This is Nijo Castle. Where’s the castle, you ask? That’s what most visitors wonder. There used to be a keep, but it burned down when it was struck by lightning. It was a time of stability in Japanese history, so the government saw no need to replace it. Meanwhile, the city has grown around the castle’s walls.
二条城はほんまにお城？ぜんぜんお城っぽくない。来日観光者は「お城はどこ？」とよく聞く。歴史が好きな僕はその背景よく分かっているから、ずっと前から二条城は素敵な場所だと思っている。特に素晴らしいのが、この門。
©︎Alexander Farrell