Self-guided tour

Opening Information

How to pay a visit	Visitors look around at your own pace along the route. – Rental audio guide is available for a fee in English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Korean (*the number of the device is limited. Please refer to the information mentioned below for rental cost.)
Time required	Approx. 30 minutes up to 1 hour
Entry Gate	West Gate of the Kyoto State Guest House
Opening hours	10:00 to 17:00 (Last admission: 16:30)
Eligible person	Above the Junior High School age (From April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020: Those who were born before April 1, 2007)
Entry charge	Adults: 1,500 yen, Students: 1,000 yen (University), 500 yen (Junior High & High school aged 13 to 18) Rental audio guide: free of charge Eligible students are required to show the valid ID on the day of visit for student discount. Please bring the valid ID for ID purpose. Eligible students for discount are as follows: – Junior High & High school: Those who were born from April 2, 2001 to April 1, 2007. – University: Those who have university student ID. Payment is acceptable only in cash.
How to enter	Enter from the west gate （*Numbered tickets on the day are no longer distributed）
Visiting area	Juraku no Ma (Anteroom) / Yubae no Ma (Large Conference Room) / Fuji no Ma (Banquet Hall) / Kiri no Ma (Japanese-style Banquet room) / and others

English Guided Tours

The once-a-day English Guided tour will be available through the whole opening period!

For a better understanding of our facility as well as Japan tradition, culture and craftsmanship, we offer you an English guided tour once a day.
Our English speaking guides show you around the space open to the public and the periodical special exhibition. They are highly qualified interpreter guides including those who are officially certified by the City of Kyoto. They will take you on one-hour journey into the graceful elegance of Japanese culture and hospitality. Please come to join the tour that you cannot experience elsewhere.

Time of Tour: At 12:00 (*gathering time: 11:30am at west gate)
Dates of Tour (*Dates of Tour vary according to the opening schedule): Click to check out the opening schedule
Entry charge (*Payment is acceptable only in cash.):
Adults: 2,000 yen / Students (with valid ID): 1,500 yen (University *new category), 700 yen (Junior High & High school aged 13 to 18)
Eligible person: Above the Junior High School age*See details about Eligible person
Time required for the tour: Approx.90 minutes (*gathering time Included)
Maximum number of visitors: 25 persons
How to apply: 1) Receiving the numbered ticket on the day of the tour , 2) Applying online in advance

Apply to make your visit

Walk-in Reception

For the Self-guided tours, walk-in visitors do not need numbered tickets to enter the building to visit the facility(Numbered tickets are no longer distributed).

*Please note the numbered tickets for English guided tour must be required.
Please be advised that you may wait outside to enter the facility depending on the congestion.
The initial time of the opening hours tends to be overcrowded. Please consider avoiding the overcrowded time when you come to pay a visit.

Advance reservation for Groups

advance reservation for Individuals (up to 19 persons) will be no longer required. Please come to our west gate directly to pay a visit.

Apply to make your visit

“Applying procedure”

1) 　The application page shown after clicking the above button “Click here for the application” is also used for the application for Guided tours. Please select the button below according to your preferred type of visit and the number of participants.
2) You will see “The public opening date” page with the calendar. The date with the “○” symbol are available for applications. Please select your preferred date (click on the applicable button) to go to the next page.
3) Please select your preferred time (click on the applicable button) in “The public opening course” page to go to the next page.
4) The “Notes for application the public opening” page will be shown. Please be sure to read the terms of use in the page and the advisory notice (click on the “Advisory Notice” button) carefully and check the box beside “I agree with all the notes above” to continue to register, only if you agree to the terms.
5) Please enter the applicant information correctly in the “Application form” page and click on the “Next” button.
6) Please be sure to confirm all information shown in the “Confirmation of application” page then click on the “Execute application” button to submit your application.
7) If the “Completion the application” page is shown, your application is complete. You will receive an email confirmation sent to your registered email address. Please be sure to confirm it.

8) (*Only for those who applied with over 20 persons) Please note that you should login through the link specified in the emailed Visit certificate and register the visitors list no later than one week prior to the date of visit. In case of no registration within the due date, your application will be automatically cancelled.
For example: date of your visit: 11 (Sun) Feb. *due date for registration: at 23:59 (JST) on 4 (Sun) Feb.
*To register the visitors list, your date of birth that you entered on the Application form is required. Please be sure to enter the date correctly; otherwise you cannot register the list nor cancel/modify your data.

After the lottery, the additional application is made on first-come-first-served basis only for the time slots in which the application capacity does not reach the fixed number.
The result of the lottery will be emailed on the following day after the advance application is closed. All applicants will receive the result notification (Timing of sending the result notification varies).
In case of the cancel or change of your application, please click on the “Cancellation and changing the application” button at the lower light corner of the screen in the “Selection the application course” page.

Apply to make your visitnew window

See visitor rules and regulations

Cautionary Notes

When it is crowded, those who made advance reservations will be preferentially admitted.
In the event of receiving distinguished guests at short notice, the scheduled public opening may be suddenly cancelled; please check the latest Public Opening Schedule before your visit. We will announce a change of the schedule on Twitter as well.