Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace Visit with Guide
Description
To know the origin of Japan, learning about the history of Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace is a must for all visitors to Kyoto. Nijo Castle, which is registered as UNESCO World Heritage site, is the eyewitness venue as the advent of modern Japan after the long Samurai age ruled by Shogun while Imperial Palace is the holy place once lived by the Emperor when Kyoto was the capital city of Japan, and is still occasionally visited by the current Emperor even today. During the compact 2.5-hour-tour, you will discover the Genesis of the ancient capital for over 1100 years in a small group with well-experienced guide with vast knowledge and humor.
Tour Options
Itinerary
For this guided tour in a small group (less than 8 guests), you can choose one from two different time slots, morning tour or afternoon tour. You will meet the guide simply in front of the huge white main gate of Nijo Castle.
After one-hour guided tour in Nijo Castle, you will transfer to Imperial Palace by public transportation with the guide, and you will have another one-hour-guided tour in Imperial Place. Entry fee and transportation are all included in the tour fee.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(56)
Our guide, Haruto was very good guide. Speaks clear in English and good knowledge of the area.
The tour operator did not show up and when I was finally able to contact them they had made an error on what time the tour was. No tour ended up happening. A waste of precious holiday time.
Our guide, Mia was absolutely wonderful. It was obvious not only was she very knowledgeable, but she clearly enjoys what she does. I'm glad we booked the tour as it made walking through Nijo Castle and the Imperial Place more meaningful.
Excellent tour with guide Mia despite very cold weather. Mia met us outside the castle gate, she had a sign with our name so very easy. Her English was excellent and her knowledge, as a local person who was raised in the region, was extensive. After touring the castle we took the subway to the Imperial palace for a tour through the grounds. Afterwards, Mia located a taxi for us and gave the driver instructions for our hotel. So despite the extreme cold and only two people on the tour Mia did a great job and we are grateful. Highly recommend.
The visit was delightful, informative, and fun. Mia was an amazing tour guide — we learned so much about Japanese history while having a great time!
Mia was a superb guide on our tour of two historic palaces, and the lovely garden next to one of them. She not only explained what we were viewing, but she also offered an historical and/or cultural context that was very informative. She answered questions knowledgeably. Although the palaces were interesting, Mia’s commentary really added to our understanding of these sites.
The guide was friendly and funny, it was a great experience! Very easy meetup location and getting between the castle and palace was a breeze.
Mie was amazing! She was warm and shared so much information. Her English was perfect and she shared just enough historical information without going overboard, but answered any and all our specific questions, as well. She had some great visual aides to help explain things and also has a great sense of humor! Wonderful tour of both sites.
Mia was one of the best tour guides we have had! Her English was second to none while you arrived so prepared. We loved every minute of the tour and were kept on the edge of our seats with the stories and engagement.
Two magnificent places to visit! If you loved Shogun then these are a must see. And I think we hit the jackpot with Mia as our guide. She’s well-informed, fun and totally funny. She made everything so accessible and interesting to learn about. The castle is just cool, and the gardens at the Imperial Palace are wondrous. Book this tour with Mia. You’ll be glad you did!
