The rules at Kyoto's temples and shrines differ by site.
Entry to the paid areas closes early, in the late afternoon
The rules at Kyoto's temples and shrines differ from site to site, and entry to paid gardens and halls closes early, in the late afternoon. At the places we checked, last entry was between 15:30 and 17:30, most often around 16:30. Some halls require you to take off your shoes, and each site has its own rules on photos, food and how far a pushchair can go. This article separates the general etiquette that works everywhere from the rules of each site.
*This article contains no affiliate links. It is compiled neutrally from public sources and official information.
In shortIn short: 5 rules that trip up big families on the day
The answer: these are the 5 things that, if you do not know them, get you stopped at the entrance or sent back halfway.
1. Time: paid entry closes 15:30–17:30 Each site's official pages
At the sites we checked, entry to paid gardens and halls closes between 15:30 and 17:30. On days with many temples, do the paid ones in the morning and just after lunch.
2. Shoes: off inside the halls Each site's official pages
At Sanjusangen-do, no outdoor shoes inside the hall; at Nanzen-ji you are given shoe bags for the garden and the Sanmon gate. Wear shoes that are easy to take off and put on.
3. Photos: what you may shoot differs by site Each site's official pages
Go planning not to use tripods, monopods or drones, and read the signs at the entrance.
4. Pushchairs: how far you can go differs Each site's official pages
At Kiyomizu-dera you can go all the way round on a step-free route, but at Kinkaku-ji you turn back before the garden steps. For sites with many steps, bring a baby carrier.
5. Praying: shrines and temples differ Jinja Honcho
At a shrine the basic form is "bow twice, clap twice, bow once". At a temple it depends on the school of Buddhism, so follow that temple's signs.
When you can enter the grounds and when you can enter the paid areas are different
The answer: even if the grounds are open from early morning to evening, entry to paid gardens and halls closes earlier. At the sites we checked, last entry was between 15:30 and 17:30, and earlier in winter.
| Site | Open | Last entry to paid areas | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenryu-ji (Arashiyama) | 8:30–17:00 | Garden 16:50; inside the buildings 16:30 | Ceiling painting in the Hatto is a separate fee, on set days only |
| Kinkaku-ji | 9:00–17:00 | No separate last entry listed | Open every day |
| Ginkaku-ji | Mar–Nov 8:30–17:00 / Dec–Feb 9:00–16:30 | — | Open every day |
| To-ji (about 15 min on foot from Kyoto Station) | 5:00–17:00 | Kondo and Kodo halls 16:30 (combined ticket 16:00 or 15:30) | Mieido and some other halls are free |
| Sanjusangen-do | 1 Apr–15 Nov 8:30–17:00 / 16 Nov–31 Mar 9:00–16:00 | 30 minutes before closing | Open every day |
| Nanzen-ji | October 2026: 8:40–17:00 (weekends and holidays until 17:15) | 20 minutes before closing | Changes by month |
| Heian Shrine | Gates open 6:00; close between 17:00 and 18:00 (by season) | Shin-en garden 16:30–17:30 | Praying in the grounds is free |
| Kiyomizu-dera | Gates open 6:00; close at 18:00 or 18:30 (by period) | Regular-season last entry not stated officially | Spring, summer and autumn night openings: last entry 21:00 |
| Yasaka Shrine | Open 24 hours | Shrine office 9:00–17:00 | — |
| Higashi Hongan-ji (7 min on foot from Kyoto Station) | Mar–Oct 5:50–17:30 / Nov–Feb 6:20–16:30 | Free, no booking needed | — |
- If you are visiting 3 or more paid temples in a day, plan so that you do not arrive anywhere after 16:00.
- On days when you rest at your accommodation at midday and go out again in the evening, assume the paid areas will already be closed. If you go out in the evening, finish at Yasaka Shrine (open 24 hours) or Kiyomizu-dera (late closing). How to rest at midday and go out again in the evening is in Avoiding the crowds in Kyoto with kids.
- Tenryu-ji makes a good end to a day in Arashiyama and Sagano. For the route, see A day in Arashiyama and Sagano from Kyoto Station with a big family.
Inside the halls you may have to take your shoes off
The answer: at temples where you go up into the buildings, you take your shoes off at the entrance. To avoid holding up the line while 6 people take shoes off and on, laceless shoes make it easier.
- At Sanjusangen-do, outdoor shoes are not allowed inside the main hall, and there are shoe racks at the entrance.
- At Nanzen-ji, you are given plastic shoe bags when you visit the Hojo garden and the Sanmon gate. Take them home with you afterwards (official notice, July 2026).
- At other sites, where you take off your shoes is often not stated officially. Follow the signs at the entrance and the staff.
- In winter, socks are a good idea.
What you may photograph differs from site to site
The answer: where you may take photos and whether you may post them on social media differ by site. Kiyomizu-dera and Nanzen-ji refuse tripods and monopods; Kiyomizu-dera, Yasaka Shrine, Heian Shrine, Kinkaku-ji and Fushimi Inari Taisha refuse drones. At other sites too, read the signs at the entrance before you shoot.
| Site | What is allowed and what is refused |
|---|---|
| Kinkaku-ji | Only snapshots with a small camera for personal enjoyment. Photos taken to show other people, such as on social media, and group photos, live streaming and drones are refused |
| Higashi Hongan-ji | Photos for personal use such as souvenir shots, and posting on social media, are allowed. No photos during services, no flash, and none in off-limits areas. Flying drones over the grounds without permission is restricted |
| Heian Shrine | No photos from the Daigokuden hall towards the main sanctuary. Elsewhere you may take photos. Drones without prior permission are banned across the grounds |
| Kiyomizu-dera | No photos using a drone, monopod or tripod, no shooting in one spot for a long time, and no sitting on the ground. Group photos for school trips and other groups have a set place; apply at the photo studio in front of the Niomon gate (guidance aimed at school and group leaders) |
| Nanzen-ji | No photos using a monopod or tripod, no group photo sessions, and no photos in wedding outfits and the like |
| Fushimi Inari Taisha | Taking photos that block people on the narrow paths, and flying drones and similar objects, are prohibited |
| Yasaka Shrine | Using drones and similar devices is prohibited across the grounds and during all rituals and festivals, including the Gion Matsuri |
- Fushimi Inari Taisha states officially that anyone who does not follow staff instructions will be asked to leave. Kyoto City and the Kyoto City Tourism Association also say, in a manners leaflet made with the Kyoto Prefectural Police, that police officers may be called to serious violations (announced October 2023).
- The rules on taking photos in Gion's private lanes are in Avoiding the crowds in Kyoto with kids.
No eating while walking in the grounds
The answer: most of the sites we checked refuse eating while walking, or eating at all, in the grounds. Give the children their snacks before you go in or after you come out.
- Kiyomizu-dera: no bringing in food or drink other than drinks with a closing lid (plastic bottles, flasks), and no eating while walking or standing.
- Fushimi Inari Taisha: eating and drinking (while walking, standing and so on) is prohibited except in the free rest areas.
- Heian Shrine: eating and drinking in the grounds is prohibited in principle.
- Nanzen-ji: eating and drinking in the grounds is on its list of prohibited acts.
- Kinkaku-ji: there is nowhere in the grounds or garden to eat a packed lunch.
How far you can go with a pushchair or big bags differs by site
The answer: some temples have paved routes you can do with a pushchair; at others you turn back before the garden steps. Leave suitcases at your accommodation or the station before you go round.
Organised from each site's official accessibility and FAQ pages (as of October 2026).
- Kiyomizu-dera: the official site says that right beside the main visitor route, on the left as you enter from the front, a step-free path leads to the main hall, and that after that you can go all the way round the grounds with a pushchair, as with a wheelchair (wheelchairs can be driven in from the entrance of the emergency road on Chawan-zaka). You can change nappies in the accessible toilet.
- Kinkaku-ji: you can reach the side of the Shariden (the Golden Pavilion) without big steps, but the garden is not barrier-free, and you turn back before the steps. There is nowhere to leave bags and no lockers.
- Ginkaku-ji: the viewpoint and some other places are up stairs. There is a detour route turning right before the Sengetsusen spring.
- Sanjusangen-do: there are slopes along the path inside the hall and on the walkway in the grounds, and a toilet with nappy-changing facilities.
- Fushimi Inari Taisha: asks visitors not to leave pushchairs anywhere other than the set places. Whether you can push one up the mountain path beyond the Senbon Torii (the thousand gates) is not stated officially.
- Ways to get round Kyoto without carrying big bags are in Getting around Kyoto with luggage and kids.
How to pray: at shrines "bow twice, clap twice, bow once"; at temples, follow the signs
The answer: at a shrine, the nationwide basic form is to purify your hands and mouth at the water basin (temizu), then pray with "bow twice, clap twice, bow once" (Jinja Honcho). At shrines with their own special way of praying, follow that shrine's form. At temples, the way of praying differs by school of Buddhism, so follow that temple's signs or what the people around you do.
Temizu, step by step (Jinja Honcho). Teach the children just this order beforehand and they will not get confused in the line.
Wash your left hand
Take the ladle in your right hand, scoop up water and wash your left hand.
Wash your right hand
Move the ladle to your left hand and wash your right hand.
Rinse your mouth
Move the ladle back to your right hand, pour water into your left palm and rinse your mouth from it. Do not put your mouth on the ladle.
Your left hand once more
Finally pour water over your left hand again. Do not pour water back into the basin.
- Praying: stand up straight facing the shrine and bow deeply twice → put your hands together at chest height, slide your right fingertips down a little and clap twice → bow once more.
- Torii gates: bowing once before you pass through is considered polite. On the way out, turning back to the shrine buildings and bowing once is also considered good.
- The approach path: some people avoid walking down the middle. Jinja Honcho presents this as "one way of showing respect", not as something you must do.
- Offerings: there is no set amount. Sayings such as "5 yen is best" are not an official rule. Put coins in the box gently.
- At temples: many tourist guides say you put your hands together without clapping, but we could not confirm this as an official temple rule. Before clapping as you would at a shrine, look at the signs. If unsure, ask the staff.
Goshuin (temple and shrine seals): check the hours and how to pay first
The answer: for goshuin (handwritten seals in a stamp book), the hours and ways to pay differ by site, and some sites do not offer them. Bring cash and avoid late afternoon.
- Ginkaku-ji: writing directly into your goshuin book is available until 16:00. After 16:00 you are given one written beforehand on paper. In 2026 it is paper only all day on 31 Oct–3 Nov, 7–8 Nov, 14–15 Nov and 21–29 Nov (official notice, updated 17 September). On other days it can also be paper only when busy.
- Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji: the cashless payment in the grounds (Omairi Pay) cannot be used for goshuin (cash only).
- Heian Shrine: goshuin cost ¥500 (also available written on paper).
- To-ji: goshuin are at the office inside the Jikido hall.
- Higashi Hongan-ji: does not offer goshuin (it has a "visit certificate" instead).
- Kiyomizu-dera: amulets and goshuin are available from about 8:00.
Admission for 6, approximate
The amounts in this article are for a family of 6: a couple, 2 children (elementary school) and 2 grandparents. The grandparents pay adult prices (none of the sites we checked lists a senior discount on its official pages).
The answer: visiting 3 well-known sites in Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji, the Tenryu-ji garden and the Heian Shrine Shin-en garden) costs ¥8,200 for 6. Where the line falls between adult and child prices differs from site to site.
| Site | Adult | Elementary school | Preschool | For 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinkaku-ji | ¥500 (high-school age and over) | ¥300 | Free | ¥2,600 |
| Tenryu-ji garden | ¥500 (high-school age and over) | ¥300 | Free | ¥2,600 |
| Heian Shrine Shin-en garden | ¥600 | ¥300 (junior high and under) | Free (kindergarten age and under) | ¥3,000 |
| Total for the 3 sites | — | — | — | ¥8,200 |
| Ginkaku-ji (from April 2026) | ¥1,000 (high-school age and over) | ¥500 | Not stated officially | ¥5,000 |
| Sanjusangen-do | ¥600 | ¥300 | Not stated officially | ¥3,000 |
| To-ji Kondo and Kodo halls (until 30 Oct) | ¥800 | ¥300 (junior high and under) | Not stated officially | ¥3,800 |
- By group size (total for the 3 sites): 5 (4 adults + 1 elementary) ¥7,300; 6, ¥8,200; 6 (4 adults + 1 elementary + 1 preschool) ¥7,300; 7 (4 adults + 3 elementary) ¥9,100.
- If your group is different: preschool children are free at Kinkaku-ji, Tenryu-ji and the Heian Shrine Shin-en garden. Junior-high pupils pay the junior/senior-high price of ¥400 only at Sanjusangen-do; at the other sites in the table they pay the child price.
- At To-ji, during the special opening of the five-storey pagoda (31 October to 13 December), prices rise to ¥1,200 for adults and ¥500 for junior high and under.
- We could not confirm Kiyomizu-dera's admission fee in the text of its official website, so it is not listed.
Honest notes (5 things we could not confirm or did not cover)
These are things we have not been able to verify, so we do not assert them.
Kiyomizu-dera's admission fee and regular-season last entry
We could not confirm these in the text of its official website, so they are not in this article. Check the official site or the signs on site before you go.
Fushimi Inari Taisha's hours and goshuin hours
We could not confirm these officially, so they are not written here.
How to pray at temples
"At temples you put your hands together without clapping" appears in many tourist guides, but we could not confirm it as an official temple rule. It differs by school of Buddhism, so follow that temple's signs.
Sites with no official rules on shoes or photos
Some sites, such as Tenryu-ji, do not state rules on shoes or photos officially. Not being written down does not mean "allowed". Follow the signs at the entrance and the staff.
Prices for preschool children
Ginkaku-ji, Sanjusangen-do and To-ji do not state a price for preschool children officially. Ask at the ticket window.
Kyoto temple and shrine rules: FAQ
Can we clap twice at a temple too?
How to pray at a temple differs by school of Buddhism. Before doing the shrine form ("bow twice, clap twice, bow once") at a temple, look at that temple's signs or what the people around you do.
Can we get in if we arrive after 4 pm?
Even if you can enter the grounds, entry to paid gardens and halls may have closed. Last entry is 16:50 for the Tenryu-ji garden, 16:30 for To-ji's Kondo and Kodo halls, and 15:30 for Sanjusangen-do in winter. Yasaka Shrine is open 24 hours, so you can visit in the evening. The free Higashi Hongan-ji closes its gates at 17:30 from March to October and 16:30 from November to February.
Can we go round with a pushchair?
It depends on the site. At Kiyomizu-dera you can go all the way round the grounds with a pushchair on a step-free route, but at Kinkaku-ji you turn back before the garden steps, and Ginkaku-ji also has places up stairs. On days at temples with many steps, bringing a baby carrier makes it easier.
Can we pay for goshuin by card?
It depends on the site. Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji state officially that the cashless payment in the grounds (Omairi Pay) cannot be used for goshuin. Bringing cash is the safe choice.
📍 One of the articles in our Kyoto Station trip plan (Kyoto Station | Trip plan for large families / all Tips articles)