Nagoya castle ~ 名古屋城

Location; Honmaru, Naka Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Access; Subway

Meijo Line: Get off at “Nagoya-jo” Station; 5-minute walk from Exit 7

Tsurumai Line: Get off at “Asama-cho” Station; 12-minute walk from Exit 1

Meitetsu

Seto Line: Get off at “Higashi-Ote” Station; 15-minute walk

City Bus

Sakae Route 13 (Sakae–Yasui-cho Nishi): Get off at “Nagoya Castle Main Gate” (right there)

Nagoya Sightseeing Route Bus “Meaguru”: Get off at “Nagoya Castle” (right there)

Get off at “Nagoya Castle East/City Hall” and walk 6 minutes

Table of contents

It was the first castle to be designated a National Treasure

As you walk from the station, you’ll find yourself in a world straight out of a fairy tale. First up is a narrow alley lined with shops in a traditional Japanese-style district. Here, you’ll find shops selling Nagoya specialties and other local delicacies.

The castle grounds are vast. As you walk down the long path, you’ll see the magnificent stone walls.

It was the first castle architecture to be designated a National Treasure, but unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire during the war. As a result, the current structure is a faithful wooden reconstruction built after the war.

The golden shachihoko is the castle’s symbol

Not only the castle keep but also the Honmaru Palace has been beautifully reconstructed.

The golden, fish-shaped figure at the top of the castle keep is called a shachihoko. A shachihoko has the body of a fish and the head of a dragon or a tiger. Because fires were once common, the castle was adorned with this legendary creature said to spout water.