Kyoto, Japan
Katsura Imperial Villa: when to apply for a tour
On the 1st of the month three months before your visit, from 05:00 Japan time, on the Imperial Household Agency’s site. It is a lottery, not first come: each day’s applications are drawn together, so there is no need to be up at 05:00.
- When does booking open?
- The 1st of the month, 05:00 JST, three months ahead, by lottery. For any day in January 2027, apply from 1 October 2026; February opens on 1 November. Applications close at 23:59 JST three days before the visit, and each day’s applications are drawn after 23:59.
- How far ahead is that?
- About 3 months ahead.
- Where do I book?
- Online on the Imperial Household Agency’s visit site (in English), or in person at its Kyoto Office in Kyoto Gyoen. Free to apply; 1,000 yen paid at the villa.
- Does it sell out?
- The agency publishes no odds. Popular dates can be taken in the first day’s draw, and travellers report losing it more than once, but there is no reliable figure.
- Can I cancel or change?
- Nothing is paid in advance, so there are no fees. The date cannot be changed: apply again for another. To change names or the number of visitors, contact the agency’s Kyoto Office.
Checked 15 October 2026
How to book
Apply on the Imperial Household Agency’s visit site. There is no account or payment: you enter every visitor’s details, get an email, then the lottery result within about 3 to 4 working days with a permit number. Let emails from kyotosankansys@kunaicho.go.jp through your spam filter.
The tour is a guided walk of about an hour through the garden and teahouses; the buildings’ insides are not included. English tours, for foreign nationals, run at 9:20, 11:20, 13:20, 15:20 and 16:20 (not 16:20 from October to February). Admission is 1,000 yen for 18 and over, free for 12 to 17, paid at the villa by cash, card or IC card.
If it’s sold out
Walk-in places are given out at the villa entrance from 8:40 on the day: 70 a day, 10 per Japanese-language tour from 9:00 to 15:00, first come, with ID.
If you lose the lottery and places remain, you can still apply online until 3 days before or at the Kyoto Office until the day before; the site lists vacancies.
Booking for a group
One application covers 4 people: the applicant and up to three companions. A larger group sends several applications, each in its own draw, so the group may not all get the same tour.
Each person gives their full name, age and nationality, and everyone must be 12 or older. Nobody can apply for others, and each person can visit the same site once a month.
Good to know
- Every visitor shows a passport or other government ID at the entrance.
- The route is about 1 km with stone bridges without handrails and large steps.
- The villa is closed on Mondays (Tuesdays when Monday is a holiday) and from 28 December to 4 January.
Sources
- Katsura Imperial Villa: application guidelines (official PDF): Online from the 1st of the month three months before until 3 days before; for 10 November, from 05:00 on 1 August to 23:59 on 7 November; a lottery if oversubscribed; up to three companions; 12 or over; 1,000 yen for 18 and over; walk-ins from 8:40, 70 a day.
- Katsura Imperial Villa: application for visit (official booking site): A lottery if applications exceed places; results by email; no applications for others; no changes after submitting; one visit to a site per month; English tours for foreign nationals.
- Katsura Imperial Villa: FAQ (official): Places shown stay the same until 23:59, then a lottery is drawn; not first come; up to 4 visitors per application.
- Imperial Household Agency visit guide: FAQ (official): For changes to the number or names of visitors at Katsura, contact the Kyoto Office, 075-211-1215.
Checked on 15 October 2026. Booking rules change; the official site has the last word.