Nijo Castle, Kyoto

Nijo Castle is a castle in Kyoto, Japan. It is rather different from other castles built during the feudal period of the country, in that it is on flat land and is without the usual grand fortifications. The castle does have two concentric rings of walls. Within are the Ninomaru Palace, the ruined Honmaru Palace, and other buildings and gardens.

Nijo Castle was built by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) to symbolize the power and wealth of the newly established Edo-based shogunate. The best painters of the Kano School were commissioned by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu to work on the reception hall, to prepare it for the visit of the emperor. Ironically, a few centuries later, that was also the venue for the last Tokugawa shogun to resign, in the presence of Emperor Meiji.

Apart from the exquisite landscape paintings embellishing the walls, created by the Kano School painters, another outstanding feature of Nijo Castle, particularly Ninomaru Palace, is its flooring, called nightingale floors. The floors make a bird-like squeak when you step on them. They were installed as a form of medieval alarm system against possible intruders.

Nijo Castle, Kyoto

How to reach Nijo Castle

Take the subway to the Nijojo-mae Station. The entrance is on Horikawa-dori.

360° View on Google Maps Street View

Moat, Nijo Castle.

Nijo Castle.

Nijo Castle.

Gateway, Nijo Castle.

Entrance from the moat, Nijo Castle.

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