Nagoya Castle

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Nagoya24.jpg

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 main keep. 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 main keep and other castle structures.


Visit Notes

Had it not been destroyed by the bombing of World War 2, Nagoya Castle would likely be the most splendid castle in Japan today with both an original main keep and the honmaru palace. The palace was rebuilt (completed) in 2018 and is truly a modern National Treasure. Everything from the artwork to the woodwork has been faithfully reproduced using original materials and techniques, even the gold foil covering the trimmings. Currently there is debate about rebuilding the main keep and how it should be done. The palace is a must see for any castle fan or fan of traditional architecture, but don't miss out on the original yagura and the amazing stonework that can also be seen here.

Nagoya Castle is even larger than you might think. The ruins around the Sannomaru Bailey area are also worthwhile visiting. There are vast trenches and a lot of stone wall remains. The photos show here are a collection from 3 or 4 distinct trips and I've still missed some areas I'd like to explore further.


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Gallery
  • Main Keep
  • Main keep and palace
  • Honmaru Palace
  • View from the Southeast Corner Yagura
  • Main Keep and Palace
  • outer moat and main keep
  • Honmaru Palace
  • Map


More Galleries and Feature Pages

Nagoya24.jpg

Main Compounds

(27 photos)

Nagoya sannomaru2.jpg

Sannomaru Compound

(35 photos)

Nagoya palace43.jpg

Honmaru Palace

(73 photos)

Castle Profile
English Name Nagoya Castle
Japanese Name 名古屋城
Alternate Names Kinshachi-jo
Founder Tokugawa Ieyasu
Year Founded 1612
Castle Type Flatland
Castle Condition Reconstructed main keep
Designations Top 100 Castles, has Important Cultural Properties, National Historic Site, Special Historic Site
Historical Period Edo Period
Main Keep Structure 5 levels, 7 stories
Year Reconstructed 1959 (concrete)
Artifacts Southeast Corner Yagura, Southwest Corner Yagura, Omote Ninomon Gate, Ninomaru Ote Ninomon Gate, Former Ninomaru East Ninomon Gate, Northwest Corner Yagura
Features main keep, gates, turrets, palace, water moats, trenches, stone walls, walls
Visitor Information
Access Shiyakusho Station (subway Meijo Line)
Visitor Information Open 9am - 5:30pm; Cloed Dec 29-Jan 1; 500 yen
Time Required at least 3 hours
Website https://www.nagoyajo.city.nagoya.jp/
Location Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Coordinates 35° 11' 7.98" N, 136° 53' 56.33" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 1999
Contributor Eric
Admin Year Visited 1992, 1996, 2004, 2018, 2019
Admin Visits July 1992; several times in 1995-1996; February 23, 2004; August 8, 2018; August 3, 2019
Friends of JCastle
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Kojodan - Nagoya Castle
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Malcolm Fairman Photography - Nagoya Castle


3.88
(57 votes)
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FurinkazanDaimyo

51 months ago
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19/12/2019 : Went for the third time to Nagoyajô. The first time i didn't know a lot about japanese castles. The second time i wanted to see the works on the goten(=palace) from the scaffods. Now that the goten is completely finished and the tenshu(=keep) is still standing i decided to go for it. I began my journey by walking through the shikemichi historic district. Several old houses are lining the streets. I went over the gojobashi, an old bridge. From there i went to the outer bailey remains and reached the castle passing the statue of Kato Kiyomasa. I realised i had never seen this statue. I took some pictures at the main entrance but entered via the higashi mon(east gate). The reconstruced goten is marvelous. Some here already posted photos of it, but it's way better in real. I don't know when the tenshu will be dismantled(Chris? Perhaps?), but if you want some nice shots of both the goten and tenshu, you better go before the works begin.
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ARTShogun

54 months ago
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Updated my rating to a 5 with the reconstructed go'ten now complete ^ ^"
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ARTShogun

67 months ago
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Added to gallery: Honchoumon-ato ishigaki on the outer moat
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SuupaahiirooAshigaru

71 months ago
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Just revisited this place after four years. This is an amazing castle sight and I spent about 5 hours here in total. I will leave some slightly unrelated comments about it here.

This is an one of the best castle sites to hunt for koku-in. Ask at the information booth, they will point some of the best places out on your map. Another great place for these is quite far away from the main keep, namely near the bridge connecting the ruins of the Horikawa Station (堀川駅跡) and the Aichi Prefecture Library (愛知県図書館).

The palace's interior is absolutely breathtaking. You can also have a very nice bird-eye view of it from the main keep (but you'll have to be quick: it will permanently close in a few days). One of the most interesting things I learned while visiting Nagoya Castle: more than 1000 painted sliding doors were taken from the castle and taken to safety and survived the war. Some of these originals are exhibited in the main keep.

I could enter the North-West Watchtower (西北隅櫓), it was opened for about a week during Golden Week. This yagura is rumoured to be the original tenshukaku of Kiyosu Castle, moved here at some time. The three yagura all open to the public, some more often than others and quite irregularly.

This castle site is already quite high on my list of favourites, but I'm sure it will be near the top as soon as the tenshukaku is finished.
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Anonymous user #1

89 months ago
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Visited 2007, 2008
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SuupaahiirooAshigaru

89 months ago
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The wooden reconstruction of the main keep is scheduled to be completed in 2022. Nagoya's mayor said \it must be a wooden reconstruction but we have to make compromises as well. He seems to be hinting that it might not be entirely fateful. http://www.a...OIPE006.html
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SnoworionGunshi

91 months ago
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Visited on 8 October 2015. A reconstructed castle that sits on very beautiful grounds. The history exhibited in the castle makes this a worthwhile visit.
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RaymondWDaimyo

92 months ago
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It’s been five years since I last visited the Honmaru Palace at Nagoya Castle. At that time, only the skeletal wooden framework and parts of the roof for the Genkan (Entrance Hall) and Omote Shoin (Main Hall) were completed, and visitors had to wear a hardhat while viewing the reconstruction. Fast forward to July 2016, and I can see why another castle fan in his / her posting below, has highly re-rated Nagoya Castle. All of the first stage construction and about half of the second stage construction are open to the public. In other words, the Genkan, Omote Shoin and Taimenjo (Reception Hall) can now be seen by visitors. On entering the palace, you have to take off your shoes, and the numerous helpful staff will direct you to little shoe boxes where you can place your shoes as well as lockers for storing your bags / backpacks. All visitors are asked to place their backpacks in the lockers before proceeding into the palace proper. The lockers are free and will refund your 100yen deposit. The rooms and halls of the Honmaru Palace are intricately decorated, and it’s obvious that no expenses were spared in recreating this impressive palace. In the Genkan section of the palace the motif of the paintings on the walls are of tigers in a bamboo forest with a background of glittering gold. Moving onto the Omote Shoin part of the palace, and the walls and sliding doors are decorated with seasonal paintings of native flora and fauna, some panels featuring cherry blossoms, bonsai-like trimmed trees, and many different kinds of indigenous birds. In the Taimenjo part of the palace, stylized landscape and cityscape paintings of Kyoto and Wakayama portray scenes of temples, shrines, urban life, and there is even a painting of two sumo wrestlers in action. The Honmaru Palace uses mostly Japanese Cypress (Hinoki) in its construction. In some sections of the palace, you can definitely notice the distinctive smell of Hinoki. You are allowed to take photos, without using a flash, inside the palace. If you have been to the reconstructed Honmaru Palace at Kumamoto Castle or the extant Ninomaru Palace at Nijo Castle and were impressed with them, you should definitely go and see what has been done so far at the reconstructed Honmaru Palace at Nagoya Castle. The whole thing is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2018. I will definitely be re-visiting again to see the rest of the palace in its magnificent splendour.
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Kiddus i2003Gunshi

93 months ago
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Made it to Nagoya in 2007 then again in 2016. The new additions make it all the more impressive , I draw comparisons with Kumamoto now.
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PhibbyfanAshigaru

94 months ago
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Looks like there are now plans to rebuild Nagoya Castle's keep in wood:

http://headl...4-asahi-soci
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DiegoDeManilaAshigaru

94 months ago
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Visited a second time on 06 Jun 2016 (https://with...6-june-2016/). Phase 2 of the Honmaru Palace had just opened a few days earlier - quite pleased with the results. Over at the on-site workshop for the rebuilding project, I also got the chance to see two of the intricately carved wooden screens destined for Phase 3, scheduled to open in 2018. Really looking forward to that now.
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Anonymous user #1

94 months ago
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July 2015 we didn't like it very much.
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Anonymous user #1

96 months ago
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I went to this castle for the second time. They did a lot of construction around the castle rounds (and were still doing construction) since I went in 2012. Now you can go into another building as well as the castle. The entrance to the park is 500yen. I thought that was steep cause all I wanted to do was sit in the garden and watch the cherry blossoms and the castle, but that 500 yen included going inside the castle and other buildings around it, so it was worth it. The best place for the cherry blossoms was around the back of the castle. There was a nice area where you could sit on some rocks and look at the castle. I went in the evening and the castle was lit up. Very beautiful.
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DiegoDeManilaAshigaru

114 months ago
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Visited 13 Feb 2014 (http://withi...014-part-12/). Work on rebuilding the Honmaru Palace is well into its second phase, with the first phase already open and welcoming visitors. It's quite breathtaking and I can't wait for the third and last phase to be completed (2018?), as it includes what may well be the grandest room in the whole complex (http://www.n...u/index.html). Still, even what's available now is well worth seeing for any castle enthusiast. The main tower is the usual post-war concrete pile, though in terms of external appearance it looks quite faithful to the original. Quite decent museum inside the modern bowels of the tenshu.
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FurinkazanDaimyo

120 months ago
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I'm back in Japan for a new castle-tour. I arrived today and visited, for the second time, this castle. I wanted to visit the reconstruction of the goten(=palace) during the process. It is really worth to go. You may also see the construction from above of the 2 not yet completed parts. The second part is scheduled for 2016 and the last one for 2018. There are other parts of the castle being restored, but this shouldn't retain you of going. The Nogi storehouse and the northwest corner tower were open to public. Because it's the Golden Week, i thougt there'll be a lot of people, but nope, the grounds were really enjoyable. A last thing : when you buy a day-ticket for the subway or during the weekend a donichi eco-ticket, and you show it at the entrance, you get 100yen reduction.
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Anonymous user #1

136 months ago
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I just returned from Nagoya on 20 DEC. The Hommaru reconstruction program is now in progress. Some structures were erected and there were some working places open to public that visitor can closely watch craftsmen working.
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FurinkazanDaimyo

136 months ago
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See here an article about the reconstruction of the honmaru goten :

http://japan...a-castle-04/
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Anonymous user #1

147 months ago
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Revisited this castle on the weekend, last time was 7 years ago before I was really interested in the history of castles in Japan. I was impressed with the work that is being undertaken with the restoration of the Hommaru Palace. After viewing so many concrete reconstructions it is encouraging to see a traditional reconstruction. The detail in the workmanship not to mention the smell of the timber was fantastic. I hope I am still around to see the completion.
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Jcastle.oldHatamoto

148 months ago
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Hi Thomas. I did read that recently. As you say I can't imagine when it would ever be finished. I assume they'd have to tear down the old main keep for several years to build it too which could be unfortunate.
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Anonymous user #1

148 months ago
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Did you know that the mayor of Nagoya, Kawamura Takashi, put forward the plan to actually rebuilt the tenshu in wood? I really hope this will happen, altough the cost and time it would take to do that would be enormous, considering how long it's going to take for them to finish the honmaru palace.
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Frank T.Gunshi

151 months ago
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The park is very nice, especially during hanami season, but it's popular and usually has plenty of visitors. Go on a weekday if you can.
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Jcastle.oldHatamoto

157 months ago
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Nagoya was initially targeted for its manufacturing facilities. Whether the castle was deliberately targeted for its military use or was a result of a spreading fire, the loss of this National Treasure was a tragedy.
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Anonymous user #1

160 months ago
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The castle was closed the day we visited, but easy access from Nagoya, a large and impressive structure.
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RaymondWDaimyo

163 months ago
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A very impressive reconstructed castle with a great museum inside the keep. However, since the keep is not an original or rebuilt from wood, it gets excluded from getting five star in my book. Lots of ishigaki, moats, and one original corner turret left. When the reconstructed palace is finished in about ten years, then I will probably bump the ratings up to five stars.
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Jcastle.oldHatamoto

169 months ago
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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.c...index_5.html Osaka (yagura): http://www.c...index_5.html

Kumamoto: http://www.c...o/index.html
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FurinkazanDaimyo

178 months ago
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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.