Kyoto Ahead
Reservations

Kyoto places you must reserve in advance — and exactly how

Last checked against official sources: 20 September 2026
Short version. Most of Kyoto needs no booking. A handful of its best places do, and one of them works on a lottery that opens three months ahead. Book only through the official sites linked here.
PlaceBooking needed?Where
Katsura Imperial VillaYes — guided tour onlyImperial Household Agency
Shugakuin Imperial VillaYes — guided tour onlyImperial Household Agency
Kyoto Sento Imperial PalaceYes — guided tour onlyImperial Household Agency
Kyoto Imperial PalaceNoJust turn up
Saihoji (the moss temple)Yes — at least one day aheadTemple's booking site
Kyoto State Guest HouseRecommended; same-day slips possibleCabinet Office site
Nintendo Museum (Uji)Yes — ticket drawingOfficial ticketing site

The three imperial sites: Katsura, Shugakuin and Sento

These gardens belong to the Imperial Household Agency. You cannot wander in on your own: every visitor joins a tour led by agency staff, and because places are limited the agency asks you to apply in advance. Each site has an English page with two routes — an online application and walk-in registration on the day for any places left over.

Katsura runs English-guided tours for foreign visitors at 9:20, 11:20, 13:20, 15:20 and 16:20.

Each site also publishes a "Guidelines for a visit" PDF and a calendar of closed days. Read the PDF before you apply: it covers the conditions of entry, which we have not reproduced here because they are best read at the source.

The one you don't need to book

The Kyoto Imperial Palace itself, in the same park as Sento, needs no advance application. If the villa tours are full, it is the easy fallback.

Saihoji, the moss temple

Saihoji takes visitors by reservation only, to keep the grounds quiet. The standard visit is called Nichi-nichi Sanpai: you first copy a sutra in the main hall, then walk the moss garden freely. Allow about 60 minutes.

You must reserve at least one day in advance, and each booking is limited to two people; larger parties book separately, and the temple discourages groups of more than five. Book through the temple's own site, which is in English.

Kyoto State Guest House

The government's guest house for visiting heads of state sits inside the Imperial Palace park and opens to the public whenever it is not in official use — so check the opening schedule first.

  • Adults ¥2,000, university students ¥1,500, middle and high school students ¥700.
  • Open 9:30–17:00, last admission 15:30.
  • Advance reservations are taken online, first come, first served. Same-day entry slips are handed out from 9:30 at the Seiwain Rest House if places remain.
  • Guided tours run in Japanese and English.

Nintendo Museum, Uji

In Uji, just south of Kyoto, and the hardest ticket on this list. Tickets are sold by random drawing:

  • You need a free Nintendo Account to enter.
  • Applications open three months before the month you want to visit.
  • Results come out on the afternoon of the 1st of the following month.
  • If you win, pay by 23:59 on the 7th (the 14th if you were picked from the waiting list), or you lose the ticket.
  • Tickets left after the drawing go on first-come sale for time slots up to two months ahead.

Nintendo says only tickets from its official ticketing site are valid. Do not buy resold tickets.

A planning timeline

WhenDo this
3 months beforeEnter the Nintendo Museum drawing. Check the imperial villa application pages for your dates.
Once your dates are fixedCheck the State Guest House opening schedule and reserve.
A week or more beforeReserve Saihoji (the rule is at least one day ahead, but don't leave it that late).
On the dayNo luck? Try walk-in registration at the villas or a same-day slip at the Guest House — and the Imperial Palace needs no booking at all.

Sources

  • Imperial Household Agency visit guide: https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/index.html
  • Katsura Imperial Villa: https://kyoto-gosho.kunaicho.go.jp/en/katsura-rikyu/visit
  • Shugakuin Imperial Villa: https://kyoto-gosho.kunaicho.go.jp/en/shugakuin-rikyu/visit
  • Kyoto Sento Imperial Palace: https://kyoto-gosho.kunaicho.go.jp/en/sento-gosho/visit
  • Saihoji reservations: https://www.intosaihoji.com/en/nichinichi/
  • Kyoto State Guest House: https://www.geihinkan.go.jp/en/kyoto/visit/
  • Nintendo Museum ticket flow: https://museum.nintendo.com/en/guide/visit-flow/index.html