Ginkgo Season in Kyoto: Kyoto Imperial Palace

Autumn in Kyoto is colorful, and that's no lie. With the annual ginkgo season approaching, I went to the famous ginkgo spot, Kyoto Imperial Palace, to check in. 📍Detailed address: 〒602-0811 Kyoto, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto Gyoen 🚗Transportation: Take the Karasuma Line from Kyoto Station to Marutamachi Station, then walk for 15 minutes 🕙Opening hours: 9:00 am–4:00 pm 💰Ticket price: 🆓 🌟Highlights: Kyoto Imperial Palace is located across from the Kamo River. It was once the residence of the Japanese emperor, and several emperors were enthroned here, so it is also known as the Kyoto Imperial Palace. It has a history of hundreds of years. At the same time, it is also known as one of Japan's three major national parks, along with the Tokyo Imperial Palace Outer Garden and Shinjuku Gyoen. It's quite large, with 10 halls alone, and it takes at least an hour to visit. Spring and autumn are the peak seasons here, with pink cherry blossoms, fiery red maple leaves, and golden ginkgo trees creating a stunning landscape that attracts many influencers to check in. 📌Travel tips: ✅In addition to ginkgo, this is also one of the top spots in Kyoto for viewing maple leaves, especially at the Sento Imperial Palace Garden, where the red maple leaves and yellow ginkgo trees create a stunning contrast. ✅Kyoto Imperial Palace is open to the public for free. Before entering, you need to go through a simple security check, and then the staff will give you a "Kyoto Imperial Palace Admission Ticket." There is also a Chinese tour at 10:00 am every day. ✅The largest building in the palace is the Shishinden, where successive emperors and empresses held their enthronement ceremonies. The overall architecture follows the traditional Japanese style and is quite impressive. ✅The place where the emperor usually lived is the Gochogoten. Compared to the Forbidden City in China, it may seem a bit shabby, but it is still quite unique. It is said that the current emperor still visits from time to time. ✅Kyoto Imperial Palace is not open every day, and is generally only open to the public during specific times in spring and autumn. In addition, some areas of the park are only open to Japanese citizens.