Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace is called the finest masterpiece of modern castle architecture and has been designated a National Treasure. The Honmaru Palace was sadly burnt down in the course of a war. In June 2018, 10 years of reconstruction work came to a close, bringing the magnificent palace back to life in the present day. Make sure you visit the rooms of the palace, such as Jorakuden, which was used to accommodate the shogun on the way to the capital, and Omote-shoin, which was the largest and most prestigious of its kind at the time it was built. The faithfully replicated wall paintings and engraved paneling are also not to be missed.

If you’re visiting Nagoya Castle, make sure you stop by at the commercial district, "Kinshachi Yokocho". Near the main gate to Nagoya Castle, there is an area called "Yoshinao Zone", named after the first lord of the castle. The streets of this area are lined with stores housed in buildings of pure Japanese architecture, and you can enjoy "Nagoya Meshi" (classic Nagoya cuisine) in long-running stores. There is also a "Muneharu Zone", named after the seventh lord of the castle, who was known for his love of extravagance. Here, you can get your fill of a new take on Nagoya cuisine. Both zones are outside of the area of Nagoya Castle that requires an entrance fee, so you can just visit them without entering the castle.