Nijō Castle

Castle Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, Japan

What to expect

Nijo Castle is a flatland castle in Kyoto, Japan, consisting of two concentric rings of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings, and several gardens. The castle was built as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns and features a unique nightingale floor that squeaks when stepped upon as a security measure against intruders. The Ninomaru Palace is the main attraction, with its beautifully decorated ceilings and sliding doors, and the Honmaru Palace, which was reopened to the public in 2024, offers a glimpse into the life of the imperial family. The castle grounds are also home to several gardens, including a traditional Japanese landscape garden, a cherry orchard, and a plum orchard, making it a great place to visit with family and friends

Plan your family visit to the Nijō Castle with these blog insights 👇

KYOTO with family, Kyoto with children

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited Nijo Castle, the former residence of the Shogun, dating back to the 17th century. We admired the beautiful traditional building with wooden floors, tatami mats, and sliding doors. We saw magnificent murals, mannequins in period costumes and tigers

Highlights: The whole family was impressed by the magnificence of the building. The setting was very interesting and the history of the place made it even more enjoyable to visit ✨

Things to Do in Kyoto with Kids

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited the castle grounds and the kids ran off some steam in the open area and parking lot

Highlights: The kids enjoyed the nightingale floors, which are designed to chirp to let the Shogun know of intruders ✨

Tokyo Samurai Museum With Kids : Japan

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited the castle and walked on the nightingale floor

Highlights: We were all fascinated by the history of the Samurai and the castle ✨

Best Things to do in Kyoto with Kids

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited Nijo Castle and explored the nightingale floors

Highlights: The kids loved the castle's architecture and the nightingale floors ✨

Kyoto With Kids | A Fun 3 Day Itinerary For Families

This family's experience:

Activities: We explored the fragrant gardens, the palace containing 33 rooms and 800 tatami mats, and the area surrounded by a moat

Highlights: It was a great place to explore with the kids. They enjoyed the gardens and the palace, and even the moat was a big hit ✨

Kyoto – February 19-23, 2023

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited the Nijo Castle, the residence of the Tokugawa shoguns. "The children really enjoyed playing with the nightingale floor." This floor emits a bird-like chirping sound when walked upon. The castle was later given to the city of Kyoto

Highlights: The kids loved the nightingale floor, which made bird-like sounds when they walked on it. It was used as a security device to detect intruders, which is pretty cool. It's a place of historical importance ✨

Kyoto: 5 Cool Things You Have To Do With Kids

This family's experience:

Activities: We explored the buildings and extensive Japanese-style gardens

Highlights: Nijo Castle inside the Ninomaru fortress is by far my favorite historical sight in Japan ✨

Kyoto with Kids

This family's experience:

Activities: We explored the impressive grounds and interiors of the castle

Highlights: Our boys enjoyed digging in the gravel with sticks, fiddling with vending machines, and tip-toeing with stocking feet on the 'nightingale' floors ✨