Nijo Castle

[BarbaraSheridan]

I'm hoping someone will be kind enough to give me their impressions or an "eye witness" description of Kyoto's Nijo Castle in general and the Ninomaru Palace in particular.

Thanks.

[senseiman]

I've been to Kyoto about a dozen times but have never taken in Nijo castle. But if you watch the film "the Last Samurai", the scenes with the Meiji emporere were shot in the castle.

[budd]

二条城
http://www.linkclub.or.jp/~juta/castling/syasinsyu/syasinsyu31.html
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/bunshi/nijojo/index.html
http://jr-central.co.jp/nijojo/
http://homepage2.nifty.com/cub/niwa/nijojo.htm

[playaa]

Is this place open to visitation? Also.. Anyone have any ideas of where the samurai village in the Last Samurai wa sshot at? I loved the scenery in that movie and I want to visit small towns like that, by the way.. How much of a chance do you think I would find a sword smith somewhere in Japan? A REAL one?

[budd]

Himeji?
http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/sample_itinerary/himeji.html
http://www.gal.co.za/writingstudio/page420.html