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Home - Travel - Sightseeing Guide - Kansai - Kyoto - Western Kyoto
Katsura Imperial Villa
# 39   of 56 most visited
sights in Kyoto
access  -  admission  -  hotels  -  reports  -  ratings  -  tours  -  links

Katsura Imperial Villa (Œj—£‹{, Katsura Rikyū) is one of the finest examples of purely Japanese architecture and garden design. The villa and garden in their present form were completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan's Imperial Family.

The villa can be viewed only on tours held by the Imperial Household Agency. They last about one hour and are in Japanese only, however, an English audio guide is available.

Any Questions? Ask them in our question forum.

How to get there
Katsura Rikyu is located in western Kyoto, a 15 minute walk from Katsura Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line. Alternatively, you can reach the villa by Kyoto City Bus number 33 from Kyoto Station in about 20 minutes. Get off at "Katsura Rikyu-mae" bus stop.

How to get to and around Kyoto

Hours and Fees

Free tours of Katsura Imperial Villa are held several times daily in Japanese only. No tours are held on Sundays and national holidays. Most Saturdays are also unavailable. Check with the agency for an up to date schedule.

To book a tour, you need to apply in advance with your passport at the Imperial Household Agency's office in Kyoto Imperial Park. Reservations are often possible on the same day as the intended visit. The agency office is open Monday to Friday from 8:45 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00.

Additionally, a small number of tour spots are available for reservation over the agency's website (see links below), however, these often get booked out. Online reservations must be completed several days before the intended visit.

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News and Reports
December 2, 2011
Kyoto Autumn Color Report
by schauwecker
November 30, 2011
Kyoto Autumn Color Report
by schauwecker
November 29, 2011
Kyoto Autumn Color Report
by scott
November 28, 2011
Kyoto Autumn Color Report
by scott
November 27, 2011
Kyoto Autumn Color Report
by schauwecker
November 24, 2011
Yoshiminedera and Southwest Kyoto
by Rabbityama
November 22, 2011
Kyoto Autumn Color Report
by schauwecker
November 20, 2011
Kyoto Autumn Color Report
by schauwecker
More reports...

Travel Community
Ratings for Katsura Villa:
japan-guide.com Rating:
  best of Japan  
User Rating (by 99 users):
87/100
  recommended

Popularity of Katsura Villa:
Users who have been to Kyoto: 4511
Users who have been to Katsura Villa: 199
39th of 56 most visited sights in Kyoto.
235th of 726 most visited sights nationwide.

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Tours and Packages
Kyoto Tours
Various tours and travel packages for Kyoto and surroundings.

English Links
Imperial Household Agency
Official English website.
Application for Visit
English application page.

Japanese Links
Imperial Household Agency
Official website.
Application for Visit
Japanese application page.

 

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