Nijō Castle was built in the early Edo period as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns.

Nijō Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized for its preserved palace buildings and gardens.

In 1867, the last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu returned power to the Emperor in this very palace, ending over 260 years of samurai rule and transforming Japan forever.

The palace floors were designed to chirp like nightingales when walked upon—a security system that made it impossible for intruders to sneak through the corridors undetected.