Nijo Castle, or Nijōjō, is a historic castle in Kyoto, near the city centre. Known as a flatland castle, this Castle is a rather unique appearance compared to other Japanese castles. Initially built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the castle played a crucial role in Japanese history.
In 1867, Nijo castle was used as an Imperial palace for a few years following the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate. It then was donated to the city, and became the historic site it is today. Nijo Castle is one of the many historic sites registered under the Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage classification, gaining this status in 1994.
One of the highlights of Nijo Castle is the Ninomaru Palace, an extravagant wooden structure that showcases intricate paintings, gold leaf decorations, and detailed carvings. Ninomaru Palace originally served as the residence of the Shogun during visits to Kyoto. Today, Ninomaru Palace exists in its original form from when it was first built. Ninomaru Palace consists of several other buildings, all connected by corridors. These corridors were rigged to be nightingale flooring, which makes a chirping sound when walked on. This was built as a security mechanism to alert palace residents of potential danger approaching.
An additional fee of 500 JPY is required to enter Ninomaru Palace. In the palace, you get a good look at multiple audience rooms and other rooms used for various purposes.
Outside of the Ninomaru Palace, you can find the Ninomaru Garden. These gardens were designed by the famous landscaper, Kobori Enshu, and features a large pond and ornamental stones in a variety shapes and sizes. The gardens also feature topiary pine trees. Previously, it was ranked among the top 10 Gardens in all of Japan.
Another area of Nijo castle is the Honmaru, which was the main circle of defence. Originally, the Honmaru section contained the second palace complex at Nijo Castle and had a 5-story castle keep. However, following a fire in the 1700s, the castle keep was destroyed and has never been to the original specifications. The Honmaru palace is rarely open to the public but does open for special occasions. In recent years, the Honmaru underwent some minor renovations, in which some buildings were covered in scaffolding.
While Honmaru Palace is seldom open to the public, visitors still enjoy it from the Honmaru gardens, which climb up a small hill that once held the castle keep. Now, the former foundation for the keep serves as a great place to overlook Nijo Castle.
Nijo Castle has a plethora of landscapes to enjoy. Both palace areas are surrounded by gardens to explore. Come spring, some 400 cherry blossom trees bloom. In Autumn, the many varieties of tree shift to their autumn colours, which also makes explore Nijo Castle a worth-while destination year-round.
Hours and Admission
- Hours: 8:45am - 5:00pm
- 800JPY (Nijo Castle Only) / 1300JPY (Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace)
- Official Website
Accessing Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle is conveniently located near Nijojo-mae Station along the Kyoto Subway Tozai Line. However, the Kyoto Subway is a little confusing to use as it doesn’t get you everywhere, so if you are coming from the Kyoto Station, then you would want to get off at Karasuma Oike Station, and transfer lines. You can also walk from that station (will take you about 10 minutes)
Addtionally, Nijo Castle is only about a 20 minute walk north from Kyoto Station.
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Where to Stay
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