Kyoto plans different castle fees and bus fares for locals and visitors
Kyoto’s bus plan would cut fares for residents and offer discounts to frequent users travelling from other areas to commute or visit medical facilities.
- Kyoto plans to introduce a dual-pricing system for Nijo-jo Castle and municipal buses, charging residents less and visitors more.
- Under the proposal, castle admission for residents will drop from 1,300 to 1,000 yen, while for visitors it will increase to 2,000 yen.
- City bus fares will be reduced to 200 yen for locals but will rise to 360 yen for non-residents, with discounts available for frequent commuters from other areas.
- The new fee structure is intended to address overtourism and is planned for implementation in fiscal year 2027.
Kyoto residents would pay less to enter the UNESCO-listed Nijo-jo Castle and travel on municipal buses under proposals from Mayor Koji Matsui, while people from outside the city would face higher charges.
The dual pricing plans are intended to address overtourism in the western Japanese city.
Kyoto city government will submit a proposal to amend the relevant ordinance to the municipal assembly in November, aiming to introduce the new castle fees in fiscal 2027.
Matsui presented the castle plan at the Kyoto municipal assembly’s plenary session on Thursday (October 1).
For Kyoto residents, combined admission to Nijo-jo Castle and Ninomaru-goten Palace would cost 1,000 yen, down from the current 1,300 yen.
Their municipal bus fare would also fall, from 230 yen to 200 yen.
Visitors from outside Kyoto would instead pay 2,000 yen for combined castle and palace entry.
The municipal bus fare for non-residents would rise to 360 yen, with the bus changes planned for the fiscal year starting in April 2027.
To ease the financial burden on regular passengers from other areas, the bus proposal includes lower fares for those commuting into Kyoto or travelling there to visit medical facilities.
The 260-yen fare would apply to passengers in this group using Kyoto city buses at least 16 times a month.
For those using the buses eight to 15 times a month, the fare would be 320 yen.
The additional admission revenue would fund preservation and repairs to facilities at Nijo-jo Castle, which is managed by the Kyoto City government.
