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Guide to Japanese Castles

Nagoya Castle

名古屋城

main donjon and smaller one
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Alternate Name Kinshachi-jo
Founder Tokugawa Ieyasu
Year 1612
Reconstructed 1959 (concrete)
Type Flatland
Structure 5 levels, 7 stories
Condition Reconstructed
Admin's Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Historical Site Special Historic Site
Historical Value Top 100 Castles, Important Cultural Properties
Historical Artifacts Important Cultural Properties:
Southeast Corner Yagura, Southwest Corner Yagura, Omote Ninomon Gate, Ninomaru Ote Ninomon Gate, Former Ninomaru East Ninomon Gate, Northwest Corner Yagura
Location Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Map Google Map
Access Shiyakusho Station (subway Meijo Line)
Website Nagoya Castle Official Home Page
Visited July 1992, several times in 1995-1996, February 23, 2004
Notes Had it not been destroyed by the bombing of World War 2, Nagoya Castle may have been more splendid than Himeji Castle with its original donjon and lord's palace. They are currently rasining funds to rebuild the palace.
History

In 1610 Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the construction of Nagoya-jo to solidify the Tokugawa authority in Owari (Nagoya and vicinity). The castle was completed in 1612 and Tokugawa's ninth son Yoshinao entered the castle in 1616 from which he governed over Owari.

Nagoya-jo is famous for the 2 golden shachihoko that adorn the top of its donjon. That is why it is also known as "Kinshachi-jo." Kin means "gold" and shachi refers to the killer whale type mythical creatures that sit atop the donjon and other castle structures.

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Viewer Comments

(6) | Post Comment
  • Admin    April 05, 2010 at 09:19 AM
    Nagoya and Osaka are concrete museums so there is not much to see inside. You probably are not even allowed to take pictures. Most castles & museums in Japan won't let you take pictures. HEre are some interior pics for other castles you mentions. Himeji: http://www.castlefan.com/data01/himeji1/index_5.html Osaka (yagura): http://www.castlefan.com/data01/oosaka/index_5.html Kumamoto: http://www.castlefan.com/data01/kumamoto/index.html
  • John    April 04, 2010 at 03:09 AM
    if anyone knows of a website that has pictures of the inside of the keep of nagoya castle,hemeiji castle, kumamoto castle or osaka castle, please write them down on this page
  • Julian (from Canada)    October 23, 2009 at 09:43 AM
    There is also a paper-doll museum (so well-done some things don't even look like paper until you get really close) on the grounds and a bug museum on the top floor of the castle. When I was coming out of the castle the first time I went there, I ran into a guy I played hockey with a couple of years earlier in Canada. Small world.
  • furinkazan    August 04, 2009 at 02:03 AM
    I went there in last april. The castle's museum and park is very interesting. I'm always disappointed when the castle is a concrete reconstruction. But this one is certainly worth a visit. There was an enclosure, obstructing a little the view of the tenshu from the honmaru. This enclosure is erected where the goten will be reconstructed.
  • alex    March 05, 2009 at 08:20 PM
    taht castle is the most beatiful other people need to go visit there
  • Anonymous    March 17, 2008 at 03:08 AM
    Nagoyajo is a nice castle to visit. Inside the reconstructed Tenshu is a good museum. It is interesting to note that Nagoyajo does in fact have an original Tenshu- the Northwest Yagura was moved here from Kiyosujo, where it served as that Shiro's tenshu.