All Reviews of Nijo-jo Castle

I was really lucky to visit right when they were holding a nighttime cherry blossom viewing event, so I got to see a completely different side of this place from the daytime. If you happen to come during cherry blossom season, I highly recommend planning a night sakura visit and experiencing a totally different atmosphere! 🌸

A peak example of the "shoin-zukuri" style from the early Edo period in Japan.

The Kano school sliding-door and wall paintings feature extensive gold-leaf landscapes, pine trees, and birds of prey on the interior walls and screens, expressing the authority and power of the Tokugawa family.

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.

The buildings inside the castle are classic Japanese style.

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.

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

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

The Ninomaru Palace is really well preserved. This is a place where Japanese history changed, so it’s definitely worth a visit.

This is the site where the Taisei Hokan took place. The grounds are huge, with over 400 years of history. There's also a beautiful garden you can visit.