Kyoto Imperial Palace

What to know

The Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho) served as the home of Japan's imperial family until 1868, when the emperor and capital relocated from Kyoto to Tokyo. It sits within the spacious Kyoto Imperial Park (Kyoto Gyoen), a pleasant green space in central Kyoto that also houses the Sento Imperial Palace—once home to retired emperors—and several other sights.

The current palace was rebuilt in 1855 after repeated fires and relocations over the centuries. Enclosed by long walls, the complex features multiple gates, halls, and gardens. The enthronement ceremonies of Emperors Taisho and Showa were still held in the main hall. Today, the Tokyo Imperial Palace hosts such ceremonies.

Previously accessible only via advance-reservation guided tours, the palace grounds are now open for self-guided exploration without prior booking (though English tours remain available). Visitors can view the palace buildings and gardens from outside, but none of the buildings are open to the public.

Beyond the Imperial Palace and Sento Palace grounds, Kyoto Imperial Park contains other historic sites, such as the Kaninnomiya Mansion—a former court noble residence open to the public in the park's southwestern corner. Nearby, a small branch shrine of Miyajima's famous Itsukushima Shrine sits on an island in a pond.

The park, measuring 1300 meters by 700 meters, also serves as a recreational area for tourists and locals alike, with broad gravel paths, lawns, and groves of trees. A lovely cluster of weeping cherry trees near Konoe Pond in the northwestern corner typically blooms for two to three weeks from late March to mid-April.

Kyoto Imperial Palace is a short subway ride from Kyoto Station on the Karasuma Subway Line. Get off at Marutamachi Station (7 minutes, 260 yen) or Imadegawa Station (10 minutes, 260 yen). Imadegawa Station is closer to the palace entrance than Marutamachi Station.