Nijo Castle

**Nightingale floor experience:** The squeaking floors run through all five buildings of Ninomaru Palace (800+ tatami mats total). Walk normally to hear the chirping — guards' footsteps were distinguished by walking beside the beam supports (which don't squeak) vs. Intruders walking on floorboards. The mechanism still functions after 400 years without modern repairs. **Wall painting highlights:** The 3rd chamber (San-no-Ma) features the famous Tiger and Leopard panels — despite the artist never having seen these animals, the paintings convey power through bold brushwork. The 4th chamber (Ni-no-Ma) was the shogun's audience hall where the emperor granted Tokugawa Yoshinobu his resignation in 1867, ending 260 years of Tokugawa rule — the room where feudal Japan ended. **Garden cherry blossoms:** The castle grounds contain 50 cherry trees (various species) that bloom in stages from late March to mid-April, extending hanami season. The Seiryuen Garden (清流園, 'pure stream garden') created in 1965 combines two historical tea houses relocated from elsewhere in Kyoto — a modern interpretation of traditional design worth the extra walk beyond the main palace.