What other travelers are saying about Kyoto Imperial Palace Park
The gardens, the park area are so lovely.
Unfortunately, you need to book in advance for access to both of the main exhibits, or queue up very early, first come, first served for tickets.
The access was great for someone who can only walk with two walking sticks.
Quite disappointing overall. The park is large but covered in gravel, making it impractical for a walk with a stroller—we ended up leaving ours near one of the entrance gates. While there are a few nice areas, it doesn’t compare to other national gardens in Japan. It feels more like a space suited for festivals than a place to enjoy a peaceful stroll.
Visitor centre in SW corner of this immense space. Be prepared to walk distances or bike, and go early. We arrived mid-afternoon and main attractions were already closed. Interesting to photograph. Scattered restrooms, including accessible.
We came here by taking the city bus. The garden is quite huge but easy to navigate, and free to everyone. Cherry blossom was peaked in the northern part of the garden when we were there. The Imperial Palace in the heart of the garden is worth to visit too.
Coming here for a morning walk and every tourist spot is still close. The garden itself was super huge and super calming in the morning. Meet a bunch of local resident taking a morning walk as well. On the opening hour, you’ll need a whole day to visit every palace and other attractions.
