Nijo-jo Castle Sakura Festival & Cherry Blossom Night Illumination 2026

Dates & time: March 19, 2026 (Thu) - April 19, 2026 (Sun) ・Daytime viewing 8:45–17:00 (last entry 16:00)
・Night illumination 18:00–22:00 (last entry 21:00)
*2026 hours. Day and night are separate sessions, each with its own ticket
Price & booking: 2027 prices not yet announced. In 2026 day and night required separate tickets. Daytime viewing: adults ¥1,300, junior high/high school ¥400, elementary ¥300 (includes Ninomaru Palace). Night illumination (entry + Ninomaru Palace): junior high and up ¥2,400–2,800 early bird / ¥2,800–3,200 regular; elementary ¥1,600–2,000 early bird / ¥2,000–2,400 regular, depending on Mon–Thu, Fri–Sun & holidays, or designated peak days. Preschoolers free. In 2026, night illumination tickets were sold through ticket agencies and at FamilyMart and Lawson convenience stores. Early-bird tickets were on sale until Wed Mar 18; from Thu Mar 19 regular tickets applied and could also be bought on the day at the Nijo Castle ticket office. Sat Apr 4, Sun Apr 5 and Sat Apr 11 required a date-specific peak-day ticket.
Venue & access: Nijo Castle (Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo) Right by Nijojo-mae Station on the Subway Tozai Line (from Kyoto Station, change at Karasuma Oike). By city bus, take No. 9 or 50 from Kyoto Station, or No. 12 from Shijo Kawaramachi, to the Nijojo-mae stop.

There are 3 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Nijo Castle (Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo), and 3 public restrooms within 8 minutes. The map shows each with its walking time.

Facility data comes from OpenStreetMap. It does not include opening hours, fees or availability.

Calendar

Add it to your calendar so you can check back on it later.

Google Calendar Apple Calendar (.ics)

We hope it gives you a reason to head out together.

X FB LINE

Why You Should Visit

Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Kyoto, holds a cherry blossom festival every spring. Around 300 trees of some 50 varieties grow inside the grounds, so the bloom moves from the early Kanhizakura through Somei-yoshino, mountain cherries and weeping cherries to the late Satozakura over roughly a month. Daytime visitors can join a layered stamp rally and browse a fair of Kyoto specialty goods, and after dark the castle reopens for a separate night illumination. In 2026 the festival ran for 32 days from March 19 to April 19, and the night session included a special evening viewing of the National Treasure Ninomaru Palace and projection mapping. It suits anyone who wants to see the castle's buildings and gardens under the blossoms by day and by night.

NOTE

Cherry trees in the castle

About 300 trees of some 50 varieties. Kanhizakura open first, followed by Somei-yoshino, mountain cherries, weeping cherries and Satozakura

The night event changes each year

2025 was "NAKED meets Nijo-jo Castle 2025 Sakura"; 2026 was "Nijo-jo Castle 2026 SAKURA NIGHTS", run by a separate night-event committee

2026 night notes

Nijo Castle passes (donor privilege card, Kyoto City annual passport, etc.) were not valid
No monopods or tripods; no photography inside Ninomaru Palace; no pets
Held in rain (Shiro Geki in light rain); may be cancelled in severe weather

* Enquiries: Nijo Castle Office, Kyoto City, 075-841-0096

Cherry Blossoms Night View History Heritage Photo Spots Date

出典: 元離宮二条城公式サイト「二条城桜まつり2026」の開催（詳報）

Kobe · Gluten-free

Events

Where to go next

View Recommended Events →

10/23 - 12/5

NAKED meets Nijo Castle 2026

Nijo Castle (Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo)

10/31 - 12/6

NAKED GARDEN NIGHTS Higashi Honganji 2026

Higashi Honganji Temple & Shosei-en Garden (Kikoku-tei)

11/13 - 12/6

Kitano Tenmangu Autumn Light-up 2026

Momiji-en Maple Garden on the Odoi Earthworks, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

10/23 - 12/13

Entoku-in Autumn Light-up 2026

Entoku-in Temple (a sub-temple of Kodai-ji)

10/23 - 12/13

Kodaiji Temple Autumn Night Illumination 2026

Kodai-ji Temple

Next 11/21 +9 more

Kobe Port Weekend Fireworks 2026–27 | Weekend Fireworks off Meriken Park

Meriken Park

Next 11/14 +6 more

EAT LOCAL KOBE Farmers Market

East plaza in front of the Hyogo Prefectural Guest House, Chuo-ku, Kobe

10/10 - 11/30

Moomin × Kobe Port Tower: a part of KOBE

Kobe Port Tower and 20+ locations across Kobe

FAQ

Can I use one ticket for both the day and night sessions?

No. In 2026 the day and night sessions were separate, and each required its own ticket.

What is the last entry time for the night illumination?

In 2026 it ran 18:00–22:00, with last entry to the castle at 21:00 and to Ninomaru Palace at 21:10.

Can I enter the night illumination with a Nijo Castle annual pass?

Not in 2026. Castle passes such as the donor privilege card or the Kyoto City annual passport were not valid, and a night illumination ticket was required.

When will the 2027 dates be announced?

The 2027 edition has not been announced yet. For 2026, the outline appeared on Nijo Castle's official website on January 20 and the full details, including prices, on February 25.