Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo Castle (commonly known as Nijo-jo Castle) was built in 1603 by the order of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 - 1867), and was listed as one of Kyoto's cultural assets, and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. The present Nijo-jo Castle, the 400-year-old Ninomaru-goten Palace, the Kara-mon Gate, and the Ninomaru Garden are precious sites preserved from the early Edo period, the golden age of Japanese architecture and design, and are worth visiting when you travel to Kyoto! The cherry blossoms, plum blossoms and snowy scenery are especially romantic when coupled with the solemn classical structure of Nijo-jo Castle - a recommended sight! Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo Castle has witnessed not only the rise and fall of the Tokugawa family, but also the changes in Japanese history.