Nijo-jo Castle

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Nijo-jo Castle

This is a symbol of the power of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Kyoto. There are numerous valuable remains and attractions, including the national treasure Ninomaru-goten Palace.

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After winning the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and unifying the country, Tokugawa Ieyasu had Nijo-jo Castle built as his base in Kyoto. It is a historical monument with a history of over 410 years as a castle in the heart of the capital. It was designated a UNESCO world heritage site as a part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto” in 1994.

The first structure built at Nijo-jo Castle was the Ninomaru Palace, not the Honmaru-goten Palace. The Kara-mon Gate, with its gorgeous Karahafu gable with carvings and ornamental metal fittings under the eaves, was built later on higher ground than the Tsuiji roofed mud wall, on the occasion of the visit of Emperor Go-Mizunoo.

Located beyond the Kara-mon Gate is the only remaining early Edo period structure in the castle, the National Treasure Ninomaru-goten Palace. On the vast premises, there are six buildings called Tozamurai, Shikidai, Ohiroma, Sotetsu-no-ma, Kuro-shoin, and Shiro-shoin, and they are connected in the shape of flying geese. The First and Second Rooms in the Ohiroma (main hall) are known as the places where the last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu announced the Restoration of Imperial Rule. Also, the Ninomaru Garden, a special place of scenic beauty, is a Shoin-zukuri style garden redesigned by Kobori Enshu.

The Honmaru was built by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1626 when Emperor Go-Mizunoo visited here. It had the dignity and majestic presence of a castle, with a five-story castle tower and five main buildings. However, most of them were destroyed by lightning and major fire, which is why Nijo-jo Castle is more like a grand residence for samurai rather than a castle. The current Honmaru-goten Palace was relocated from the former Katsura-no-miya Palace in the Kyoto Imperial Palace in the middle of the Meiji period, and is designated as a national important cultural property as the valuable remains of a noble residence.

Highlights

  • The Kara-mon Gate, with its gorgeous Karahafu gable and ornate decorations.
  • The Ninomaru-goten Palace is a national treasure and a valuable relic from the early Edo period.
  • The Ohiroma of the Ninomaru-goten Palace is where the Restoration of Imperial Rule took place.
  • The Ninomaru Garden is said to have been designed by a famous garden designer Kobori Enshu.

Photos

  • Kara-mon Gate, the main gate of Nijo-jo Castle

    Kara-mon Gate, the main gate of Nijo-jo Castle

  • National treasure, Ninomaru-goten Palace

    National treasure, Ninomaru-goten Palace

  • The First and Second Rooms of Ohiroma in Ninomaru-goten Palace, where the Restoration of Imperial Rule took place

    The First and Second Rooms of Ohiroma in Ninomaru-goten Palace, where the Restoration of Imperial Rule took place

  • Ninomaru Garden is said to have been redesigned by Kobori Enshu

    Ninomaru Garden is said to have been redesigned by Kobori Enshu

  • The appearance of Honmaru

    The appearance of Honmaru

  • The entrance of Honmaru

    The entrance of Honmaru

Reviews

7

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  • Carlos Wam

    You can really feel the history here—the moment you walk in, it feels so majestic! The gardens are beautiful too. It's great for strolling around and imagining what it was like when samurai and generals were here. The cultural atmosphere is really strong.

  • Liao Jun

    The buildings inside the castle are classic Japanese style.

  • 柯南

    This is where Tokugawa Ieyasu stayed when he visited the Emperor in Kyoto, and it's also the site of the historical return of power. There are 33 rooms in total, and everything is really well preserved and maintained.

  • 若君的漫步人生

    The grounds are huge, making it a nice place to take a relaxing walk.

  • Sunny Huang

    This place is known as the site of the 'Taisei Hokan.' You can really feel the serious atmosphere here.

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Details

Name in Japanese
元離宮二条城
Postal Code
604-8301
Address
541 Nijo-jo-cho, Horikawa-nishi-iru, Nijo-jo-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Telephone
075-841-0096
Holiday
December 29-31 (Ninomaru-goten Palace : Tuesdays in January, July, August, and December, and December 26-28)
Hours
8:45am - 5:00pm (Last admission 4:00pm, Ninomaru-goten Palace 4:10pm)
Admission
1,300 yen (including admission to the Ninomaru-goten Palace)
Nijo-jo Castle Painting Gallery 100 yen *open 4 times a year, total of 240 days
Directions
1) A short walk from Nijojo-mae Station on the Kyoto City Subway Tozai Line
2) Take the Kyoto City Bus route 9 or 50 or express route 101 or 111, from JR Kyoto Station to Nijojo-mae Bus Stop, then a short walk
3) Take the Kyoto City Bus route 12 or express route 101, from Hankyu Karasuma Station or Shijo Station on the Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line to Nijojo-mae Bus Stop, then a short walk
4) A 17-minute walk from JR Nijo Station
Credit Cards
Accepted (VISA, MasterCard)
Official Website
Official Website (English)