The Kyoto Winter Special Openings is a program allowing visits to special sites, including temples, shrines and other historical buildings of cultural importance in Kyoto, for a limited period during the winter.

The program is carried out according to different themes each year, promoting theme-based appreciation of historical and cultural assets.

Although Kyoto has many heritage sites, including many National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, only a limited portion of them is regularly shown to the public.

 

The 58th Kyoto Winter Special Openings will be carried out this winter, and its themes will be ""Murasaki Shikibu and the Tale of Genji"" and ""Visiting Dragons in Kyoto for Good Luck in the Year of the Dragon.""

Historical sites associated with Murasaki Shikibu and her Tale of Genji, a monumental work of ancient court-society literature written more than a thousand years ago and still loved today, will be highlighted.

 

There will also be special openings of many invaluable cultural properties, chiefly temples where you can see paintings and other representations of dragons as an auspicious way to start 2024--the Year of the Dragon.

A portion of the admission fees will be used for the maintenance and preservation of these historical sites and their facilities, so that the cultural properties may be passed on to future generations.
 

January 6th (Sat) to March 18th (Mon), 2024

*Some of the places have different opening periods. Please check the sections for each place for details.

There may also be dates or times of day where public viewing is not possible, due to ceremonial events or weather conditions (typhoon, etc.). 
 

10:00 to 16:30 (last admission 16:00)　

*The hours are different for some places. Please check the sections for each place for details.
 

・Adults ￥800

・Age 6-12 ￥400

*Free for children age 5 and below 

*The fees are different for some places. Please check the sections for each place for details.
 

During your visit to temples, shrines, etc.; we ask you to please observe the following:

*Some temples may be closed for Buddhist services without notice.

*On-site guidance is available in Japanese only. English information will be provided in print or digital text.

 

For more information about the Kyoto Winter Special Openings, refer to the below