We started the day with a visit to Nagoya Castle (名古屋城), one of Japan’s most iconic castles. The train station exit itself was uniquely built based on ancient structure design.
We then passed by the Nagoya Monument and a row of eateries.When we saw those stone walls, it means we were about to reach the castle ground.
After entering the castle ground, the first thing we saw were rows of lockers with nice pictures on each of them.Nagoya Castle was originally built in 1612 by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Strategically located to secure the vital Tōkaidō route between Kyoto and Edo (modern Tokyo), the castle became the political and military center of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa family, one of the most powerful feudal domains in the country.
Below is a statue called Kiyomasa's Stone Pulling. It is said that Kato Kiyomasa, a renowned samurai who was ordered to supervise the construction of the stone walls of the Castle Towers, issued commands atop this stone.
As we walked further into the castle ground, we began to have a glimpse of the main castle keep.
We happened to meet with the 2025 Miss Sake Aichi, an ambassador who conveys the charm of Japan's traditional culture of "Japan sake".
Before walking towards the castle keep to have a closer look, we decided to visit the nearby Honmaru Palace (本丸御殿) first.
The Honmaru Palace of Nagoya Castle is a true masterpiece of traditional Japanese architecture and craftsmanship. Painstakingly reconstructed using traditional methods and completed in 2018, the palace offers a rare glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of feudal lords during the Edo period.
Walking through the elegant tatami rooms, you’re greeted by breathtaking gold-leaf screens, hand-painted sliding doors, and intricate wooden carvings that reflect the grandeur of the Owari Tokugawa clan.
The atmosphere is peaceful and deeply respectful of history. Every corner feels like stepping into a living museum.The interior of the Main Castle Keep (Tenshukaku) is currently closed for wooden reconstruction. But we could walk around its perimeter to have a close-up look. There was a photo booth where a professional photographer will take photos for visitors and print a wallet size photo for free. If the visitor wants a bigger size photo, there will be a cost.
We took the free one (above) as we actually prefer those wefies that we took on our own.
The main castle keep is a five-story tower (six floors inside) that once housed weapons, maps, and living quarters. At the rooftop of castle keep is a pair of famous golden shachihoko (mythical tiger-headed carp), one male and one female, which is a symbol of protection from fire and misfortune.
From the main castle keep, we walked through Fumeimon Gate (不明門) and arrived at a small quiet park with a nice view of the castle moat.
There is a tumulus stone chamber (出雲団原古墳石室) which no one knows why it was placed there. According to the cultural relics unearthed around the tumulus, it should be a tumulus built in the second half of the 6th century.The foundation stone of the former castle tower destroyed by fire in the Nagoya air raid on May 14, 1945, have been relocated to this site.
We then visited Ofuke-maru Exhibit Hall (御深井丸展示館), which features a modest display of toys and other historical artifacts related to Japanese culture and the castle’s history.
It felt great to stroll around the quiet park with beautiful greenery and flowers all around.
Regardless of where we were within the castle ground, we could not get our eyes off the grandeur of the castle main keep.
Now the Samurai and Ninja were in action. I decided to join the Samurai clan.
Though the interior of the main castle keep was closed, the Southwest Corner Watchtower was opened to visitors.
Located at the southwest corner of the main keep of Nagoya Castle, it is one of the three corner towers built during the initial construction and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.
Nice views from the top of the watchtower.
We continued to explore the rest of the castle ground before leaving. We spent close to 3 hours in today's visit to Nagoya Castle, longer than we had expected.
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