Last summer’s research trip to Kyoto took me to Nijo Castle, a shogun’s palace constructed on the order of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Construction commenced in 1601, although the palace was not completed until 1626. Admission to Nijo Castle gives visitors access to Wakaru-an, but only if they purchase tea (or snacks) in the teahouse adjacent to the garden. Since I feel an attachment to the garden, we decided to head inside. Large hedges fronted by decorative stones block the garden and teahouse from passersby; Once inside, you can stay as long as you like to enjoy your tea. I had a traditional matcha drink, along with
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Into the Shogun’s Palace (Part 2): The Honmaru Garden
Last Monday, we traveled (virtually) across the moat and onto the island that housed the Honmaru Palace, which served as the Tokugawa Shoguns’ personal residence in Kyoto. (Here’s the link to that post, if you want to catch up.) This morning, we continue that journey, starting from the courtyard just beyond the bridge: From the courtyard, visitors climb a set of stairs (constructed during the early 17th century, along with the rest of Nijo Castle’s grounds) to reach the elevated level of the Honmaru Palace and the lovely gardens that surround it. The palace and gardens were elevated primarily for defensive purposes, though their height also ensures good drainage–and
Read moreExploring the Honmaru Palace (Part 1)
Tokugawa Ieyasu, first of the Tokugawa Shoguns, ordered the construction of Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) in 1601.
Read moreThrough the Karamon to the Shogun’s Palace
During the medieval era, entering the shogun’s palace was not as simple as approaching a gate and walking through–or even scaling a wall. Most Japanese castles lay within multiple layers of fortifications, designed to keep intruders out and to impress the people granted entry. This was true regardless of whether the castle was located out in the country or within a city like Kyoto. The outer ramparts of Kyoto’s Nijo Castle (in Japanese, Nijo-jo) feature high, roofed walls atop stone fortifications. Watchtowers at each corner provide an elevated platform for observation and defense: A deep, wide moat surrounds the outer perimeter of the castle grounds–all
Read moreChasing Down the Shogun
Writing historical mystery requires working within two sets of rules, the ones that govern mysteries and the ones for historical novels, and although those rules can be broken, I prefer to “play fair” with the reader when I can. Much of the action in my upcoming Shinobi Mystery, BLADE OF THE SAMURAI, takes place on the grounds of the shogunate–the compound where the shogun lived, which also housed the government offices. (The Japanese word for the shogunate government is bakufu, though I substituted “shogunate” in the novel to make it easier on native English speakers.) When writing the novel, I researched medieval
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