Nijo Castle, Kyoto

Came around 10 on a Sunday in late April. The flow of the tour is well signed from the east entrance so don't bother reading the program and just do them in order 1-10. Can't take pictures inside the castle and must take your shoes off, rooms are empty but the paintings on the walls and the signage tells a good story to learn a bit of Japanese history from the Shogun period 1600-1800s to the start of the Meiji period. Yes there could be more inside the rooms but the $6 (600 yen) is not a bad price to pay for a hour - hour and a half stroll. Kids will like feeding the carp (100 yen) in the moat of the second palace. The garden is beautiful and happy we went.

The palace is a big building with lots of rooms with murals and sliding doors. It's old and completely made out of wood which gives it character, and in a very western and modern Japan it's one of the few things that gives you a sense of the traditional past. I loved to see it, as well as the beautiful gardens outside. It is rather touristy though and we went through it in a long line of photo snapping tourists, all making pictures of the same things but still worth a visit.

A tranquil place (even when it's full of tourists) don't expect lots of displays, the attraction is based around the architecture, the grounds and the 'feeling' of being here. The noisy floors (that sounded to us like birds chirping) were interesting. Going in blossom time adds a bit more interest again.

We visited on a Monday afternoon and it was not too crowded. It is such a beautiful, historic castle in Kyoto. You must take your shoes off to wander through the main castle building. The rooms are empty, aside from the art on the walks & ceiling. But we really enjoyed imagining what life must have been like living here during the different eras and the history that happened within these walls. There are very lovely gardens with sakura blossoms in the spring, also.

The gardens are beautifully presented. Went too early to get into the castle that opens at 9. The water garden on western side is quaint and stunning!