The Nijō Castle was built by the Tokugawa Shogunate 徳川幕府 as their second residence whenever they came to Kyoto from Edo. Construction started in 1601 by Tokugawa Ieyasu 徳川 家康, and completed in 1626 under Tokugawa Iemitsu 徳川 家光, the third Tokugawa shogun.
The castle is protected by two concentric rings of fortifications; each includes a moat and a wall. The original inner palace was destroyed by fire in 1788. The current buildings were moved here in 1893 from the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
The showpiece of the castle is the Ninomaru Palace 二の丸御殿 located behind the outer fortification ring. Photography is not allowed inside.
The castle also served as the headquarter of Tokugawa’s men stationed here to keep a watchful eye on the puppet Emperors. Ironically, the 15th and last Tokugawa Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu 徳川 慶喜 surrendered his power to Emperor Meiji here in 1868.