Today Kyoto
Friday, April 1st

Nijjo Castle (Nijo-jo)

This is one of my favorite castles. I like it because there are still tatami on the floors and scenes of romping leopards and tigers on the screen doors and walls. Of course, there were no such animals in Japan and the artists had to rely on imported hides to depict these exotic animals. Yes, some of the paintings seem to have been done in a hurry (like on the ceilings ? they sure don?t look original). The shoji (paper doors look very old) and the woodcarvings between some of the rooms are outstanding. My favorite is a 3-D wall carving that has two different scenes on either side of it. The scene is totally different when viewed from adjacent rooms. The nightingale floors still squeak when you walk on them and ladies in waiting are still bowing in full silk and satin garb in front of the Shogun in life size dioramas set up in the rooms.

The castle was originally built in 1603 to be the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu. It was completed in 1626 by the third Shogun, Iemitsu.. It was lavishly decorated and is representative of the Momoyama style of architecture. In its day, it served as a symbol of the power and authority of the Tokugawa military government. When Yoshinobu, the fifteenth Tokugawa Shogun, returned sovereignty to the Emperor in 1867 the Castle was given to the Imperial family. In 1884 it was renamed Nijo Detached Palace and in 1939 donated to the city of Kyoto and renamed Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo).

The gardens connected with the castle are lovely. Ninomaru Garden is a traditional Japanese design with a large central pond and contains stones in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. In the center of the pond are three islands; Horai-jima (Island of Eternal Happiness), Tsuru-jima (Crane Island), and Kame-jima (Turtle Island).

The Emperor's Palace too today, whew.
more later