Car Rentals Compact cars from around 4,000 Yen/day!

Online Hostel Bookings Hostels and inexpensive ryokan from $10 per night!

Related Pages

Travel Sightseeing Kansai Region Kyoto Kyoto Imperial Palace Sento Imperial Palace Shugakuin Imperial Villa Katsura Imperial Villa Tokyo Imperial Palace Gardens Gardens of Kyoto Kyoto: Access and Orientation

Related Questions

Kurama Worth It?  3 reactions, last updated 15 days ago Opening dates White study room...  1 reaction, last updated 20 days ago 3day itinerary for Kyoto  4 reactions, last updated 21 days ago Getting around Kyoto  6 reactions, last updated 21 days ago Tour Kyoto or just walk?  3 reactions, last updated 21 days ago Taxi from Kyoto Station to...  2 reactions, last updated 26 days ago Gingakuji reconstruction  3 reactions, last updated 33 days ago Travelling to Kyoto and back to...  4 reactions, last updated 34 days ago Arashiyama on Sunday 4 Apr  1 reaction, last updated 35 days ago Closing times for Kyoto shops  2 reactions, last updated 36 days ago

Japan Sightseeing Guide

Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Hakodate Furano Abashiri Noboribetsu Niseko Lake Toya Daisetsuzan Shiretoko Rishiri Rebun Akan Tohoku Sendai Matsushima Hiraizumi Akita Kakunodate Nyuto Onsen Aomori Hirosaki Lake Towada Shimokita Hanto Dewa Sanzan Aizu Kanto Tokyo Yokohama Kamakura Nikko Kinugawa Hakone Kawagoe Kusatsu Ikaho Minakami Narita Chubu Nagoya Inuyama Mt.Fuji Fujigoko Izu Peninsula Nagano Matsumoto Kamikochi Kiso Valley Hakuba Yamanouchi Sado Island Takayama Okuhida Shirakawa-go Gujo Gero Onsen Kanazawa Noto Peninsula Kansai Kyoto Osaka Nara Kobe Himeji Kinosaki Mount Koya Kumano Asuka Yoshino Amanohashidate Hikone Iga Ueno Ise Shima Chugoku Hiroshima Miyajima Onomichi Okayama Kurashiki Matsue Iwami Ginzan Iwakuni Yamaguchi Hagi Shikoku Takamatsu Kotohira Naoshima Matsuyama Uchiko Kochi Tokushima Naruto Kyushu Fukuoka Dazaifu Nagasaki Kumamoto Mount Aso Minamata Beppu Miyazaki Takachiho Kagoshima Kirishima Yakushima Okinawa Honto Miyako Yaeyama

Survey

Which is your favorite travel guide book on Japan? Lonely Planet Japan Rough Guides Japan Fodor's Japan Frommer's Japan Gateway to Japan Let's Go Japan Eyewitness Travel Japan Michelin Japan Other see results Other Surveys: How to improve tourism Next trip to Japan Ski Destination Budget for ryokan stay Preferred way to stay at a ryokan Purpose of visit Most popular region Have you recently entered Japan?

japan-guide.com newsletter

Keeping you up to date on Japan travel and living related issues and site updates. Click here to subscribe!

Home - Travel - Sightseeing Guide - Kansai - Kyoto
Katsura Imperial Villa	# 35   of 46 sights in Kyoto

Katsura Imperial Villa (Katsura Rikyu) 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.

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.

News and Reports

Kyoto Autumn Color Report November 26, 2009 Kyoto Autumn Color Report: Light Up November 25, 2009 Kyoto Autumn Color Report: Ohara November 22, 2009 Kyoto Autumn Color Report November 21, 2009 Kyoto Autumn Color Report: Arashiyama November 19, 2009 Kyoto Autumn Color Report: Higashiyama November 18, 2009 Kyoto Autumn Color Report: Kurama November 16, 2009 Kyoto Autumn Color Report November 12, 2009

Travel Community

Popularity of Katsura Villa: Users who have been to Kyoto: 2237 Users who have been to Katsura Villa: 107 35th of 46 most visited sights in Kyoto. 201st of 589 most visited sights nationwide. Have you been to Katsura Villa? No - I have not been there yetYes - no ratingYes - highly recommendedYes - recommendedYes - mildly interestingYes - nothing specialYes - not recommended Ratings for Katsura Villa: japan-guide.com Rating:   best of Japan   User Rating (by 56 users): 86/100   recommended User Feedback We strive to keep japan-guide.com up-to-date and accurate, and are always looking for ways to improve the user experience. If you have any updates, suggestions, corrections or opinions, please let us know:

Advertisements

Hotel and Ryokan

Sponsored Listings: Tomiya Ryokan A traditional Japanese inn located 2 min walk from Kyoto Station. Close to bus terminal for all the attractions. Japanese hotel, Ryokan Nishiyama Experience the real Japan at our affordable ryokan. Close to major tourist spots in Kyoto. Ryokan Hirashin 3min walk to Shijo Karasuma Sta. Spacious Japanese-style rooms. 140 years of history. Public baths renovated in 2006. Hotel Sugicho A ryokan in the center of Kyoto town. From 4000yen. 4 train stations are within walking distance. Try the Kyoto Kaiseki. Search Hotels: In: Kyoto Fukuoka Hiroshima Hokkaido Kamakura Kanazawa Kansai Airport Kyoto Mount Fuji Nagasaki Nagoya Nara Narita Airport Nikko Niigata Okinawa Osaka Sapporo Sendai Shima Peninsula Takayama Tokyo From: 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 2010 2011 For: 1 night 2 nights 3 nights 4 nights 5 nights 6 nights 7 nights Website: JAPANiCAN Hostel World Japan Hotels Online

Tours and Packages

Kyoto Tours Various tours and travel packages for Kyoto and surroundings. Kyoto Winter Special 2010 Dine in the company of geisha, uncover hidden cultural artifacts, or stroll through the lights of Arashiyama with these tours.

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.