# Nijo Castle, Kyoto > Nijo is the Tokugawa shoguns' castle in central Kyoto, a UNESCO site. The highlight is Ninomaru Palace, with Kano-school painted doors and 'nightingale floors' that chirp underfoot. Castle entry is ¥800, or ¥1,300 with Ninomaru Palace. It opens at 8:45, with last entry at 16:00. Nijojo-mae subway station is right by the gate. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/nijo-castle - City: [Kyoto](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto), Japan - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: ¥800; with Ninomaru ¥1,300 - With kids: Fine with kids - Castle entry: ¥800; high and junior high ¥400, elementary ¥300 - Castle + Ninomaru: ¥1,300 - Honmaru Palace: ¥1,000, booked up to 30 days ahead, + castle entry - Hours: 8:45–17:00, last entry 16:00 - Ninomaru closed: Tue in Jan, Jul, Aug, Dec; 26.12–3.01 - Getting there: Nijojo-mae station (Tozai line) — 1 minute - Coordinates: 35.01417, 135.74750 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1603** — construction began for shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (source: en.wikipedia) - **UNESCO** — part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (source: en.wikipedia) - **Ninomaru** — the palace is a National Treasure of Japan (source: en.wikipedia) - **Kano** — the school of painters who decorated the sliding doors (source: en.wikipedia) - **'Nightingale floors'** — chirp underfoot — announcing approaching visitors (source: en.wikipedia) - **Karamon** — an ornate gate with carving and gilding (source: nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp) - **¥800** — adult castle entry (source: nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp) - **16:00** — last entry (source: nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp) ## What is Nijo Castle? **Nijo Castle** was the Kyoto residence of the **Tokugawa** shoguns. Building began in **1603** for **Tokugawa Ieyasu**, the dynasty's first shogun, who stayed here when visiting the imperial court. It later became an imperial residence and is now part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Its treasure is **Ninomaru Palace**, a National Treasure of Japan. Its halls are lined with sumptuous **sliding doors** painted by artists of the **Kano** school — tigers, pines and cranes. The corridor floors are the famous **'nightingale floors'**: they creak gently with every step, like birdsong, and are said to have warned of approaching visitors. > **Tickets and closing days** According to the official site, castle entry is ¥800, or ¥1,300 with Ninomaru Palace. Last entry is at 16:00. The castle itself closes only on 29–31 December, but Ninomaru Palace is closed on 26–28 December, 1–3 January and on Tuesdays in January, July, August and December. Honmaru Palace is by advance online booking only, up to 30 days ahead. Photography isn't allowed inside the palaces. ## How the castle works You enter through the East Gate by the subway station. Next comes the ornate **Karamon** gate with gilded carving, and beyond it **Ninomaru Palace**. Inside you walk the corridors in socks, listening to the 'nightingale' floor and admiring the paintings; the originals are kept in a separate gallery, with exact replicas in the halls. Behind the palace is the **Ninomaru garden** with its pond and rocks. An inner ring of walls and moat surrounds **Honmaru**, home to Honmaru Palace and the stone base of the former main keep, which offers a view over the castle and city. In spring, plum and cherry trees bloom in the gardens. ## What to see - **The Karamon gate** with gilded carving. - **Ninomaru Palace** with Kano-school paintings. - **The 'nightingale floors'** in the palace corridors. - **The Ninomaru garden** and its pond. - **The base of the main keep** — a castle view. - **Plum and cherry orchards** in spring. ## How to get to Nijo Castle 1. **Nijojo-mae station** (Tozai subway line) — the exit leads straight to the East Gate. 2. **From Kyoto Station** — Karasuma line to Karasuma-Oike, change to the Tozai line, about 15 minutes. 3. **City bus** — 9, 50 or 101 from Kyoto Station to Nijojo-mae. 4. **JR Nijo station** — about 15 minutes on foot. 5. **To Kinkaku-ji** — bus 101 from the castle, about 30 minutes. ## Castle only or with the palaces | | Castle only | With Ninomaru | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | ¥800 | ¥1,300 | | What you see | Gates, gardens, keep base | Plus the halls and 'nightingale floors' | | Time | ≈ 1 hour | ≈ 1.5–2 hours | | Closed | Only 29–31 December | Plus Tuesdays in some months | ## How long do you need? Allow **1.5–2 hours** for the castle with Ninomaru Palace and the gardens. Come at 8:45 opening — before the groups arrive the halls are quieter and you can hear the floors sing. From the castle, bus 101 takes you to **Kinkaku-ji**, and from there it's a walk or bus to the **Ryoan-ji** rock garden. ## Is Nijo Castle worth visiting? Yes: it's the best way to see how the shoguns lived — lavish paintings, 'singing' floors and gardens in the heart of Kyoto. The YesGo take: it doesn't look like the classic Japanese castle with a tall keep — that disappeared long ago. The value is in Ninomaru Palace, so buy the ticket that includes it, and check it's not a Tuesday in January, July, August or December. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Castle + Ninomaru ticket — ¥1,300 - [ ] Not a Tuesday in Jan, Jul, Aug or Dec - [ ] Honmaru — book up to 30 days ahead - [ ] Socks — no shoes in the palace - [ ] Arrive by 8:45 ## Kyoto palaces and castles: compare and choose Palaces, castles and gardens in Kyoto rated by YesGo. - [Nijo Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/nijo-castle) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥800; with Ninomaru ¥1,300 ## Northern and central Kyoto in a day Nijo Castle in the morning, the Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji in the afternoon, and the Ryoan-ji rock garden towards evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Nijo Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/nijo-castle) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥800; with Ninomaru ¥1,300 2. [Kinkaku-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/kinkaku-ji) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥500 3. [Ryoan-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/ryoan-ji) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥600 ## Good to know Kyoto's Nijo Castle is not Himeji or Osaka Castle with their tall keeps. JR Nijo station and Nijojo-mae subway station are different stations. ## Tips - Buy the ticket with Ninomaru Palace. - No photos inside the palaces. - Honmaru by booking only. - Come at opening — quieter halls. - Next: [Kinkaku-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/kinkaku-ji), bus 101. ## Questions ### How much is Nijo Castle? ¥800 for the castle, ¥1,300 with Ninomaru Palace. ### What are the opening hours? 8:45–17:00, last entry 16:00. ### When is Ninomaru Palace closed? 26–28 December, 1–3 January and Tuesdays in January, July, August and December. ### What are 'nightingale floors'? Palace floors that creak underfoot, like birdsong. ### Do I need to book? For Honmaru Palace, yes — up to 30 days ahead online; not for the rest. ### Can you take photos? In the gardens, yes; inside the palaces, no. ### How do I get there? Nijojo-mae subway station (Tozai line) — by the gate. ### How long do you need? 1.5–2 hours with Ninomaru Palace. ## How we checked Hours, closing days of the castle and palaces, prices and Honmaru Palace booking rules are from the official site. The construction history, UNESCO status, Kano-school paintings and 'nightingale floors' are from Wikipedia. The photo ban inside the palaces and bus numbers are from guides. We don't retell the castle's political history. ## Sources - Castle official site (nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp) — hours, closing days, prices, Honmaru booking (checked 09.11.2026) - English Wikipedia: Nijō Castle — history, UNESCO, Ninomaru, Kano school, nightingale floors - Travel guides — access, buses, tips (unofficial) - Wikidata Q1013399 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.