Photographs of The Nijo Castle
Nightingale Palace
Click on an image to see the full picture
The Nijo Castle is in the centre of Kyoto. It was built in 1603 as
the offical Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu.
To safeguard against treachery, Ieyasu had the interiors fitted with
'nightingale' floors (intruders were detected by the squeaking boards) and
concealed chambers where bodyguards could keep watch.
We had to take our shoes off before we were allowed in and then only allowed
to walk round the outside corridors of the castle. The Palace is divided
into five buildings and access to each building depended on rank.
