Keindahan Kuil Nijo, Kediaman Resmi Shogun Tokugawa

Cool lock in Japan. Once here you seem to find yourself in a fairy tale!
Nayvaetsya of Nijo, which began building in 1603

official residence of the shogun Tokugawa dynasty during their visits to Kyoto. Completed the construction of the third shogun Iemitsu in 1626 He moved here a few buildings from Fushimi Castle.

Nijo Castle was built near the Imperial Palace, which was done intentionally. Nijo his monumental demonstrated the power and the power of the Tokugawa house, he surpassed the imperial palace and occupied space, and beauty. The greatness he had to dispel any doubts about the immutability of power shogun Tokugawa house.

Nijo Castle in the territory is located a few buildings, chief among them – Ninomaru Palace, each room which serves a specific purpose and therefore was removed with more or less luxury. But before you get here, the visitor had to pass some kind of control in the guardhouse – Banes, it belonged to the eastern main gate. In the period 1633-1863 years. If shogun was absent in the castle, the entrance was guarded by watchmen, alternately on duty for 50 people. Later, there were special rooms for the guards. Built in 1608, Bunce preserved as a rare instance of the buildings of this type and is a cultural asset of Japan.

Layout plan of premises in the palace Ninomaru was carefully thought out, it concerned and procedures for visitors. They had no chance to penetrate into the inner chambers Shogun unnoticed, serves this purpose a series of ingenious precautions. Entering into the territory of the palace, the daimyo (feudal lord) had to go through but Yanagi-ma (Willow Room) and Wakamatsu, but small (room young pine trees), where protection is to verify the authenticity of his personality. Further, it was held in Todzamurai, but small (room vassals), where he had expected an invitation to the audience. Doors and walls of this room were painted with figures of strange animals in Japan – the artist has depicted playing leopards and tigers.

Next was Sikiday, but small (reception), met here daimyo segunskie officials and took gifts brought to the shogun. Sliding doors and walls of this room were made of massive old pine and painted by the artist Kano Tanya.

In the palace there were three large rooms. Ohiroma san but small (the third large room) was a waiting room for todzama-daimyo, it was the part of the feudal lords, who in the Battle of Sekigahara opposed Tokugawa Ieyasu, and therefore was in favor. The decoration of this room was rich, each panel sash was made from a single piece of cypress thickness of 35 cm and is decorated with carvings on both sides, but the decor was different. Hats copper nails on the floor were covered with gold leaf.

The biggest were the first and second rooms – Ohiroma, but small and no-ma but that served to important official meetings. They struck a luxury decor, walls and sliding doors were decorated with gold and painted with broad strokes the old Japanese masters. Beautiful wood carving and engraving on metal decorated ceiling beams. Squares ceilings decorated with colorful ornaments.

Palace of sights Ninomaru is Uguisu-bari – Savi, or singing, the floor, he started from the entrance and led to the first large hall. Thanks gimmick wooden boards put to someone moved, published squeak, like a bird chirping, hence the name.

These two halls are included in Japanese history – here in November 1867 the last shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty named Yoshinobu (he is known under the name of Keiko) announced the abandonment of sovereignty in favor of the emperor. So powerful Nijo Castle has witnessed the fall of the House of Tokugawa, who ruled 264

Behind these two rooms was Musya-Cuckoo-but small – room bodyguard shogun,, sliding doors which were decorated with beautiful red tassels. Protection was always at the ready in case you have any daimyo acted unreasonably.

In the inner part of the palace was Kuro-Shoin – Hall, where the shogun conducted private interviews with the food, the daimyo (the feudal lords who served on the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Sekigahara). The decoration of this room was as luxurious as the first and second large halls.

In the most remote part of the palace were located Syro-Seine – living quarters of the shogun. Here were allowed to enter only the female workers. All the decoration of the apartments created a favorable atmosphere for a quiet holiday for the painting were used mountain and water landscapes, contributes to the creation of a peaceful state of mind. These chambers adjoined Ohiroma ene-but small – the fourth large hall, where stored personal weapons Shogun – swords, spears, etc.

Three adjacent rooms, but Rotyu-ma, were the premises for the segunskih officials, a kind of office. The walls of these rooms were covered with images of birds.
There was also a special room, but Tekusi-ma, which take the messengers from the emperor. Doors and walls were painted maple, Kano school painters gave the beauty of the purple leaves of these trees fall sometimes. The decoration of the room was different luxury.

The whole palace is decorated in classic Japanese style: the floor is covered with tatami mats, each room has only three walls, the fourth, which should separate the room from the corridor, no. More precisely, it is not a wall, a light sliding doors. The distance between the ceiling and the upper door jamb are decorated with rich carvings of peacocks, various animals and plants. Shrill brilliance of gold is softened by time and whitish twilight, in which converts daylight white Japanese paper. This paper stretched on wooden frames, sliding, forming one long wall of the corridor, while the outer wall of the palace. On hot summer days can be widely widen those doors and then closed the room is transformed into a veranda, which overlooks one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan – Garden Ninomaru.

Ninomaru garden designed in the classical tradition of Japanese garden art. It is situated around a large pond in the garden scattered stones of varying shape, size, color. Art of placement was considered mainly in the artist’s garden, the stones were selected by shape, color, texture, as well as compliance with all of these qualities of the general nature of the garden, its style and purpose. In the center of the pond, there are three islands: Howrah-jima (Island of Eternal Happiness), Tsuru-jima (island of the Crane), your cameo-jima (island Turtles). These names were chosen by no means accidental: according to the Chinese, Korean and Japanese mythology, a crane and a turtle were symbols of longevity. Making your garden associated with the name of the great masters of the tea ceremony and landscape architecture Ensyu Kobori (1579-1647).

Inside the castle Nijo is another garden, Seiryu-en, but it was created in 1965 there held official receptions for guests or cultural events such as tea ceremony for the citizens. In the garden, built two teahouses, give him a unique view of 1000 stones

After the fall of the rule of the Tokugawa house Nijo Castle was handed over to the imperial family and renamed the Palace Nijo. In 1939 he was presented to the city of Kyoto, and he returned to his original name – Nijo Castle, and in 1940 opened to the public.

Nijo Castle counted among the historical relics of Japan, and the palace Ninomaru declared a national treasure by the Japanese government. The castle occupies an area of 275,000 square meters. m, surrounded by wide, water-filled ditches. Nijo Castle is open for visitors all year round and is one of the most popular attractions in the old capital of Japan – Kyoto.