Nijo Castle

A UNESCO-listed shogunal palace whose Ninomaru Palace corridors have deliberately squeaky "nightingale floors": the boards chirp underfoot as an early-warning system against intruders. The palace's painted sliding doors and the surrounding moat and gardens are equally worth the visit.

Grounds and Ninomaru Palace are open 8:45–17:00, last admission 16:00. The castle is closed on some Tuesdays in January, July, August, and December, plus December 26–January 4. Check the date before planning around it. A combined grounds-and-palace ticket runs roughly ¥1,000; photography isn't permitted inside the palace itself.