This year is the 150th anniversary of Meiji Ishin (明治維新, political restoration at the beginning of the Meiji period). Since last year was the 150th anniversary of Taiseihokan (大政奉還, restoration of imperial rule), Nijo castle (二条城) is still crowded with many Bakumatsu (幕末, the final days of Tokugawa Shogunate) fans.
Taiseihokan, where Tokugawa Yoshinobu (徳川慶喜, the last shogun of Togakugawa shogunate) returned the power to the Imperial Court, was conducted at the Ninomaru Goten (二の丸御殿), a national treasure of Japan, at this castle.
Ninomaru Goten consists of thirty-three rooms, using eight hundreds Tatami (畳) mats, is overwhelmingly maginificent, and its many gorgeous Shohekiga (障壁画, paintings on sliding door panels) are very famous.
I would like to recommend you to visit the castle. It's really interesting to see the glory of the Edo era, and think about the old times in Japan.
Akane Kibune
Access:
Kyoto City bus, Nijo-jo Mae
URL:
MAP:
Comments