Nijo Castle (Nijōjō) was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed and expanded it. After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before being donated to the city and opened up to the public as a historic site. Nijo Castle can be divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) and some gardens that encircle the Honmaru and Ninomaru

The Ninomaru

The Honmaru

Higashi-Ote-Mon (East Facing Gate)

Karamon Gate

One walks through the

Karamon gate just before the approach to

Ninomaru Palace: Kurumayose is the entrance room in the

Ninomaru castle and the

Tozamurai-no-ma (Retainers'

Room) is behind it

Ninomaru Palace: Kurumayose is the carriage entrance in the Ninomaru

castle and the Tozamurai-no-ma (Retainers' Room) is

behind it

Ninomaru (Second Palace)

means “outer defense”, and the

heads of the castle like the

shogun, or Japanese feudal lord, lived here, so they could be best prepared for

emergency in battle

Tozamurai-no-ma (Retainers' Room)

The 3300 square meter Ninomaru Palace consists of

five connected separate buildings and is built almost entirely of Hinoki cypress 

The decoration includes lavish quantities of gold leaf and elaborate wood carvings, intended to impress visitors with the power and wealth of the shoguns

Carriage Entrance, wood carving over the central lintel

In Japan, the crane or tsuru, is a national treasure. It is the symbol of longevity and good luck because it was thought to have a life span of a thousand years

Tsuru are also monogamous, therefore, often used for wedding decor.  An example of this is seen on formal wedding kimonos, and the uchikake, a decorative kimono that goes over the actual kimono, where beautiful images of tsuru are often embroidered

There is a Japanese idiom that says, “tsuru

no hito koe“, which literally translates

as, “one word from the crane’,

meaning the “voice of authority”, the one who has the

final word that isn’t challenged

That is how high the crane is

regarded, no one questions his

opinions

Another example of the crane used in Japanese culture is the 1,000 origami cranes called senba zuru. There are many versions of her story but today people of Japanese ancestry as well as many others, carry on the tradition of folding 1,000 cranes in hopes of health, happiness, and peace.  There is a memorial statue of Sadako at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with her holding a single crane

© Sofia Hedell

Roof details Ninomaru Palace:

Kurumayose (carriage entrance in the Ninomaru castle) and the

Tozamurai-no-ma (Retainers' Room)

behind it

Roof details Kurumayose and the Tozamurai-no-ma

A close up detail of the roof of the Ninomaru Palace, Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo)

Shikidai-no-ma (Reception

Room)

Ohiroma-ichi-no-ma (Upper-Grand

Chamber) Grand Audience Hall of Ninomaru

Palace

Grand Audience Hall (Ohiroma) of

Ninomaru Palace

Grand Audience Hall (Ohiroma-

ichi-no-ma [Upper-Grand

Chamber] of Ninomaru Palace

Grand Audience Hall (Ohiroma-ichi-no-ma) 

The castle is an excellent example of social control manifested in architectural space. Low-ranking visitors were received in the outer regions of the Ninomaru, whereas high-ranking visitors were shown the more subtle inner chambers

The ugusuisubari (nightingale floor) runs throughout the palace. More specifically, a corridor that follows along the perimeter of the palace is fitted with floorboards that sqeak when treaded upon

Its construction consists of clamps and nails fitted to floorboards and crevice floor joints that support

the boards. This technology represented a

sophisticated alarm system alerting the

residence to intruders and their location within the

palace

Nightingale floors, or uguisubari (view from below)

Nightingale Floor was also used in other samurai residences, temples and shrines.   In the corridor, you will notice painted images on the roof above you. Most of the designs are not original. It appears they were painted over sometime in the Meiji period. If you look carefully, you will also see a mixture of chrysanthemum and hollyhock emblems scattered throughout. The 3 hollyhock pedals symbolize the Tokugawa clan. Emperor Meiji was represented by the chrysanthemum.

Ohiroma-yon-no-ma (Fourth Grand Chamber)   It is said that this was the place weapons were stored when the shogun proceeded to the capital. The sliding door paintings feature a hawk on an old pine tree. It is said these were made by Kano Tanyu.

Ohi

rom

a-yo

n-no

-ma

Ohiroma-yon-no-maThis room was used primarily as a storeroom for weapons. It was actually a protocol for visiting warriors to hand over their katana (long swords) upon entry and kept here

Upon first glance, pine trees are an overwhelming theme. The thick trunks are meant to personify great strength and some of the branches stretch as much as 11 metres across the fusuma-e(fusuma are the vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as doors) 

Third Chamber and Willow Room, viewed from the Second Chamber. Roju-no-ma (Ministers Offices) are a total of 3 rooms. From right to left, the rooms are named after each room’s characteristic images. The first one is referred to as “Room of wild geese”, and together the second and third rooms are referred to as “Room of willows and herons. “

Imperial Messenger's Chamber, dais at east end. Unfortunately, taking photographs is not allowed inside Nijo Castle due to the fragility of the artwork. The images which show the inside of the castle are postal cards

Kuroshoin (Second room)

The Ninomaru (outer fortress) Palace features a typical warrior Shoin style in the Momoyama period. The Shoin style takes its origin from Buddhist abbot's house structures.Measuring 3,300 square meters, the palace proper consists of five building units: the Entrance, Waiting Area, Reception, Inner Audience Chamber and Shogun's Quarters. In total, the palace has 33 rooms or 800 tatami mats.Japanese cypress wood, considered as a building material of finest quality for Japanese houses, is abundantly used for almost every part of the buildings. The paintings on the sliding doors (Fusuma doors) and walls of each room are masterpieces by great contemporary artists of the famous Kanō School. The rooms are decorated with a sophisticated set of Shoin style decoration items including beautifully-carved transoms, chic tokonoma alcoves, decorative doors, and even nail head covers using an auspicious flower design.The palace buildings are listed as a National Treasure by the Japanese Government. Plan of Ninomaru Palace 

6 building form a diagonal line from southeast to northwest, continuing from the Kurumayose (entranceway), Tozamurai (guard house), Shikidai (reception room), Ohiroma (great hall), Sotetsu-no-ma (a room of cycad), Kuro-Shoin (a study room painted with black lacquer), and the Shiro-Shoin (a study made of plain wood). Each are representatives of a samurai’s house building style, Bukefushoinzukuri,in the Momoyama period(1573-1603). The total floor space of the buildings is 3,300 squared metres, and includes 33 rooms and over 800 tatami mats

Text: InternetPictures: Internet Sanda FoişoreanuCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Japanese Instrumental Music

2016