Japan - Part Two - Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle - was built as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns.

The Front gate.


Inside gate before the castle

Detail on the gate.

Ninomaru Palace -

the most amazing thing about this palace were the "nightingale floors". When walked on they made the most amazing sound, and because there were quite a few visitor's the day we went the floors sounded like hundreds of birds singing. It was amazing. I so wished that we could have been there alone for a few minutes to play on the floors to see which boards made which sounds. The floor was built this way to prevent sneak attacks or assissins from sneaking up on the shoguns.

The paintings on the paneled walls were also amazing, but we could take no pictures

I think this building was a guard post. It was at the corner of the wall/moat that surrounded the castle and gardens.

From the top of the wall that surrounded the whole complex. Over looking the palace itself with Kyoto in the background.

In the garden were many of these little decorations. The garden was huge and we did not get to see it all.

Garden pond.

Some unusual trees in the garden.

Nijo Castle was probably my favorite place that we visited while I was in Japan.