Snapshots from Nijo castle.
Inside Ninomaru palace, you walk along in your socks on the wooden uguisubari, or nightingale floors, which are built to squeak like birds (or sometimes, crying dogs) announcing your presence.
The path runs along the perimeter of a series of tatami chambers with beautiful paintings on the walls and screens. The interiors are darkened to protect the paintings, but soft light filters in through the paper screens along the outside walls. No photography allowed inside.
