Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) is a flatland castle in Kyoto, Japan.

The castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens.

The surface area of the castle is 275,000 square metres (27.5 ha; 68 acres), of which 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft) is occupied by buildings.

Great Eastern Gate (Higashi-Ote-mon).
Nijo Castle has two concentric rings of fortifications, each consisting of a wall and a wide moat.

The outer wall has three gates while the inner wall has two.

Plan of Nijo Castle.
The castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens.

The inner walls surround the Inner Ward, which contain Honmaru ("Inner Ward") Palace with its garden.
Ninomaru ("Second Ward") Palace, the kitchens, guard house and several gardens are located in the Outer Ward, between the two main rings of fortifications.

The karamon main gate to Ninomaru Palace.
The main access to the Ninomaru is through the karamon, a court and the mi-kurumayose or "honourable carriages approach".

Parts of Fushimi Castle, such as the main tower and the karamon, were moved here in 1625–26.

Ninomaru Palace (Ninomaru Goten).
The 3,300-square-meter (36,000-square-foot) Ninomaru Palace (Ninomaru Goten) 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.
The sliding doors and walls of each room are decorated with wall paintings by artists of the Kano school.

Ninomaru Garden.
The castle area has several gardens and groves of cherry and Japanese plum trees.

The Ninomaru garden was designed by the landscape architect and tea master Kobori Enshu.
It is located between the two main rings of fortifications, next to the palace of the same name.
The garden has a large pond with three islands and features numerous carefully placed stones and topiary pine trees.