NAGOYA CASTLE
Read moreA must-see for anyone who stops in the city of Nagoya. Originally, a fortress stood on the site of the present castle. It was built by and for the Oda clan. Then Ieyasu Tokugawa built the famous Nagoya Castle for his 9th son, Yoshinao, in 1610, so that he could control the whole central part of Honshū and keep an eye on his opponents, who were still loyal to the Toyotomi. The Tokugawa of Owari remained in possession of the castle until the Meiji restoration. Located on the Tokaido road, it allowed to secure the access to Edo. In 1930, it became the property of the Nagoya municipality. It was bombed at the end of the Second World War in 1945 and rebuilt in 1959 with a reinforced concrete structure.
The foundations of the pre-war Hon Maru can be seen, some parts of which have been collected in the spared keep and now set up as a museum. One can admire the shachihoko (mythical orca-like animals) found on the roof ridge of the castle, and also the fusuma, the painted sliding doors, which are quite remarkable. The visit to Nagoya-jo is particularly spectacular and magical in spring when the cherry trees in the park are in bloom. The foundations of the castle are currently undergoing a restoration which should be completed soon, and which aims at restoring its authentic architecture. This long-term work does not alter the quality of the visit.