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[[File:Nijojo.jpg|right|thumb|400px|The main building in the Ninomaru at Nijô castle.]]

[[File:Nijojo.jpg|right|thumb|400px|The Ninomaru Palace at Nijô castle.]]

*''Type: Flatland''

*''Type: Flatland''

*''Founder: [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]]''

*''Founder: [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]]''

Nijô castle, located at the corner of Horikawa and Nijô-dôri in central [[Kyoto]], was a shogunal residence and admnistrative center for the [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Constructed in [[1602]]-[[1603]], it was used as a residence by Tokugawa shoguns on a number of occasions in the 1600s-1630s, and 1850s-1860s, but from the 1630s onwards served chiefly as the headquarters of the ''[[Kyoto shoshidai]]'', the chief shogunal administrator in the city. The castle was a powerful symbol of the intrusion of warrior power - and its domination over - the Imperial capital, the city of courtier culture.<ref>[[Morgan Pitelka]], ''Spectacular Accumulation'', University of Hawaii Press (2016), 86.</ref>

Nijô castle, located at the corner of Horikawa and Nijô-dôri in central [[Kyoto]], was a shogunal residence and admnistrative center for the [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Constructed in [[1602]]-[[1603]], it was used as a residence by Tokugawa shoguns on a number of occasions in the 1600s-1630s, and 1850s-1860s, but from the 1630s onwards served chiefly as the headquarters of the ''[[Kyoto shoshidai]]'', the chief shogunal administrator in the city. The castle was a powerful symbol of the intrusion of warrior power - and its domination over - the Imperial capital, the city of courtier culture.<ref>[[Morgan Pitelka]], ''Spectacular Accumulation'', University of Hawaii Press (2016), 86.</ref>

While Nijô Castle can be classified as a ''[[hirajiro]]'' ("plains castle"), it is much more of a palace than other existing Japanese castles. Shortly after his victory over the forces of the West at the [[Battle of Sekigahara]], [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] began to make preparations for the construction of a castle at Nijô in [[1601]]/5<ref>Pitelka, 84.</ref>. Actual construction began in [[1602]] and was completed in [[1603]]. It was built on the site of [[Oda Nobunaga]]’s [[Nijo palace|Nijô palace]]. The castle was later used as the headquarters of the ''Shoshidai'' (Governor) of Kyoto, and also as the shogunal residence in Kyoto. The ''Shoshidai'' was responsible for monitoring the behavior of the 33 western provinces under his control, but his real function was to enforce the Tokugawa policy of keeping the Imperial family under control and preventing them from interfering in politics. Members of the court aristocracy were obliged to apply at Nijô castle for authorization to leave a certain central portion of Kyoto, to which they were otherwise restricted.

While Nijô Castle can be classified as a ''[[hirajiro]]'' ("plains castle"), it is much more of a palace than other existing Japanese castles. Shortly after his victory over the forces of the West at the [[Battle of Sekigahara]], [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] began to make preparations for the construction of a castle at Nijô in [[1601]]/5<ref>Pitelka, 84.</ref>. Actual construction began in [[1602]] and was completed in [[1603]]. It was built on the site of [[Oda Nobunaga]]’s [[Nijo palace|Nijô palace]]. The castle was later used as the headquarters of the ''[[Kyoto shoshidai]]'', and also as the shogunal residence in Kyoto. The ''Shoshidai'' was responsible for administering the city of Kyoto on behalf of the shogunate, as ''[[machi bugyo|machi bugyô]]'' (Town Magistrates) did in Osaka, Edo, and elsewhere, and also monitored the Imperial family and court aristocracy, keeping the Imperial family under control and preventing them from interfering in politics. Members of the court aristocracy were obliged to apply at Nijô castle for authorization to leave a certain central portion of Kyoto, to which they were otherwise restricted.

In [[1611]], Ieyasu was able to arrange a meeting at Nijô with [[Toyotomi Hideyori]]. Here Ieyasu discovered that Hideyori was not the fool that he had been led to believe, and likely finalized his decision to completely destroy the Toyotomi. The castle served as the Tokugawa headquarters for the [[Osaka Campaign]] of [[1614]]-[[1615]], during which Ieyasu succeeded in eradicating the Toyotomi line. A large victory celebration was held at the castle at the end of hostilities.  

In [[1611]], Ieyasu was able to arrange a meeting at Nijô with [[Toyotomi Hideyori]]. Here Ieyasu discovered that Hideyori was not the fool that he had been led to believe, and likely finalized his decision to completely destroy the Toyotomi. The castle served as the Tokugawa headquarters for the [[Osaka Campaign]] of [[1614]]-[[1615]], during which Ieyasu succeeded in eradicating the Toyotomi line. A large victory celebration was held at the castle at the end of hostilities.  

The castle is a major tourist draw in Kyoto and one of the best preserved castles in Japan with by far the most impressive interiors. The architecture of the castle itself merits further elaboration. Nijô castle consists of two main areas, the Ninomaru Palace and the Honmaru Palace.

The castle is a major tourist draw in Kyoto and one of the best preserved castles in Japan with by far the most impressive interiors. The architecture of the castle itself merits further elaboration. Nijô castle consists of two main areas, the Ninomaru Palace and the Honmaru Palace.

The Ninomaru Palace began as a small building in 1603 but was greatly expanded and brought to its present status in the construction projects of 1624-26. It was the area used by the shogun while in Kyoto to receive guests and also as his living quarters. The five connected buildings are arranged along a diagonal axis from the southeast to the northwest. The first building is entered through the ''Mi-kurumayose'' (carriage house) and is known as the Tozamurai. It consists of several chambers such as the Imperial Messenger’s Chamber, the Willow Room, and Young Pine Room. As in the other buildings, sliding screen doors (''[[fusuma]]'') allow the rooms to be connected or condensed as needed. The second building is the Shikidai and contains three chambers for shogunal ministers. The Ohiroma is the third building and has four chambers plus the great audience hall where the shogun would receive visitors. Next is the Kuro-shoin, which although a bit smaller, is elaborately decorated. Finally, there is the Shiro-shoin which contained the Shogun’s private living quarters.  

The Ninomaru Palace began as a small building in 1603 but was greatly expanded and brought to its present status in the construction projects of 1624-26. It was the compound used by the shogun while in Kyoto to receive guests and also as his living quarters. The five connected buildings are arranged along a diagonal axis from the southeast to the northwest. The first building is entered through a ''go-kurumayose'' (carriage house entrance) and ''genkan'' (entrance foyer) and is known as the Tôzamurai. It consists of several chambers such as the Imperial Messenger’s Chamber (''chokushi no ma''), the Willow Room (''Yanagi-no-ma''), and Young Pine Room (''Wakamatsu-no-ma''), as well as the chief waiting room for visitors, known as the Tiger Room, or ''Tora-no-ma''. Descriptive labels visible at the castle today explain that the "grandeur of these rooms and magnificent paintings of ferocious tigers were designed to impress the authority of the Tokugawa Shogun on the visitor,” and "to intimidate visitors as symbols of the [shogun's] power."<ref name=nijo>Gallery labels, Nijô castle. Visited July 2018.</ref> As in the other buildings, sliding screen doors (''[[fusuma]]'') allow the rooms to be connected or condensed as needed.  

 

The second building is the Shikidai and contains three chambers for ''[[roju|rôjû]]'' and other shogunal ministers to meet with one another, and to receive guests.  

 

The third building consists primarily of the Ôhiroma (the shogun's grand audience chamber), along with several secondary rooms attached to it. The Kuroshoin and Shiroshoin, private spaces for the shogun's everyday life and work which doubled as smaller, less impressive, but more exclusive audience chambers, are located in this section of the palace as well. The Ôhiroma at Nijô is somewhat smaller than the one which once existed in the Honmaru Palace of [[Edo castle]]; originally consisting of three stepped sections, it was later reduced to two, with the shogun sitting in the ''ichi-no-ma'' ("first room"), the floor of which was elevated somewhat above that of the ''ni-no-ma'' ("second room") where ''daimyô'' and others would gather to receive audience with the shogun. A section of the ceiling directly above the shogun's seat was similarly elevated, creating a canopy effect which amplified the sense of the shogun's grandeur or power. It was in this room that Tokugawa Ieyasu formally declared to his retainers in [[1603]] that he had been named [[Shogun]], and that Tokugawa Yoshinobu, more than 260 years later in [[1867]], declared that he was abdicating power.

The Honmaru Palace grounds were originally used for the five-story ''tenshu''. During the 1624-26 renovations, this ''tenshu'' was moved and the one from Fushimi Castle was installed. In addition, the compound was greatly expanded with many buildings for guests added, including the Imperial Quarters, and a moat built around it. One can still tell the original dimensions of the Honmaru compound by observing the styles of the ''[[ishigaki]]'' surrounding it; the original walls are rough hewn while the newer set features smooth finished stone. As mentioned earlier, this area bore the brunt of earthquakes, lightning strikes, fire, and donations of its buildings until it became virtually empty. To rectify this, the Imperial family moved the present Honmaru Palace from the grounds of the Imperial Palace in 1893. The former residence of Prince Katsura is rarely open to the public for viewing of the interior.

The Honmaru Palace grounds were originally used for the five-story ''tenshu''. During the 1624-26 renovations, this ''tenshu'' was moved and the one from Fushimi Castle was installed. In addition, the compound was greatly expanded with many buildings for guests added, including the Imperial Quarters, and a moat built around it. One can still tell the original dimensions of the Honmaru compound by observing the styles of the ''[[ishigaki]]'' surrounding it; the original walls are rough hewn while the newer set features smooth finished stone. As mentioned earlier, this area bore the brunt of earthquakes, lightning strikes, fire, and donations of its buildings until it became virtually empty. To rectify this, the Imperial family moved the present Honmaru Palace from the grounds of the Imperial Palace in 1893. The former residence of Prince Katsura is rarely open to the public for viewing of the interior.

Other interesting features on the grounds include many original structures dating from 1603 and 1626 such as the East and North Ôtemmon, the Kara-mon from Fushimi Castle (the gate fronting the carriage house courtyard), the buildings housing the two kitchens for the Ninomaru palace, many gateways on the grounds with impressive studded doors, and two corner towers. The castle also features two impressive Japanese gardens, the Ninomaru Garden and the Seiryûen Garden. The Ninomaru Palace also features in spots the famous [[nightingale floors]], which are virtually impossible to tread on without producing a sound said to be not unlike the song of the nightingale. They were designed to give advance warning to the room inhabitants of anyone approaching.

Other interesting features on the grounds include many original structures dating from 1603 and 1626 such as the East and North Ôtemmon, the Kara-mon from Fushimi Castle (the gate fronting the carriage house courtyard), the buildings housing the two kitchens for the Ninomaru palace, many gateways on the grounds with impressive studded doors, and two corner towers. The castle also features two impressive Japanese gardens, the Ninomaru Garden and the Seiryûen Garden. The Ninomaru Palace also features in spots the famous [[nightingale floors]], which are virtually impossible to tread on without producing a sound said to be not unlike the song of the nightingale. Though often said to have been designed to give advance warning to the room inhabitants of anyone approaching, explanatory plaques at Nijô castle itself state that this noise was simply a side-effect of the construction methods, and was not intentional.<ref name=nijo/>

The main attraction of both the Ninomaru and Honmaru Palaces are the opulent decorations within. These were designed to showcase the wealth of the Tokugawa. Elaborate carvings overhanging doorways, themed painted ceiling panels, and beautiful ''fusuma'' and cedar door paintings certainly accomplish that end. The Ninomaru Palace features paintings done by [[Kano School|Kanô School]] painters. While the original paintings from 1603 were removed in 1626 (with no records of subject or artist), the present works of art date from that year. They feature heavy use of gilt and bright colors. The Tozamurai features a series of three chambers filled with paintings of tigers in a bamboo forest (done by Domi and Shinsetsu). You’ll see these routinely reproduced on Japanese movie and TV sets when they want to show the lodgings of a wealthy samurai, and were also replicated for the American mini-series ''[[James Clavell's Shogun|Shogun]]''. The Shikidai and Ohiroma are filled with works of massive pine trees and willows (by Uneme) filled with birds such as hawks, herons, and ducks. The Kuro-shoin has the better cedar door paintings (by Shume) along with flowers and blossoms. The shogunal living quarters in the Shiro-shoin features landscapes, lakes, and mountains (by Koi).

The main attraction of both the Ninomaru and Honmaru Palaces are the opulent decorations within. These were designed to showcase the wealth of the Tokugawa. Elaborate carvings overhanging doorways, themed painted ceiling panels, and beautiful ''fusuma'' and cedar door paintings certainly accomplish that end. The Ninomaru Palace features paintings done by [[Kano School|Kanô School]] painters. While the original paintings from 1603 were removed in 1626 (with no records of subject or artist), the present works of art date from that year. They feature heavy use of gilt and bright colors. The Tozamurai features a series of three chambers filled with paintings of tigers in a bamboo forest (done by Domi and Shinsetsu). You’ll see these routinely reproduced on Japanese movie and TV sets when they want to show the lodgings of a wealthy samurai, and were also replicated for the American mini-series ''[[James Clavell's Shogun|Shogun]]''. The Shikidai and Ohiroma are filled with works of massive pine trees and willows (by Uneme) filled with birds such as hawks, herons, and ducks. The Kuro-shoin has the better cedar door paintings (by Shume) along with flowers and blossoms. The shogunal living quarters in the Shiro-shoin features landscapes, lakes, and mountains (by Koi).