Nijo Castle, 541 Nijojocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8301, Japan
Artist/Designer:
Vernacular, Kobori Enshu
Project Location:
Kyoto, Japan
Figure 1: Nijo Castle
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: ©2025 BesPes.,Inc All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 2: A total plan for Nijo Castle
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 3: the Honmaru (central circle of defense) Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 4: The plan of the Honmaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 5: Honmaru Entrance
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 6: Gotsugoten of Honmaru (where the master of the palace would spend his daily life)
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 7: The Shoin study room of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: (c) 1996-2025 The Kyoto Shimbun Co.,Ltd. All rights reserved. )
Figure 8: Details of The Shoin study room of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 9: Goshoin Four Seasons Rooms of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 10: Wild-goose room of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 11: Goshoin (Japanese study) Room of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 12: Karakami Paper
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 13: Torisugi Room of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 14: Antechamber of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 15: Four Seasons Room of the Honmaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 16: Honmaru Garden
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 17: Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) Palace Entrance
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 18: Ninomaru Exterior
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Dell Upton )
Figure 19: Kohiroma (small hall) in Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 20: Wide view of Kohiroma (small hall) in Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright © 2019–2025 JATRABRIDGE )
Figure 21: Sakura noma (Cherry Blossom room) in Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright © 2021 Leaf KYOTO. )
Figure 22: The plan of the Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 23: Ninomaru Garden
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 24: Karamon Gate (the main gate of the Ninomaru Palace)
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 25: Warakuan (a teahouse)
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 26: Storehouse
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 27: Ninomaru Palace corridor: The architectural term " uguisu-bari" translates to "nightingale-like bird song" because when someone walks on it, it produces a sound similar to that of a bird singing. As illustrated in the diagram, this sound is created by the lining and nails rubbing against each other.
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 28: Ninomaru Palace corridor
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © Copyright - Sarah & Tom Bricker, Travel Caffeine. )
Figure 29: Ninomaru Garden
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Maria Wulff Hauglann Copyright © 2024 - Nerd Nomads )
Figure 30: Honmaru East Bridge
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Maria Wulff Hauglann Copyright © 2024 - Nerd Nomads )
Figure 31: Ninomaru room
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Artstor Collection. ©2000–2025 ITHAKA. All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 32: Painting on the sliding screen of the Goto Palace, "Pine and Crane" by Eigaku Kano in Honmaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 33: Wall painting of the Goto Palace, "Flowers of the Four Seasons" by Nakajima Raisho in Honmaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 34: Wall painting in the fourth room of the large hall "Pine and Hawk" in Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 35: Tigers in a Bamboo Grove, Room 3 of the Tozai in Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright©Kyoto City Office. 2025 All Rights Reserved. )
Figure 36: Tigers in a Bamboo Grove, Room 3 of the Tozai in Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © 2019–2025 JATRABRIDGE )
Figure 37: Middle room in Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © Michael D. Gunther. )
Figure 38: Outer gate of Nijo Castle
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © Michael D. Gunther. )
Figure 39: Decorative Panel of Ninomaru
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © Michael D. Gunther. )
Figure 40: Nijo Castle interior
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © Stephen J. Danko on 25 April 2019. )
Figure 41: Gables of Nijō Castle Guardhouse
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © Stephen J. Danko on 25 April 2019. )
Figure 42: Shisa (Guardian Lion) on the Roof in Nijō Castle
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: © Stephen J. Danko on 25 April 2019. )
Figure 43: Detail of the ceiling of Ninomaru Palace
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright © 2025 JTB USA Blog )
Figure 44: Detail of the Karamon Gate (the main gate of the Ninomaru Palace)
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| Accessed : January 29, 2025 | Photographer: Copyright © 2025 JTB USA Blog )
Style/Period(s):
Momoyama Period(1573–1615), Shoin-zukuri (書院造)
Primary Material(s):
Wood, Stone, Tile, Paper Screen, Tatami, Washi paper, Metal, Paint
Function(s):
Residential Structure, Castle
Related Website(s):
Significant Date(s):
1603, 1626, 1894, 1955, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2024
Additional Information:
Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijōjō) in Kyoto, Japan, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that exemplifies the architectural grandeur and historical significance of the early Edo period (1603-1867). Built in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the castle served as his Kyoto residence and administrative center
The castle complex is divided into three main areas: the Honmaru (central circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense), and surrounding gardens, all enclosed by stone walls and moats. The Ninomaru Palace comprises six interconnected buildings and is the centerpiece of the castle, recognized as a National Treasure. It showcases the shoin-zukuri architectural style and features lavish fusuma (sliding door) paintings by the Kano school, intricate wood carvings, and gold leaf decorations, with over 800 tatami mats covering 3,300 square meters.
A distinctive security feature of the Ninomaru Palace is the "nightingale floors" (uguisubari) in the hallways, which emit chirping sounds when walked upon. This clever design acted as an early warning system against intruders, particularly effective against ninjas.
Nijo Castle has played a significant role in Japanese history:
- In 1603, it was where Tokugawa Ieyasu announced his appointment as shogun.
- In 1867, Tokugawa Yoshinobu declared the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate there, marking the beginning of the Meiji Restoration.
The castle grounds feature stunning gardens, including the Ninomaru Garden, designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. In 2024, Nijo Castle celebrated its 30th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage site, reopening the Honmaru Goten (Inner Keep Palace) after a 17-year renovation.
Today, Nijo Castle is a testament to Japan's rich cultural heritage. It offers visitors a glimpse into the Edo period's architectural innovations and historical significance.
541 Nijojocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8301, Japan
Tag: Japanese Interior, Japanese Architecture, Imperial Villa, Wood, Kyoto, Japan