Nijo-jo Castle, Kyoto

Charms and Highlights of Nijo-jo Castle

Nijo-jo Castle is Hira-jiro (a castle built on flat land) located at Rakuchu (inside the capital Kyoto), which is close to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the early Edo period. It is also famous as a stage for Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideto ‘s interview and Taisei – Hokan (the restoration of government to the crown). Currently, the entire castle is also registered as a World Heritage Site. In addition, the Ninomaru Palace is designated as a national treasure.
The luxurious interior decor and the beauty of the garden in the Ninomaru Palace are well known abroad, and tourists visit throughout the year a lot.
Nijo-jo Castle’s Ninomaru Palece is a representative building of the Samurai Shoinzukuri style (drawing room style) in the Edo period, and its interior tells the colorful culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. In particular, ceiling painting in the building, sliding screen paintings drawn by Kano school artists, sculptured transom are a must see. Also, special exhibitions are held on a regular basis.
Many trees are planted in the site of Nijo-jo Castle, including 400 cherry trees. Every year when the cherry blossom season comes, since the light up is also done, it is very popular. Besides cherry blossoms, azaleas, crisp berries, fragrant olives, etc. are planted and flowers are blooming throughout the year. The contrast of snowfall and camellia that can be seen in winter is also superb.
In Nijo-jo Castle, various events are held throughout the year. From cultural events such as special exhibitions of cultural assets kept in the castle, there are plenty of unusual things such as the castle early morning marathon, starry sky viewing class, and kimono wearing classroom. Events are held annually or one time only. For details, please check the Nijo Castle web site and the event calendar of Kyoto City.

Charms and Highlights of Nijo-jo Castle

Nijo-jo Castle became symbolically place which shows beginning and the end of the Edo period

Nijo-jo Castle is plains castles in the Kyoto central part which Ieyasu Tokugawa built at the Edo period. Of the course of history, Nijo-jo Castle became symbolically place which shows beginning and the end of the Edo period historically.
Ieyasu opted for construction of Nijo-jo Castle as lodgings at the time of going up to Kyoto, and made it complete in 1603.
The 15th generation Yoshinobu Tokugawa who became the last general summoned senior vassals at the great hall in the Ninomaru palace of the Nijo-jo Castle and made an inquiry about Taisei Hokan (the restoration of government to the crown) at the end of Edo Period.
It registered with world heritage in 1994.

Conveys Momoyama Culture at the time well

The Ninomaru palace of Nijo-jo Castle is a building used at the time of the foundation by Ieyasu Tokugawa as Honmaru palace (centre of a castle). The Ninomaru palace, which is the samurai and shoin-zukuri style (traditional style of Japanese residential architecture), conveys Momoyama Culture at the time well.
The Kano School screen and wall paintings is drawn on The Ninomaru palace. The screen, which stuck gold leaf of the gold-and-jasper wall painting drawn with skillful rock paints etc., is loaded with the highest work of those days.

Kara-mon Gate on its south side

The whole Nijo-jo Castle is protected by an outside moat. In Nijo-jo Castle, there is the gate in the west, the south, the north side one by one each other than the Higashi Ote-mon Gate. The Goten is surrounded by an earthen wall, with Kara-mon Gate on its south side.

Designated as the important cultural property

Present Honmaru Palace, which reconstructed old Prince Katsura’s residence located in Kyoto Old Palace in Meiji 27, was designated as the important cultural property.

Specified as country historic relics

Moreover, the whole castle is specified as country historic relics, the Ninomaru garden is designated as for the important cultural property, the 1016 of screen and wall painting which has Ninomaru palace is specified as a national treasure and Ninomaru palace is specially specified as the scenic spot.

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