Kyoto City Pass Comparison 2026
Kyoto has no city-wide admission pass — compare the official transit pass's discount coverage against individual temple and shrine tickets.
| Feature | Subway & Bus One-Day Pass | Individual Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | ¥1,100 (Adult) | Varies per site |
| Validity | 1 day | Per ticket |
| Public Transport | Unlimited Kyoto City Subway & Bus | Separate ticket needed |
| Kiyomizu-dera | Discount not confirmed | ¥500 |
| Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) | Discount not confirmed | ¥500 |
| Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) | Discount not confirmed | ¥500 |
| Nijo Castle | ¥100 off (confirmed) | ¥1,300 |
| Eikando Temple | ¥100 off (confirmed) | ¥600 (regular season) |
| Fushimi Inari Taisha | Not needed — always free | Free |
| Arashiyama Bamboo Grove | Not needed — always free | Free |
| Gion District | Not needed — always free | Free |
| Format | Physical or digital ticket | Varies by seller |
| 💡 Best For | A genuinely official transit pass with a bonus "Welcome Offer" discount network — confirmed 100 JPY off Nijo Castle and Eikando Temple, but not a temple-admission pass on its own. | Best for most visitors — Kyoto has no city-wide admission pass, so most temples are paid for individually regardless, and three of the district's most famous sights are free either way. |
| ¥1,100 (Adult) · Subway & Bus One-Day Pass ✓ Verified 2026-09-22 | Varies per site · Individual Tickets |
Subway & Bus One-Day Pass
¥1,100 (Adult)
💡 A genuinely official transit pass with a bonus "Welcome Offer" discount network — confirmed 100 JPY off Nijo Castle and Eikando Temple, but not a temple-admission pass on its own.
See full comparison
- Validity
- 1 day
- Public Transport
- Unlimited Kyoto City Subway & Bus
- Kiyomizu-dera
- Discount not confirmed
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
- Discount not confirmed
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- Discount not confirmed
- Nijo Castle
- ¥100 off (confirmed)
- Eikando Temple
- ¥100 off (confirmed)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
- Not needed — always free
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- Not needed — always free
- Gion District
- Not needed — always free
- Format
- Physical or digital ticket
✓ Verified 2026-09-22
Individual Tickets
Varies per site
💡 Best for most visitors — Kyoto has no city-wide admission pass, so most temples are paid for individually regardless, and three of the district's most famous sights are free either way.
See full comparison
- Validity
- Per ticket
- Public Transport
- Separate ticket needed
- Kiyomizu-dera
- ¥500
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
- ¥500
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- ¥500
- Nijo Castle
- ¥1,300
- Eikando Temple
- ¥600 (regular season)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
- Free
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- Free
- Gion District
- Free
- Format
- Varies by seller
Data sources & verificationChecked against 4 official and provider sources. Every fact listed here was verified on or after 2026-09-22.
View sources
Checked against 4 official and provider sources. Every fact listed here was verified on or after 2026-09-22.
At least one pass inclusion on this page is not confirmed by the provider's own published information. We mark it as unconfirmed rather than guessing.
Affected: Kyoto City Subway & Bus One-Day Pass × Kiyomizu-dera · Kyoto City Subway & Bus One-Day Pass × Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
| Fact | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|
| Fushimi Inari TaishaAttraction details | Multiple independent sources (open-access shrine, no official standalone ticket page) | |
| Gion DistrictAttraction details | Multiple independent sources (public neighborhood, no admission fee of any kind) | |
| Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)Attraction details | Multiple independent sources (no single unified official ticket page; price corroborated across several) | |
| Kiyomizu-deraAttraction details | Multiple independent sources (no single unified official ticket page; price corroborated across several) | |
| Kyoto City Subway & Bus One-Day PassPass details | Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau (official, oneday-pass.kyoto) |
"Last verified" means a person checked that specific fact against that specific source on that date. It is not a page-publication date, a file-modification date or a build date. Prices and rules can change at any time — always confirm the current figure with the provider before booking.
Spotted an outdated price or an error? Tell us:localexperiencescitypass@gmail.com
Things to do in Kyoto
SponsoredProvided by our commercial partner GetYourGuide — bookings made through this section may earn LocalExperiences a commission. See our Editorial Transparency page.
Pricing Analysis & Important Details
01. Kyoto has no city-wide admission pass
No Go City, no Turbopass, and no official government combo ticket spans multiple major Kyoto temples — only single-temple internal combos exist (e.g. To-ji's own Kondo+Kodo ticket).
02. The Subway & Bus One-Day Pass is primarily a transit pass
Run by the Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau, it gives unlimited subway and city bus rides, plus "Welcome Offer" discount coupons (not free entry) at roughly 50 partner facilities.
03. Only 2 of this guide's temples have a confirmed pass discount
Nijo Castle and Eikando Temple are both confirmed at 100 JPY off with the pass. Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, and Ginkaku-ji's discount status could not be independently verified against the pass's own partner list, so it's left unconfirmed rather than guessed.
04. Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and Gion District are all completely free
No pass is needed for any of the three — the same free-landmark pattern already documented for Tokyo's Sensoji Temple and Meiji Shrine.
Which Option Fits Your Visit?
Prioritizing Unlimited Subway & Bus Travel
The One-Day Pass's transit value alone can be worth it for a day of multi-stop sightseeing, before counting any discount.
Visiting Nijo Castle or Eikando Temple
The pass's confirmed 100 JPY discount applies directly at these two sites.
A Free-Landmark Day
Skip any pass — Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and Gion District are all free to visit at any time.
Visiting Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, or Ginkaku-ji
Budget for the individual ¥500 ticket at the gate — any pass discount at these three temples is unconfirmed, so don't count on it.
Detailed Attraction Guides
Verified prices, booking rules, and pass-discount status for Kyoto's most-visited sites.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Guide
Confirmed free access to the shrine grounds and torii gate trails.
Kinkaku-ji Guide
Ticket pricing for the Golden Pavilion, and its unconfirmed pass-discount status.
Kiyomizu-dera Guide
Ticket pricing for the famous wooden-stage temple, and its unconfirmed pass-discount status.
Gion District Guide
Confirmed free access to Kyoto's historic geisha district, and visiting etiquette.
🗝️ Kyoto's Secret Places
Three hidden spots — verified against kyoto.travel, the official Kyoto City Tourism Association site.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
1,200 stone Rakan statues, each with a different face and expression, carved not by professional sculptors but by ordinary people who answered a priest's call to help restore an abandoned temple.
Gio-ji Temple
A tiny moss garden with 17 species of moss beneath maple trees, tied to a centuries-old tale of love and heartbreak from Kyoto's most famous war epic.
Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple
Around 8,000 stone Buddhist statues stand in solemn rows, gathered here from across the surrounding area — one of Kyoto's quietest and most striking sights.
Things to do in Kyoto
SponsoredProvided by our commercial partner GetYourGuide — bookings made through this section may earn LocalExperiences a commission. See our Editorial Transparency page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best city pass for Kyoto?
Does the Subway & Bus One-Day Pass give free entry to temples?
Do I need a pass to visit Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, or Gion?
Is there a Go City or Turbopass product in Kyoto?
Spending 1, 2, or 3 days here?
Discover example itineraries with an integrated Google Maps route and travel tips.