Kyoto Imperial Palace

The Kyoto Imperial Palace is an Imperial Household Agency facility located in the central-northern area of Kyoto Gyoen (Kyoto Imperial Park). The rectangular site (about 445 m north–south and 250 m east–west) contains many historic buildings and gardens that once formed part of the Dairi (Imperial residence), including the Shishinden, Seiryoden, and Giyoden. In the Heian period, the palace was located about 1.7 km west of today’s site; its location and scale changed many times, settling here during the era of Emperor Kogon in the Nanboku-cho period. In the medieval era, repairs by Oda Nobunaga and extensive renovations by Toyotomi Hideyoshi were carried out, followed by large-scale expansions under the Tokugawa shogunate. Until the Meiji move of the capital to Tokyo, successive emperors lived here. Until 2016, visits were by advance reservation or during special spring/autumn openings, but it is now open year-round without reservation. Entry is through Seishomon Gate (about a 5-minute walk from Imadegawa Station), where a security screening is conducted. Visitors follow a designated route and must comply with staff instructions, staying within roped areas.