Kyoto Temple Hours 2026: Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Ginkaku-ji and Autumn Night Openings
Opening hours for Kyoto's three most visited temples, the Kinkaku-ji ticket price, and the Kiyomizu-dera evening openings from November 21 to 30, 2026. Plus how to fit them into one day.
Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera and Ginkaku-ji are on almost every first-time Kyoto list. They open early, close at different times, and in autumn some have special evening openings. Here are the hours to plan around.
At a glance
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion): 9:00–17:00 every day, ¥500 adult
- Kiyomizu-dera: opens at 6:00, with evening openings November 21–30, 2026
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion): 8:30–17:00 (March–November), 9:00–16:30 (December–February)
Kinkaku-ji (Rokuon-ji)
| Adult (high school and up) | ¥500 |
| Child (elementary and junior high) | ¥300 |
| Hours | 9:00–17:00, open every day |
There is no group discount (groups of 30 or more enter as a group).
Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera opens at 6:00 a.m. Closing times change through the year (2026):
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| January 1 – March 26, April 6 – June 30, September 1 – November 20, December 1–31 | 6:00–18:00 |
| March 27 – April 5, August 14–16, November 21–30 | 6:00–21:30 (last entry 21:00) |
| July 1 – August 13, August 17–31 | 6:00–18:30 |
Autumn evening opening: November 21–30, 2026
The temple holds a special evening opening from Saturday, November 21 to Monday, November 30, 2026, with last entry at 9:00 p.m. No reservation is required. There is also a special viewing of the Jojuin garden on the same dates.
The admission fee for the evening opening and for the regular daytime visit is not listed on the temple's English pages, so check Kiyomizu-dera's official site for the current price.
The temple's main hall has a page about renovation work, but we found no notice of a current closure. Check the official site before you visit.
Ginkaku-ji (Jisho-ji)
| Season | Hours |
|---|---|
| Summer (March 1 – November 30) | 8:30–17:00 |
| Winter (December 1 – end of February) | 9:00–16:30 |
Ginkaku-ji also has an autumn special viewing from November 1 to December 5, 2026. The temple's page we could read does not list the fee for either the regular or the special viewing, so check the official site.
How to fit them into one day
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 6:00–7:30 | Kiyomizu-dera, when it has just opened and is quietest |
| 9:00 or later | Kinkaku-ji (allow travel time across the city) |
| 11:00 onward | Ginkaku-ji, and the Philosopher's Path nearby |
| Evening | Back to Kiyomizu-dera for the evening opening (November 21–30 only) |
Kinkaku-ji is in the north-west of the city, while Ginkaku-ji is in the north-east and Kiyomizu-dera in the east, so use the bus and subway to hop between them. See our guide to getting around Kyoto for fares and the 1-day pass.
Tips
- Go first thing. All three get crowded by mid-morning.
- Autumn weekends are very busy. Kyoto runs special crowd measures on weekends and holidays from October 31 to November 29, 2026.
- Wear shoes that are easy to slip off for the buildings where you enter in socks.
- See Fushimi Inari the same day if you start early: it is a few minutes from Kyoto Station. See our Fushimi Inari guide.
Sources
Prices change
Prices, exchange rates and rules in this article were checked on the date shown above. They can change at any time, so please confirm on the official website before you book or buy.
