Page 167 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

K Y O T O CIT Y  165

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Practical Information
Entrance on Horikawa-dori.
Tel (075) 841-0096.
Open 8:45am–5pm daily.
Last admission 4pm.
Closed Dec 26–Jan 4 & Tue in
Jan, Jul, Aug, Dec. &
Transport
 Nijojo-mae stn. @ 9, 50, 101.

Large Cats Painting
This dynamic animal scene was painted at a time when
Japanese artists mis took leopards for female tigers.

¬ Karamon Gate
This Momoyama-period gate has
a Chinese-style gable and
gold-plated fixtures.

Entrance to
Ninomaru compound

The Kano School Painters
The Kano painters, originally from a low-ranking samurai family,
grew to prominence in the 15th century for their Chinese-style
landscapes, figures-in-landscape, and bird and flower scenes.
The paintings at Nijo Castle are the largest Kano pieces executed.
Among the motifs are life-size tigers and panthers crouching
among bamboo groves, wild geese and herons in a winter
landscape, pine trees, flitting swallows, and frolicking peacocks.

Entrance to Palace
Above the carriage porch is an
unusually ornate wood carving of
Huge pine trees in the Shikidai, by Kano Tanyu (1602–74) flying birds, peacocks, and delicately
twining flowers.

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