Nijo-jo Castle 二条城
Nijojo Castle was built in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu who intended it as his official residence in Kyoto. His grandson Iemitsu added some structure from Fushimi Castle in 1623.
Its ostentatious Momoyama style was meant for the shogun to supersede the emperor in prestige.
The Ninomaru Palace (lit. "secondary palace") is divided into five buildings occupying a land area of 7,300m2. These are further partitioned in 33 chambers.
In the Edo period, ranks determined who could access the various chambers, the innermost being restricted to the highest dignitaries. The "fourth chamber" (Ohiroma Yon-no-ma) is reputed for its sumptuous wall paintings.
Ieyasu installed "nightingale floors" to prevent undesirable intrusions. The birds placed in cages under the wooden floor would chirp loudly everytime someone entered the room.
Tokugawa Iemitsu constructed the adjoining Honmaru Palace ("main palace"), but it burnt to the ground in the 18th century and the present bulding is a 1893 reconstruction.
Also note the large Kara-mon Gate and the Seiryu-en Garden designed by Koboro Enshu.
How to get there
Nijojo's entrance is on Horikawa-dor Avenue, between Marutamachi and Oike Avenues.
The castle is open from 8:45am to 4pm and admission to the Ninomaru and gardens is ￥500.
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