Nijo Castle tours: what is on offer
A Nijo Castle tour comes in a few clear forms. Short guided walks stay inside the castle and explain the Ninomaru Palace, its paintings and its history. Combined walks pair the castle with the Imperial Palace. Full-day tours of Kyoto add a stop at Nijo to a longer route with other sights. A nijo castle guided tour is not required, because you can buy a ticket and walk the route on your own, but a guide brings the stories behind the rooms.
Whether the castle admission is part of the price differs from tour to tour, so read the card before you book. On the page about tickets and entrance fees you find what the castle itself charges.
Our picks: Nijo Castle tours
Walking tours with admission, a 60-minute explanation and car day trips. If you plan to buy the castle ticket yourself, the 60-minute tour is the easy one.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and 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, Nanzen-ji and a matcha experience
- Nijo Castle ticket
- Matcha experience
- English and Chinese guide
Nine to ten hours that combine Nijo Castle and Nanzen-ji with a matcha experience. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle.
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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.
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Three-hour walk: Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle
- English-speaking guide
- Entrance fees included
- Three-hour walking tour
Three hours on foot with an English-speaking guide through Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace. A good fit if you want the history in sequence.
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Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle on foot
- Nijo Castle admission
- Ninomaru Palace and Painting Gallery
- English-speaking guide
About three hours on foot that link the Imperial Palace area with Nijo Castle. Castle admission is part of the price.
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Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace in 60 minutes
- Higashi-Ote-mon and Kara-mon gates
- Ninomaru Palace commentary
- Ninomaru Garden
A one-hour guided walk from the gates through Ninomaru Palace and its garden. The castle admission fee is not included and is paid separately.
Check availability →Nijo Castle tours and Kyoto day tours
Guided walks of the castle with or without admission, a walk that adds the Imperial Palace, and full-day tours that stop at Nijo. The cards list what each tour includes.
Official English guide at the castle
Arranged by the castle itself.
The castle offers English guiding by certified Kyoto City Visitors Hosts. The guide meets visitors on days when the castle is open, at 10:00 and at 12:00, and the walk takes about 60 minutes. The fee is 2,500 JPY per person on top of the admission for the castle and the Ninomaru Palace. Children aged 0 to 6 join free. A reservation in advance is the normal way, and on the day you may join if places are left. The Honmaru Palace is not part of this guide.
This is a good fit if you want a walk through the Ninomaru Palace in English without joining a bigger tour. A private guide is the alternative if you want to set your own pace.
What a private guide covers and costs is compared on the page about a Nijo Castle private tour.
Audio guide
For a visit at your own speed.
An audio guide costs 600 JPY and is lent out at the General Information Center. It gives about one hour of commentary in seven languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, French, Spanish and German. That makes it the simplest choice if you read German or Spanish and prefer to walk alone. It does not replace a guide who can answer questions, but it explains the main rooms and the garden. You return the device before you leave.
Tours with or without admission
Check the price against the ticket.
The 60-minute guided tour that starts at the Higashi Ote-mon gate leads through the Karamon gate, the Ninomaru Palace and the Ninomaru Garden. The castle admission is not part of it and you pay it at the castle in addition. That keeps the tour price low, but you need to budget for the ticket. A walking tour that combines the Imperial Palace with the castle includes the admission to Nijo Castle with the Ninomaru Palace and the Painting Gallery, and it starts at Nijojo-mae station. Another 3-hour walk of the castle and the Imperial Palace lists the entrance fees as included and meets outside exit 1 of the station.
The Honmaru Palace is not included in any of these. If you want to see it, book its timed ticket separately and read the Honmaru page first. For a walk that covers both the shogun's castle and the emperor's palace, the page on the castle and the Imperial Palace goes further.
Full-day Kyoto tours with a Nijo stop
For a day of several sights.
If you want the castle as one stop in a long day, a full-day tour of Kyoto does the driving. One tour of about ten hours combines Nijo Castle with Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji. It has a bilingual guide in English and Chinese, a vehicle with air conditioning and round-trip transfers from the meeting point, but the admission to Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji and meals are extra. Another tour of nine to ten hours takes you to Nijo Castle and Nanzen-ji with a matcha experience, and the Nijo ticket is included. Both start at a meeting point that depends on the option you book.
What to see around the castle on foot or by tour is on the page about things to do near Nijo Castle. If you like a kyoto walking tour that stays in the old town, the walks that start at Nijojo-mae are the closest fit.
Nijo Castle tours: frequently asked questions
Is there an official English guide at the castle?
Yes. Certified Kyoto City Visitors Hosts guide at 10:00 and 12:00 for about 60 minutes, for 2,500 JPY per person on top of the castle and Ninomaru admission.
Does a Nijo Castle tour include the Honmaru Palace?
No. The Honmaru Palace is a separate timed ticket and none of the tours on this page includes it.
Is the castle admission included in the tour price?
It depends. Some walks include it and some do not, for example the 60-minute guided tour. Check the card before you book.
Can I use an audio guide in German?
Yes, the audio guide for 600 JPY is available in seven languages including German.
Where do the walking tours start?
Several of them start at Nijojo-mae station or at the Higashi Ote-mon gate. The meeting point is listed on each card.