Nijo Castle at Night: Kyoto's Autumn Show for Groups

Agencies selling Kyoto this autumn have a new evening to offer. Our Japan team covers it in its Nijo Castle after dark note; this page is the short version for agencies selling Japan alongside our other destinations.

What Is NAKED meets Nijo Castle 2026?

• A night show at a World Heritage site. Light, projection mapping, sound and scent fill the castle grounds after dark.
• Every evening for six weeks. The show runs from 23 October to 5 December 2026, 18:00 to 22:00, with last entry at 21:00.
• A 400-year anniversary. This year marks 400 years since the Kan'ei Imperial Visit of 1626, when the emperor came to Nijo Castle as a guest of the Tokugawa shoguns.
• One walking route. It leads from the Karamon gate past the Ninomaru Palace, the inner moat and the Seiryuen garden.

Why Does It Suit Groups?

• A short transfer. The castle is in central Kyoto, close to Nijojo-mae Station on the Tozai subway line.
• Day and night in one programme. Groups can visit the Ninomaru Palace by day, which is a separate visit with its own entry, and come back after dinner for the show.
• Autumn timing. The run overlaps Kyoto's autumn season, so it adds an evening to programmes built around temples and autumn leaves.

How Do We Plan the Evening?

• Group tickets ahead. Tickets are sold either for Monday to Thursday or for Fridays, weekends and holidays, and weekend evenings are the busiest, so we book group tickets in advance.
• Warm layers. The route is outdoors and late-autumn evenings in Kyoto are cold, so we tell clients to bring an extra layer.
• Wider Japan. The evening fits a Kyoto stay between Tokyo, Osaka and the Japan Alps.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does NAKED meets Nijo Castle 2026 run?

Every evening from 23 October to 5 December 2026, from 18:00 to 22:00. Last entry is at 21:00.

What does the 2026 show mark?

It marks 400 years since the Kan'ei Imperial Visit of 1626, when the emperor came to Nijo Castle as a guest of the Tokugawa shoguns.

Is a daytime castle visit included?

No. The night show is a separate event. A daytime visit to the castle and the Ninomaru Palace has its own entry.

Which evenings are the busiest?

Fridays, weekends and holidays. We book group tickets for those evenings as soon as the dates are firm.

Sources

• NAKED meets Nijo Castle 2026 (official site)
• Japan Travel: NAKED meets Nijo Castle 2026

Where Explera Fits

Our Japan team books the tickets, times the evening around dinner and the hotel, and builds the rest of the Kyoto days around the show.

Write to b2b@explera.jp or message +66 93 656 8090 on WhatsApp. Explera DMC is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (900408341).