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When do Imperial Palace tour tickets go on sale?
Tickets go on sale on the 1st of each month at 05:00 JST, for visits in the following month.
A free guided walk through part of the Imperial Palace grounds in central Tokyo, an area normally closed to the public. Online places for a whole month are released at once and go quickly, but some places are kept for people who turn up on the day.
- Where
- Chiyoda, Tokyo; tours start from Kikyo-mon Gate
- Price
- Free
- Book ahead
- Up to one month: the next month opens on the 1st at 05:00
Confirmed on the official site Last checked Oct 17, 2026, 12:00 JST
How hard to get: Usually sells out within days or weeks. Why we say this
Booking opens
For visits 2026-12-01 to 2026-12-31
How to book, step by step
- Apply on the Imperial Household Agency's visit website, which has English pages. The tour is free.
- From 05:00 Japan time on the 1st of the month before, choose a date and a morning (10:00) or afternoon (13:30) tour.
- Enter the name exactly as it appears on your passport.
- You get an email with a 12-digit application number (needed to add companions) and a 9-digit permit number.
- Applications close at 23:59 four days before the tour.
- On the day, register at 9:30 for the morning tour or 13:00 for the afternoon tour. Show a valid photo ID such as your passport; photocopies are not accepted.
Good to know for overseas visitors
- Anyone under 18 must come with an adult.
- No tours on Sundays, Mondays, most national holidays, afternoons from July 1 to September 30, or from December 28 to January 4.
- No booking? 300 same-day places per tour are handed out at the Kikyo-mon gate one hour before the tour, first come, first served. Bring ID.
- A free audio guide app is available.
- The Imperial Palace East Gardens are a different area and need no booking.
Where it is
Sold out? Other ways in
- Get a same-day place at the gate: 300 per tour, first come, first served
- Guided walks around the Imperial Palace and its gardens on Klook (Klook)
FAQ
When can I book the Imperial Palace tour?
At 05:00 Japan time on the 1st of the month before your visit. Bookings close at 23:59 four days before the tour.
Can I join the Imperial Palace tour without booking?
Yes, if places are left. 300 same-day places per tour are handed out at the gate, first come, first served.
Sources
- sankan.kunaicho.go.jp: “参観希望日の前月の1日の午前5時～希望日の4日前23時59分まで” (checked 2026-10-17)
- sankan.kunaicho.go.jp: “先着順（300名）に整理券を配布し、満員となり次第受付終了。” (checked 2026-10-17)
- sankan.kunaicho.go.jp: “Generally conducted twice a day in the morning and in the afternoon.” (checked 2026-10-17)
Read from the Imperial Household Agency's official visit application site.
How hard to get (“Usually sells out within days or weeks”): Reasoning: online places for a whole month are released at once and the popular dates fill quickly; 300 same-day places per tour remain.
Rule changes
- 2026-10-17: Added. 05:00 JST on the 1st of the month before the visit (official page).