King Tai Travel

Kyoto

All Season

Nijo Castle (Nijojo) (All)

Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed the castle’s palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep.

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. Its palace buildings are arguably the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan’s feudal era, and the castle was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994.

Nijo Castle can be divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) and some gardens around them. The entire castle grounds and the Honmaru are surrounded by stone walls and moats.

Access

By Car

The best way to visit Nijo Castle is to use private transport / sightseeing taxi in Kyoto. KingTai Travel has lots of sightseeing taxi in Kyoto with afforable price.

The entrance of Nijo Castle is a few steps from Nijojo-mae Station on the Tozai Subway Line.

From Kyoto Station, take the Karasuma Subway Line to Karasuma-Oike Station and transfer to the Tozai Line to Nijojo-mae Station. The whole trip takes about 15 minutes and costs 260 yen. Alternatively, the castle can be reached from Kyoto Station by Kyoto City Bus numbers 9 or 50 (15-20 minutes, 230 yen one way) or from Shijo-Kawaramachi by Kyoto City Bus number 12 (15 minutes, 230 yen one way).

HOURS & FEES

Opening Hours:

8:45 ~ 17:00 (entry until 16:00)
Entry to Ninomaru Palace from 8:45 ~ 16:10

Admission fee:

800 yen; plus an additional 500 yen to enter the Ninomaru Palace

Related Travel Info

Kansai’s Private transports

Kansai’s Tours

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