Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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Neighbourhood: City Center
No district of Kyoto is quite as representative of its blended nature as the City Center. By day, the covered shopping arcades along Kawaramachi and Shijo Street bring deal hunters and fashionistas out in droves to peruse the clothing, accessories, gifts, and home goods offerings. When it grows dark, the City Center is a hip spot for nightlife, alive with bars and clubs. A trendy culinary scene and an abundance of local watering holes give the Center its youthful vibrancy. In contrast, the quieter areas of the City Center seem a world away, shielded from noise by the foliage of the public gardens and zen spaces surrounding the area's shrines, castles, and the Imperial Palace. These ancient and sacred spots are seamlessly folded into the scenery, providing a respite from the energy of the city, but close enough to put you directly back onto the pulse of the city when you're ready.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
297 reviews
Excellent
119
Very good
140
Average
35
Poor
3
Terrible
0
PeterAbbeyRichards
Singapore119 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
As a visitor native in Europe, stepping into Kyoto Gyoen felt like time-traveling to a Japanese Versailles! This sprawling park, once the grounds of the Imperial Palace, boasts an otherworldly atmosphere that rivals the charm of Europe's finest royal estates. Imagine Versailles or Schönbrunn, but with more zen and fewer tourists.
Exploring Kyoto Gyoen on rented bikes is an absolute must. Picture yourself pedaling past ancient trees, serene ponds, and majestic gates, feeling like a modern-day samurai on a sightseeing mission. The park's tranquility is a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of Kyoto, much like escaping the city for a breath of fresh air at Hampton Court or the Gardens of Versailles.
Kyoto Gyoen's vastness and serenity offer a perfect blend of history and nature. The beautifully manicured gardens and traditional Japanese architecture make you feel like you're in a different world, one where you half-expect to see an emperor strolling by.
In summary, Kyoto Gyoen is a regal retreat that offers a delightful escape into history and nature. Renting a bike to explore this magnificent park is not only practical but also adds a dash of adventure to your visit. Highly recommended for anyone looking to experience a slice of imperial Japan with a touch of European elegance!
Exploring Kyoto Gyoen on rented bikes is an absolute must. Picture yourself pedaling past ancient trees, serene ponds, and majestic gates, feeling like a modern-day samurai on a sightseeing mission. The park's tranquility is a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of Kyoto, much like escaping the city for a breath of fresh air at Hampton Court or the Gardens of Versailles.
Kyoto Gyoen's vastness and serenity offer a perfect blend of history and nature. The beautifully manicured gardens and traditional Japanese architecture make you feel like you're in a different world, one where you half-expect to see an emperor strolling by.
In summary, Kyoto Gyoen is a regal retreat that offers a delightful escape into history and nature. Renting a bike to explore this magnificent park is not only practical but also adds a dash of adventure to your visit. Highly recommended for anyone looking to experience a slice of imperial Japan with a touch of European elegance!
Written July 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peregrinando19
Los Angeles, CA5 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
After a grueling 12 hour flight from LAX to KIX and a somewhat fitful night of sleeping, this garden was exactly what my wife, my 1.5 year old son, and I needed. After a nice breakfast, we arrived around 9:00 a.m. and strolled about for a bit before we visited the palace. This garden is absolutely massive and it probably would have taken us all day to explore every corner of it. It was peaceful and relaxing, and even in the winter, it was full of beautiful scents, sounds, and sights. I certainly got a better appreciation of Japanese gardens in general, as various features were explained by informational placards. Because we visited in February, there were not masses of other tourists, so there were times when it felt like we had the garden to ourselves. We got some great pictures and loved being able let our son walk along the paths on his own. Visiting this garden in the morning set a very nice tone for the rest of our day.
Written March 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melissa B
Saint Louis, MO1,273 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
It was nice to get out of the hustle bustle, but as far as urban parks go this wasn’t incredibly impressive. It’s nice that on your way to the imperial palace there is a park instead of city roads, but we wouldn’t have spent much time here unless it was on the way.
Written June 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EphraimWilliams
Buffalo, NY167 contributions
Sept 2019 • Solo
I really liked this place. It’s very peaceful and very nicely laid out. Take water to stay hydrated.
Written September 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anita S
Singapore, Singapore57 contributions
Apr 2019 • Family
The day we were there is warm for April however it is still a nice walk in the park. We are just disappointed that the palace was closed when it was stated in Google Maps as open =(
Written May 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian H
Bradford, UK38 contributions
Jan 2019 • Solo
I went at the end of January so not much foliage but it was still a beautiful place. Its huge. There is a small cafe in the south east corner, though I didn't go in it looked nice. Central to the park is the imperial Palace which is free to enter and really very impressive. Lots of the signage is in multi languages so easy to read up on the history etc. Well worth a visit... Palace takes about an hour, no more.
Written January 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica W
Melbourne, Australia144 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
This park is very large so if you intend on seeing all of it take good shoes and comfortable clothing. We visited to visit the imperial palace, and found it quite hard to navigate at times.
We were there very early (8.20am) and none of the cafes or palaces open in the park before 9am, so bear that in mind when you make the trip.
It is a beautiful and serene park.
We were there very early (8.20am) and none of the cafes or palaces open in the park before 9am, so bear that in mind when you make the trip.
It is a beautiful and serene park.
Written May 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brooke R
Florida10 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
Great place and interesting tours. The only negative is that some idiots in the administrations didn't realize that gasoline leaf blowers totally ruin the atmosphere and the rarely good air that's in the park. この間京都御苑へ行かせて頂きました。とても素敵なところでした。ツアーもとても良かったです。しかし、公演を出る時に出口のところで少しだけ葉っぱがあったところをガソリン式リーフブロワーを使っていた方がいました。もちろん、そのせいで空気も臭くなったし（私達の肺にとって毒ですし）、何よりも調和と平和のはずの京都御苑の公演はリーフブロワーなんかとんでもないもので台無しじゃないですか？だいたい、レーキなんかで２分で片付けられる葉っぱを、あれだけ騒音おかして、せっかくの良い空気をひどくして、訪れるみんなに迷惑をかけて、意味があるのですか？だれかガソリン式リーフブロワーを使うって決めたのは解りませんが、最悪の提案じゃないですか？良いこと一つもないのに、大変な効果ばっかりですね。是非考え直すことをお願いしたいと思います。レーキを使って頂きたいか、どうしてもリーフブロワーを使うのなら電子式のものにして下さい。そうすると、騒音も何倍も少ないし、空気も悪くなりません。。。。でもやはり、京都御苑の公演みたいな所では昔ながらのレーキで丁寧に葉っぱを片付けたほうが一番いいと思います。お願いします、考え直して下さい。本当はどちらのほうが正しい良いアイディアですか？
Written October 28, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Troy_SD
London, UK11 contributions
Jul 2017 • Couples
Such a beautiful park to explore. I enjoyed meeting some of the locals walking their dogs here. The distinctive song of the cicada was everywhere!
Written August 3, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Schwartzkopf_Reiser
Leipzig, Germany272 contributions
May 2012 • Couples
I went to the Public Imperial Palace for the special time of cherry blossoms in spring. Entering the Imperial Palace, I noticed there's a reservation needed, to be made online, and I was extremely lucky to find 2 available places for visiting that very same day, although there were lots of people at that time, of course. . .
One tip: there's NO WAY you'll take pictures inside the Palace. They are very strict about this!
The Imperial Garden is fine, very well kept, peaceful and a very relaxing stroll.The building and the courtyard were fine for one reason: they were real! Once inside the Imperial Palace, I was unlucky: Ukon'notachibana was covered for protection against frost ; Sakon'nosakura was not at all still blossomed. I've heard Sakon'nosakura is very beautiful, but this year my trip did not match the blooming time and I used my free tome to explore the place, which is not as beautiful as I thought. What is to be able to look inside the Imperial Palace ? I say, I've seen many other much more memorable sightseeing in Kyoto.
One tip: there's NO WAY you'll take pictures inside the Palace. They are very strict about this!
The Imperial Garden is fine, very well kept, peaceful and a very relaxing stroll.The building and the courtyard were fine for one reason: they were real! Once inside the Imperial Palace, I was unlucky: Ukon'notachibana was covered for protection against frost ; Sakon'nosakura was not at all still blossomed. I've heard Sakon'nosakura is very beautiful, but this year my trip did not match the blooming time and I used my free tome to explore the place, which is not as beautiful as I thought. What is to be able to look inside the Imperial Palace ? I say, I've seen many other much more memorable sightseeing in Kyoto.
Written June 13, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is it possible to bike here from gion with children and cycle around the park?
Written October 2, 2017
The best autumn leaves in Kyoto is the end of November. The first week of December is also nice. It will be easy to book a hotel in December.
Written May 23, 2016
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