Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijōjō) became constructed in 1603 because the Kyoto house of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the primary shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu finished the citadel's palace homes 23 years later and in addition extended the citadel via way of means of including a 5 tale citadel keep.



 

After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle became used as an imperial palace for some time earlier than being donated to the town and spread out to the general public as a anciental web website online. Its palace homes are arguably the first-rate surviving examples of citadel palace structure of Japan's feudal era, and the citadel became distinctive a UNESCO international historical past web website online in 1994.

Nijo Castle may be divided into 3 areas: the Honmaru (predominant circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) and a few gardens that encircle the Honmaru and Ninomaru. The whole citadel grounds and the Honmaru are surrounded via way of means of stone partitions and moats.

Visitors to Nijo Castle input the citadel grounds via a big gate withinside the east. English audio publications are to be had for hire at a kiosk simply in the gate. Venturing in addition into the citadel will convey you to the Chinese fashion Karamon Gate, the doorway to the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense), wherein the citadel's predominant attraction, the Ninomaru Palace is located.



The Ninomaru Palace served because the house and workplace of the shogun all through his visits to Kyoto. Surviving in its unique form, the palace includes a couple of separate homes which might be linked with every different via way of means of corridors with so known as nightingale floors, as they squeak while stepped upon as a safety degree towards intruders. The palace rooms are tatami mat protected and characteristic elegantly embellished ceilings and superbly painted sliding doors (fusuma).

Getting there and around

The entrance of Nijo Castle is a short walk from Nijojo-mae Station along the Tozai Subway Line.

From Kyoto Station, take the Karasuma Subway Line to Karasuma-Oike Station and transfer to the Tozai Line to Nijojo-mae Station. The whole trip takes about 15 minutes and costs 260 yen. Alternatively, the castle can be reached from Kyoto Station by Kyoto City Bus numbers 9, 50 or 101 (15-20 minutes, 230 yen one way) or from Shijo-Kawaramachi by Kyoto City Bus number 12 (15 minutes, 230 yen one way).

How to get to and around Kyoto

Hours and Fee

8:45 to 17:00 (October to June)

8:00 to 18:00 (July and August)

8:00 to 17:00 (September)

Admission ends one hour before closing time

Entry to Ninomaru Palace from 8:45 to 16:10 (until 17:10 in July and August

Closed

December 29-31; just the Ninomaru Palace is also closed on Tuesdays in January, July, August and December (or following day if Tuesday is a national holiday) and December 26-28

Admission

620 yen; an additional fee of 410 yen is required to enter the Ninomaru Palace





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