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Nijo Castle is a flat-land castle built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The National Treasure Ninomaru Palace preserves the uguisubari (nightingale-floor) corridors and the magnificent Kano School painted sliding doors that were hallmarks of the Tokugawa shogunate's splendour. In spring, about 300 cherry trees of 50 varieties bloom in succession from early March (Kawazu-zakura) through to April (Somei Yoshino). During the cherry blossom festival, nightly projection mapping illuminates the castle in a breathtaking display.
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この記事で分かること：Guide to Nijo Castle: cherry blossom information, the Ninomaru Palace, the cherry blossom festival and projection mapping, access, and visit tips.
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50 Varieties, Approx. 300 Cherry Trees
Kawazu-zakura, Kanhi-zakura, and Somei Yoshino bloom in succession. From early March through early April, cherry blossoms can be enjoyed across an unusually long season.
Projection Mapping During the Cherry Blossom Festival
Night projection mapping runs throughout the cherry blossom festival period, creating a dreamlike collaboration of cherry blossoms and light that transforms the castle after dark.
UNESCO World Heritage Site — Symbol of Tokugawa Power
Built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603, the castle served as the shogun's residence during visits to Kyoto. The Ninomaru Palace is a National Treasure and a powerful expression of early Edo-period authority.
The "Nightingale Floor" of the Ninomaru Palace
The corridors of the Ninomaru Palace creak with a distinctive chirping sound as you walk — the so-called uguisubari ("nightingale floor"), said to have been designed to detect intruders. The experience of walking across it is one of the castle's most memorable moments.
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Basic Information
Time Required
1–1.5 hours
Admission
Adults ¥800 (Ninomaru Palace extra ¥500)
Opening Hours
8:45–17:00 (extended during cherry blossom festival)
Address
541 Nijojo-cho, Nijo Dori Horikawa Nishi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Best Time
9:00–10:00
Nearest Station
Subway Tozai Line "Nijojo-mae" — walk right out
What to See
Cherry Blossoms and the Sakura Festival
Nijo Castle is planted with about 300 cherry trees across 50 varieties — including Kawazu-zakura, Kanhi-zakura, and Somei Yoshino — which bloom in stages from early March through early April. During the cherry blossom festival, projection mapping runs each night, creating a magical combination of blossoms and coloured light. The daytime and night-time atmospheres are entirely different experiences.
The Ninomaru Palace (National Treasure)
The Ninomaru Palace is a National Treasure representative of early Edo-period shoin-zukuri architecture. Its 33 rooms and roughly 800 tatami mats are adorned with lavishly painted sliding doors by the Kano school of painters. Walking the famous uguisubari corridors — which creak and chirp underfoot, reportedly as an anti-intruder device — is one of the castle's most tactile and memorable experiences.
The Honmaru and the Former Keep Site
The Honmaru (main enclosure) retains the Honmaru Palace built in the Meiji period (open on limited dates). The original keep was destroyed by a lightning strike and only the stone base remains today. From the keep platform you can look out over the castle grounds, and in spring the Ninomaru garden below is wrapped in cherry blossoms.
Getting There
By Subway (Recommended)
Subway Tozai Line — "Nijojo-mae" Station (Exit 2): walk right out
From Kyoto Station: Karasuma Line → Tozai Line transfer, approx. 15 min
By City Bus
From Kyoto Station: City Bus Route 9 — "Nijojo-mae" stop (approx. 20 min)
Tips & Things to Know
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