Kyoto · December 2026 · Last autumn evenings, dated events, closures and New Year’s Eve
In 2026, Kyoto’s autumn night viewings do not all stop with November. Kiyomizu-dera’s ends on 30 November, but Eikando, Konkai-Komyoji, Shoren-in and Hogon-in run to Sunday 6 December, Shinnyo-do’s pre-booked evenings to 8 December, and Kodaiji’s, Toji’s and Myokenji’s to 13 December. Minamiza’s Kaomise kabuki plays from 1 to 24 December.
Kyoto’s December normals are an average daily high of 11.6°C and an average daily low of 3.5°C (JMA, 1991–2020), and Nijo Castle closes from 29 to 31 December.
Is December a good time to visit Kyoto, and which week should you choose?
Yes, if you match the week to what you want. The first week is the tail of the autumn season, with temple evenings still running; by 14 December the temple night viewings listed here and Senbon Shakado’s daikon-daki have ended, while Kaomise kabuki runs on to the 24th; from about 26 December, castle and palace interiors start to close while the New Year rituals begin.
| Dates in 2026 | Why go, and what limits it |
|---|---|
| Tue 1 – Sun 6 Dec | Last autumn evenings. Eikando, Konkai-Komyoji, Shoren-in and Hogon-in hold night viewings to the 6th; Tofukuji’s admission page lists its autumn hours to the 6th (without giving a year). Whether leaves are still on the trees is a separate question (see below). |
| Mon 7 – Sun 13 Dec | Daikon-daki at Senbon Shakado on 7–8 Dec; Shinnyo-do’s booked evenings end on the 8th and Kodaiji’s night opening on the 13th. Tofukuji’s page lists winter hours and prices from the 7th. |
| Mon 14 – Sun 20 Dec | Kabuki, with fewer of the special events in this guide. Kaomise continues at Minamiza. The Kyoto National Museum opens its garden only until the 20th. |
| Mon 21 – Sun 27 Dec | Year-end markets: Toji on Monday the 21st, Kitano Tenmangu on Friday the 25th. Kaomise ends on the 24th. Chion-in’s practice bell-ringing is on Sunday the 27th. Nijo Castle’s palace interiors close from the 26th. |
| Mon 28 – Thu 31 Dec | Closures and New Year’s Eve. The Imperial Palace closes from the 28th and Nijo Castle from the 29th. On the 31st (a Thursday) Chion-in rings its great bell and Yasaka Shrine hands out the okera fire. |
For peak colour and the November prices and booking rules, read our Kyoto in November guide; for the rest of the country in December, see Japan in December.
Is early December still worth it for Kyoto’s autumn leaves?
For the evenings, yes in 2026: several temples keep their autumn night openings into December, which is not true of Kiyomizu-dera this year. For the leaves themselves, nobody can promise colour on a given date, so treat these dates as the opening rules and check a current leaf report before you go.
| Temple | 2026 autumn opening that reaches December |
|---|---|
| Eikando | Daytime autumn exhibition to Sun 6 Dec, reception 9:00–16:00, ¥1,500 on the temple’s admission page (the regular rate is ¥1,000; its 2026 exhibition page shows ¥1,000 in the layout for small screens, so check at the gate). Night viewing 20 Nov – 6 Dec, reception 17:30–20:30, ¥1,000. Day and night are separate admissions; you cannot stay on from one to the other. Temple’s admission page. |
| Konkai-Komyoji (Kurodani) | Night viewing 13 Nov – Sun 6 Dec, 17:30–20:30, last entry 20:00. ¥1,000 for the main halls and garden, ¥800 for Eishoin, ¥1,600 for both. Temple’s light-up site. |
| Shoren-in | Night viewing 6 Nov – Sun 6 Dec, 18:00–22:00, reception to 21:30, adults ¥1,500; separate from daytime entry. A JR Central early-entry slot (17:30–18:00, reception closes 17:45, ¥1,800) is sold through its EX travel booking. Kyoto City Tourism Association list, 19 Oct 2026; JR Central. |
| Hogon-in (Arashiyama) | Night viewing 13 Nov – Sun 6 Dec, 17:30–20:30, reception ends 20:00, ¥1,000. Kyoto City Tourism Association list, 19 Oct 2026. |
| Tofukuji | Autumn period 14 Nov – Sun 6 Dec: Tsutenkyo bridge from 8:30, Hojo garden from 9:00, reception to 16:00; Tsutenkyo and Kaizando ¥1,000, no combined ticket. From 7 Dec, winter hours 9:00–15:30 reception, Tsutenkyo ¥600, Hojo ¥600. Temple’s admission guide, which gives the autumn dates without a year; check before you go. More in our Tofukuji guide. |
| Shinnyo-do | JR Central’s private evening opening 18 Nov – Tue 8 Dec, 17:30–19:30 (reception to 19:00), ¥1,200, booked through EX travel booking, which needs an Express Yoyaku or smartEX account. The main hall is not open. JR Central. |
| Kodaiji | Night opening 23 Oct – Sun 13 Dec; lights from 17:00, reception to 21:30, gates close 22:00. ¥800, the same price day and night, and you do not have to leave between the daytime and evening viewing. Temple’s pages. |
| Toji | Grounds light-up and night viewing of the Kondo, the Kodo and the Kodo’s three-dimensional mandala of statues 31 Oct – Sun 13 Dec, 18:00–21:30, reception to 21:00, adults ¥1,000. Kyoto City Tourism Association list. |
| Myokenji | Light-up and night viewing 21 Nov – Sun 13 Dec, 18:00–20:30, last entry 20:00, ¥800. Kyoto City Tourism Association list. |
Outside the temples, the Kyoto City Tourism Association lists the Sagano Scenic Railway’s autumn light-up running to 29 December, with no trains on 16 December.
Kiyomizu-dera ends in November this year. Its 2026 autumn night viewing runs 21–30 November only (last entry 21:00, no booking needed). Kiyomizu-dera’s official 2026 schedule lists no December dates. Daytime visits continue as normal in December.
For more temples beyond the famous names above, see our lesser-known autumn temples in Kyoto, with access and crowd notes for each.
How cold is Kyoto in December?
Cool by day and cold at night: the average daily high is 11.6°C and the average daily low 3.5°C. These are the Japan Meteorological Agency’s normals for central Kyoto, not a forecast for 2026.
| JMA normal, Kyoto (1991–2020) | December · January |
|---|---|
| Mean temperature | 7.2 · 4.8°C |
| Average high | 11.6 · 9.1°C |
| Average low | 3.5 · 1.5°C |
| Precipitation | 57.3 mm |
| Sunshine | 134.4 hours |
| Total snowfall | 2 cm |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency, Kyoto (station 47759), monthly normals 1991–2020.
The snowfall figure is a total for the whole month in an average year. Snow can fall in December, but do not plan a trip around snow-covered temples.
What to wear for temple visits in December
Dress for the evening, not the afternoon: the evening visits above close between 19:30 and 22:00, well after the warmest part of the day, so check the forecast for your dates. Many temple halls ask you to take your shoes off, and you will be standing on wooden floors and verandas open to the cold, so thick socks help as much as an extra jacket. A layer you can take off is useful too, because trains, buses and shops are heated. Sunset is at 16:45 from 1 to 10 December, so a day of temple-hopping turns into an evening outing early.
Which December 2026 events fit your travel dates?
Labels as checked on 4 November 2026: 2026 confirmed (posted for 2026 by the organiser, or by Kyoto City or JR Central for that event), 2025 rules (last season’s arrangements; 2026 details are not confirmed in this guide). Check the organiser’s page again before you go.
| Date | What happens, where, and its label |
|---|---|
| Tue 1 – Thu 24 Dec | Kaomise kabuki, Minamiza: matinee from 10:30, evening from 16:00; no performances 9 and 17 Dec. 2026 confirmed: Shochiku. Details below. |
| to Sun 6 Dec | Autumn night viewings at Eikando, Konkai-Komyoji, Shoren-in and Hogon-in. 2026 confirmed. |
| Mon 7 – Tue 8 Dec | Daikon-daki, Senbon Shakado (Daihoonji): simmered daikon radish served on the grounds, 10:00–16:00. Entry to the grounds is free; a bowl of daikon is planned at ¥1,000. 2026 confirmed: JR Central’s event listing (price marked “planned”). |
| to Tue 8 Dec | Shinnyo-do evenings, booked through JR Central. 2026 confirmed. |
| to Sun 13 Dec | Night viewings at Kodaiji, Toji and Myokenji. 2026 confirmed: temple (Kodaiji); Kyoto City Tourism Association (Toji, Myokenji). |
| Mon 21 Dec | Shimai-Kobo, Toji: the last of Toji’s monthly 21st-day markets, 8:00–15:00. 2026 confirmed: Kyoto City Tourism Association. About the temple: our Toji guide. |
| Fri 25 Dec | Shimai-Tenjin, Kitano Tenmangu: the last of the shrine’s 25th-day markets, from early morning until dusk. 2026 confirmed: Kyoto City Tourism Association (its page gives both 6:00 and 7:00 as the start). |
| Sun 27 Dec | Chion-in practice bell-ringing (tameshi-zuki), 14:00, the rehearsal for New Year’s Eve. 2026 confirmed: temple. |
| Thu 31 Dec | Chion-in’s New Year’s Eve bell ceremony begins at 22:20, and Okera Mairi at Yasaka Shrine from 19:00. 2026 dates confirmed; see New Year’s Eve for the access rules. |
Two December events that older English guides still list are not happening. Kyoto Arashiyama Hanatouro, the December lantern event, ended with its 10–19 December 2021 edition; the organisers announced in November 2021 that it would not continue. The newer Arashiyama bamboo light-up, Tsukitouro, is scheduled from 30 September to 8 November 2026 (18:00–21:00), so it ends before December. And Ryotokuji’s daikon-daki is cancelled from 2026, with no prospect of it resuming, according to Kyoto City’s event page.
Can you see kabuki in Kyoto in December?
Yes: December is the month of Kaomise (literally “face-showing”), the year’s headline kabuki run at Minamiza, the theatre at the eastern end of Shijo Bridge in Gion. In 2026 it plays from Tuesday 1 to Thursday 24 December.
Dates and times
1–24 Dec 2026. Matinee from 10:30 (ends about 15:15), evening from 16:00 (ends about 21:10). No performances on 9 and 17 Dec. Some programmes are sold to private groups: the matinee on 12, 19 and 20 Dec and the evening on 18 Dec.
Tickets
Per programme, tax included: special seats ¥28,000, first class ¥26,000, second class A ¥13,000, second class B ¥10,000, third class ¥8,000, fourth class ¥6,000. Online and phone sales open at 10:00 on Monday 9 November; the box office from 10:00 on 11 November.
Not sure kabuki is for you?
Our Minamiza guide covers the seats, the building and how a first visit works. Shochiku’s English listing for the December run says an English guide is available to rent and a free English flyer is available; check the rental details at the theatre.
The maneki boards in the photo above are the theatre’s way of announcing the cast: each board carries an actor’s name, written in a thick calligraphy style. The 2026 date for putting them up had not been announced when we checked; in 2025 it was 26 November, announced by Shochiku on 21 November.
What closes in Kyoto between 26 December and 3 January?
The sights below close for several days each, but not all on the same days. Here is what each operator publishes.
| Place | Closed over the year end |
|---|---|
| Nijo Castle | Whole site closed 29–31 Dec. The Ninomaru and Honmaru palace interiors also close 26–28 Dec and 1–3 Jan, so from 26 Dec to 3 Jan you cannot go inside a palace building. Grounds 8:45–16:00 entry on open days. The palaces also have regular closing days earlier in the month (the Ninomaru Palace on December Tuesdays), so check the castle calendar. Castle’s site. |
| Kyoto Imperial Palace | 28 Dec – 4 Jan, plus Mondays. Imperial Household Agency. |
| Kyoto National Museum | 1–20 Dec garden only on open days (galleries closed; ¥300), closed Mondays 7, 14 and 21 Dec, galleries open 22–27 Dec (¥700), closed 28 Dec – 1 Jan, galleries reopen 2 Jan. Museum’s 2026 schedule. |
| Nishiki Market | No market-wide closing: each shop sets its own days. The market association says almost all shops are open at the year end, and that many are closed on 1–3 January; ask the shop you want. Market association. |
December gallery closure. The Kyoto National Museum is often suggested as a warm indoor stop for a cold December day. In 2026 its galleries are closed from 1 to 20 December and only the garden is open, so it only works as an indoor plan from 22 to 27 December.
Shops, restaurants and ATMs over the New Year are covered in our Japan New Year closures guide.
What can visitors do on New Year’s Eve in Kyoto?
Watch a temple bell being rung, or join the crowd collecting the okera fire at Yasaka Shrine. What you cannot assume is that you will ring a bell yourself, or that trains will run all night.
Can you ring or watch the bell at Chion-in?
The monks ring it. Chion-in’s 2026 calendar lists the New Year’s Eve ceremony at the Daishoro from 22:20 on Thursday 31 December, with 17 monks swinging the beam for 108 strikes; in 2025 the ceremony began at about 22:20 and the ringing at about 22:40. The practice ringing is at 14:00 on Sunday 27 December.
Whether and how visitors may watch in 2026 had not been announced when we checked. In 2025 the temple required advance booking (online from 1 December at 14:00, with tickets also sold in advance at its Yuzen-en counter), charged ¥3,000 per person (free for elementary-school age and under), took no same-day applications, and stated that visitors could watch only. By 9 December 2025 the online places were already full, according to the Kyoto Tourist Information Center’s bell list. Check the temple’s New Year’s Eve page from late November.
What is Okera Mairi at Yasaka Shrine?
On New Year’s Eve Yasaka Shrine lights the okera fire, and visitors can take some of it home on a fire rope (hinawa). In 2026 the rite is at 19:00 on 31 December and the fire is given out from 19:30 until about 5:00 on 1 January; there is no charge to visit. JR Central’s 2026 listing.
Where could visitors ring a bell themselves?
At several other temples, in 2025. The Kyoto Tourist Information Center’s list of 9 December 2025 (PDF, in Japanese) shows these, among others. Their 2026 rules are not confirmed in this guide, so use this as last year’s pattern, not a promise.
| Temple | 31 December 2025 arrangements |
|---|---|
| Kodaiji | Numbered tickets from 22:00 for the first 108 groups (one ticket and one strike per group); ringing from 23:45. |
| Eikando | Anyone queuing between 23:00 and 24:30 could ring; the gate closed at 24:30. |
| Chishakuin | One strike per group, 23:40 until reception closed at 0:40. |
| Tenryuji (Arashiyama) | Numbered tickets from 23:45 for the first 108 groups; monks struck the first and last. |
| Jojakko-ji (Arashiyama) | From 22:30, first come, first served, until the 108th strike. |
| Konkai-Komyoji | Not open to the public for the bell. |
Will trains run after midnight on 31 December?
As of 4 November 2026, neither Kyoto City’s transport bureau nor Keihan had announced any late-night or all-night service for New Year’s Eve 2026. For 2025–26 Kyoto City ran no all-night service and no later last trains or buses on New Year’s Eve on its city buses and subway. Keihan did run all night on 31 December 2025, from 18:00 to 7:00 on its Keihan Main, Oto, Nakanoshima, Katano and Uji lines (expresses from Demachiyanagi into the 2 a.m. hour, about every 20–30 minutes), but not on its Otsu lines. Last year Kyoto City posted its notice on 8 December and Keihan on 11 December.
If you want to be out at midnight, a hotel within walking distance is the safest plan until New Year’s Eve late-night services for 2026 are announced.
Where should you stay in Kyoto in December?
Choose by your evenings, because that is when December plans in Kyoto get difficult: the evening visits listed here close between 19:30 and 22:00 in early December, and no late-night service for New Year’s Eve 2026 had been announced as of 4 November (in 2025–26 the city buses and subway ran holiday timetables, with no all-night service or later last departures).
Near Kyoto Station
For day trips and an easy arrival: the JR lines, the Haruka airport train and the shinkansen all stop here, and Toji (for Shimai-Kobo on the 21st) is about 15 minutes’ walk south.
Gion and Higashiyama
For evenings: Minamiza, Yasaka Shrine, Chion-in, Kodaiji and Shoren-in are all in this area, so you can walk back after a night viewing or on New Year’s Eve.
Along the Keihan line
Keihan ran all night on several of its lines last New Year’s Eve (Gion-Shijo, Sanjo and Demachiyanagi are its central stations). Do not count on a repeat until Keihan publishes its 2026–27 timetable; last season’s was announced on 11 December.
If your dates include the first weekend of December or New Year’s Eve, book early. You can compare Kyoto hotels on Booking.com or check Kyoto prices on Agoda for your dates.
What should you book before arriving in Kyoto in December?
Three arrangements to sort out before the day.
Kaomise tickets
From 10:00 on Monday 9 November (online and phone). The private-hire dates (matinee 12, 19, 20 Dec; evening 18 Dec) are not on public sale.
Shinnyo-do evenings and Shoren-in early entry
Through JR Central’s EX travel booking, which needs an Express Yoyaku or smartEX membership.
Chion-in on New Year’s Eve
As of 4 November 2026, Chion-in had not published the 2026 booking date, fee or entry procedure. In 2025 it was advance booking only, with no same-day entry. Watch the temple’s page.
Also worth sorting before you land: a hotel near your evening plans, the Haruka train from Kansai Airport if you arrive at Kansai International (KIX), and a guided walk if you want someone to explain the temples as you go (small-group Kyoto tours). New to the city? Start with our Kyoto travel guide.
Kyoto in December: FAQ
Are there still autumn leaves in Kyoto in December?
Sometimes in the first week, but colour is never guaranteed on a date. What is fixed for 2026 is the opening calendar: Eikando, Konkai-Komyoji, Shoren-in and Hogon-in keep autumn night openings to 6 December, Shinnyo-do’s booked evenings run to 8 December and Kodaiji’s night opening to 13 December. Tofukuji’s admission page lists its autumn period to 6 December, without a year; reconfirm before visiting. Check a current leaf report before you go.
Is Kiyomizu-dera lit up in December 2026?
No. Its 2026 autumn night viewing runs from 21 to 30 November. Daytime visits continue as normal in December.
Does it snow in Kyoto in December?
It can, but do not plan on snow-covered scenery. The Japan Meteorological Agency’s normal for total December snowfall in central Kyoto is 2 cm, with an average daily high of 11.6°C and low of 3.5°C.
Is Arashiyama Hanatouro held in December 2026?
No. Arashiyama Hanatouro ended with its 10–19 December 2021 edition. Arashiyama’s newer bamboo light-up, Tsukitouro, runs from 30 September to 8 November 2026, so it ends before December.
Can tourists ring the bell at Chion-in on New Year’s Eve?
Not in 2025: the bell is rung by 17 monks, and visitors could only watch. Watching required advance booking and cost ¥3,000, with children of elementary-school age and younger free. The 2026 ceremony starts at 22:20 on 31 December; check the temple’s 2026 visitor rules when they are published.
Is Nijo Castle open between Christmas and New Year?
Partly. The grounds are open on 26–28 December, but the palace interiors are closed from 26 December to 3 January, and the whole castle is closed from 29 to 31 December.
Do Kyoto buses and the subway run all night on New Year’s Eve?
They did not last year: Kyoto City ran no all-night service and no later last departures on 31 December 2025. Keihan ran trains all night on its main lines. Check the 2026–27 timetables in December.
Before you lock in dates, decide which of the three Decembers above you are coming for: the last autumn evenings, mid-month kabuki and sightseeing, or the run-up to New Year. The dates in this guide were checked on 4 November 2026, and we will update it as Chion-in’s 2026 rules, Minamiza’s 2026 maneki-age date and the New Year’s Eve transport details come out.
Sources
Official schedules, admission information and climate data behind this guide (checked 4 November 2026)
- Eikando admission and 2026 autumn exhibition: eikando.or.jp (haikan, lp/2026)
- Konkai-Komyoji night viewing 2026: kurodani.jp/lightup
- Toji, Myokenji and Sagano Scenic Railway night openings 2026: Kyoto City Tourism Association night-viewing list (ja.kyoto.travel)
- Kodaiji night opening and admission: kodaiji.com
- Kiyomizu-dera 2026 autumn night viewing: kiyomizudera.or.jp
- Tofukuji admission and autumn period: tofukuji.jp/guide
- Night viewings list (Shoren-in, Hogon-in, Kiyomizu-dera), information as of 19 October 2026: Kyoto City Tourism Association
- Shoren-in early entry and Shinnyo-do evenings: JR Central; Senbon Shakado Daikon-daki and Yasaka Okera Mairi: JR Central event listings, souda-kyoto.jp
- Kaomise 2026 dates and prices: Shochiku; English guide and flyer: Shochiku’s English listing; 2025 maneki-age: Shochiku news, 21 November 2025
- Arashiyama Tsukitouro 2026: Kyoto City Tourism Association event page
- Chion-in: 2026 practice ringing (27 Dec), 2026 New Year’s Eve ceremony (31 Dec), New Year’s Eve visitor page (2025 rules when checked)
- 2025 New Year’s Eve bells (list dated 9 December 2025): Kyoto Tourist Information Center PDF
- Toji Shimai-Kobo, Kitano Shimai-Tenjin and the Ryotokuji cancellation: Kyoto City Tourism Association event pages
- End of Hanatouro: Kyoto City Tourism Association notice, 2 November 2021
- Nijo Castle opening and closures: Nijo Castle
- Kyoto Imperial Palace closures: Imperial Household Agency, kyoto-gosho.kunaicho.go.jp
- Kyoto National Museum December 2026 schedule: Kyoto National Museum
- Nishiki Market year-end opening: Nishiki Market association, kyoto-nishiki.or.jp
- Kyoto City Bus and subway, 2025–26 year end: Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, 8 December 2025
- Keihan 2025–26 New Year’s Eve service: Keihan news release, 11 December 2025 (PDF)
- Kyoto climate normals: Japan Meteorological Agency, station 47759
- Kyoto sunrise and sunset, December 2026: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
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