Nagoya Castle

名古屋城

Aichi

CastleFlatland castle (hirajiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 39

What makes this castle distinctive

The keep crowned with golden shachi can't be entered today. Using prewar measured drawings and photographs, the city is preparing to rebuild it in wood.

Why?

Today's keep is a 1959 steel-reinforced concrete reconstruction, closed since May 2018 because of aging facilities and earthquake-safety concerns. Nagoya City plans to replace it with a historically faithful wooden keep, drawing on unusually rich records such as detailed measured drawings begun in 1932 and glass-plate photographs. However, no start or completion date has been set.^[1][2][4][5]

Three things not to miss

The upper chamber of the Jorakuden, the most lavish wing of the Honmaru Palace, June 2018, with gold-leaf paintings and a coffered ceiling.

The rebuilt Honmaru Palace

Where: South of the keep in the main enclosure (honmaru). There are two entrances: beside the Nakanokuchi room and in front of the Yudono Shoin.
What to look at: The gold-leaf wall and door paintings, carved transoms and ornamental metal fittings, especially the ceilings and transoms of the Jorakuden, the most lavish wing.
Why it's interesting: Completed in 1615 as the residence and government office of the lords of the Owari domain (han), it later became a lodging reserved for the shogun. In 1930 it and the keep became the first castle structures named National Treasures, but both burned in the 1945 air raids. Rebuilt from prewar records, it was completed in 2018. Many of the original palace's paintings on sliding doors and walls survive as Important Cultural Properties.^[6][11]
Can you see it?: Visible from outsideIncluded with castle admission (no extra fee). Last entry 16:00. Shoes off inside; no flash photography.

Three corner turrets surviving from the Edo period

Where: The southwest and southeast corners of the honmaru (Seinan and Tonan turrets) and the northwest corner of the Ofukemaru enclosure (Seihoku turret).
What to look at: The Seinan and Tonan turrets, which look two-tiered from outside but have three floors inside, and the large three-tiered Seihoku turret. Look for chrysanthemum crests on the Seinan turret's roof tiles.
Why it's interesting: With the keep and palace lost, these turrets show what the castle looked like from its earliest years, and all three are Important Cultural Properties. The Seinan turret collapsed with its stone wall in 1921 and was rebuilt in 1923 by the Imperial Household Ministry, then the castle's owner, so its tiles bear the imperial chrysanthemum crest.^[7]
Can you see it?: Partly visibleExterior only; interiors are normally closed (check the official event listings for special openings).

Stone walls built by rival daimyo, and the Kiyomasa Stone

Where: Stone walls throughout the grounds. The Kiyomasa Stone is straight ahead as you pass through the Honmaru East Second Gate.
What to look at: The various symbols carved into the stones, and one giant stone about the size of eight tatami mats, estimated at 10 tons.
Why it's interesting: On Ieyasu's orders, 20 daimyo (feudal lords), mostly from western Japan, each built an assigned section of the walls, and they are thought to have carved marks to tell their stones apart from other lords'. Kato Kiyomasa was in charge of the keep's stone base. The castle's biggest stone is called the Kiyomasa Stone from a story that he hauled it, but the official site explains that this section was built by Kuroda Nagamasa and the story is a modern invention.^[8][17]
Can you see it?: Visible from outsideVisible inside the castle grounds (admission required).

At a glance for visitors

Nearest station: 5 min walk from Nagoyajo Station (subway), Exit 7
Climb: Not confirmed
Time neededEditors' estimate: The official estimate is 1 to 1.5 hours including the Honmaru Palace.
Admission: Adults 1,000 yen (from October 1, 2026; previously 500 yen); Nagoya residents 65 and over 300 yen; junior high students and younger free. Groups of 30+ 900 yen. Combined ticket with Tokugawa-en garden 1,040 yen. Cash, credit cards, IC transit cards and QR payments accepted.
Hours: 9:00–16:30. Last entry to the Honmaru Palace and the Treasure Hall is 16:00 (be at the building entrance by then).
Access: Partly open
The grounds are open with an admission ticket (Main Gate and East Gate). The keep is closed and cannot be entered. The turrets' interiors are normally closed. The Honmaru Palace and the Nishinomaru Okura Treasure Hall are included in admission. Leashed pets may enter the grounds but not buildings such as the palace (assistance dogs are allowed).

Checked: 2026-10-03

View on map Open in Google Maps Nagoya Castle official website (Japanese)Nagoya Castle official website (English)Keep reconstruction project updates (Japanese)

The story of this castle

Historical record

Why here?

Even after the Battle of Sekigahara, the Toyotomi family still held Osaka. To secure the Tokaido highway linking Edo with Kyoto and Osaka, Tokugawa Ieyasu decided to place a great castle in Owari Province, roughly halfway between. Kiyosu had been Owari's center, but Ieyasu chose the Nagoya plateau and moved the whole town there in the "Kiyosu-goshi" relocation. An older castle, Nagoya (Nagono) Castle, had stood here since the Muromachi period, but Ieyasu did not reuse its layout; he laid out a new castle and a grid-pattern town.^[10][12]

Historical record

Built for Ieyasu by 20 daimyo

In 1610 Ieyasu ordered 20 daimyo from western and northern Japan, including Kato Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori, to build the castle as a national project. In 1612 the keep was finished: five stories plus a basement, with golden shachi (mythical tiger-headed fish) on the roof and one of the largest floor areas of any keep in history. Ieyasu's son Tokugawa Yoshinao moved in as the first lord, and the castle became the seat of the Owari Tokugawa, the senior of the three branch families of the shogun's line.^[10][9][2]

Scholarly interpretation

Home of the Owari Tokugawa for 260 years

Nagoya Castle served as a staging base for the Tokugawa side in the Winter and Summer Sieges of Osaka, and the Owari Tokugawa ruled from it for the rest of the Edo period. Its huge keep and turrets, tall stone walls and deep moats guarded the Tokaido and also showed the other daimyo the strength of the Tokugawa.^[10]

Historical record

The first castle National Treasure, then the air raids

In the early Meiji era the castle was nearly torn down, but objections saved it. In 1930, 24 of its buildings, including the keep and the Honmaru Palace, became the first castle structures designated National Treasures. Then, in May 1945, air raids burned the keep and the palace to the ground. Three corner turrets and several gates survived and still stand as original Edo-period buildings.^[9][11][2]

Historical record

Rebuilt in 1959, closed in 2018

Thanks to large public donations, the keep was rebuilt in steel-reinforced concrete in 1959. The exterior recreated the lost keep, and the inside served as a museum. A second pair of golden shachi, made from prewar measured drawings, still sits on the roof. But after more than half a century, concrete deterioration and earthquake safety became problems, and the keep closed in May 2018. The castle grounds remain open.^[2][4][5][9]

Historical record

Where the wooden keep plan stands

Nagoya City launched the project to rebuild the keep in wood in 2017. It originally aimed to finish by December 2022, but discussions with experts and the Agency for Cultural Affairs over how to protect the keep's stone base dragged on, and the deadline was pushed back. According to materials from a February 2026 public briefing, the start and completion dates are "undecided." The city is now repairing the stone walls around the keep base (since fiscal 2024) while preparing to seek the government permits needed to demolish the current keep and rebuild it in wood. The Honmaru Palace reconstruction, meanwhile, was completed in 2018.^[4][1][3][6]

People of this castle

Ordered the castle built

Tokugawa Ieyasu

徳川家康

1543–1616

The first shogun of the Tokugawa (Edo) shogunate. He moved to the Kanto region in 1590, made Edo Castle his base, and began the expansion that turned it into a vast castle.

Daimyo in charge of the keep's stone base

Kato Kiyomasa

加藤清正

1562–1611

A daimyo of Higo (Kumamoto) renowned as a master of stone-wall building. At Nagoya Castle he was in charge of the most important part: the keep's stone base.

First lord of the Owari domain

Tokugawa Yoshinao

徳川義直

1601–1650

The ninth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu and first lord of the Owari domain. He took up residence at Nagoya Castle, founding the Owari Tokugawa, the senior of the three branch houses of the shogun's family.

Timeline

1610
Ieyasu orders 20 daimyo to begin building the castle^[10]
1612
The keep, crowned with golden shachi, is completed^[2][9]
1615
The Honmaru Palace is completed^[6]
1930
24 buildings including the keep and palace become the first castle National Treasures^[11]
1945
The keep and palace burn in the May air raids^[9][6]
1959
The keep is rebuilt in steel-reinforced concrete^[2]
2018
The Honmaru Palace reconstruction is completed; the keep closes in May^[6][4]

Buildings and remains

The keep today

Modern reconstruction

Burned in 1945 and rebuilt in steel-reinforced concrete in 1959, with the exterior recreating the original. Closed since May 2018. A plan exists to replace it with a historically faithful wooden keep, but start and completion dates are undecided (per a February 2026 public briefing).

The site today

The honmaru, ninomaru, nishinomaru and Ofukemaru enclosures are open to the public as Nagoya Castle (admission charged), a Special Historic Site managed by Nagoya City. The Honmaru Palace was rebuilt in 2018. The 1959 keep is closed and can only be seen from outside. The outer sannomaru enclosure is now a government district.

Main buildings

Modern reconstruction

Main and small keeps

1959 steel-reinforced concrete reconstruction; closed since May 2018.^[2][4]

Rebuilt in wood

Honmaru Palace

Burned in 1945; rebuilt in wood from historical records and completed in 2018. Many original paintings survive as Important Cultural Properties.^[6][11]

OriginalImportant Cultural Property

Seinan (southwest) corner turret

Built around 1612. Collapsed in 1921 and repaired and rebuilt by the Imperial Household Ministry in 1923. Normally closed.^[7][11]

OriginalImportant Cultural Property

Tonan (southeast) corner turret

Built around 1612, with the Tokugawa hollyhock crest on its ridge-end tiles. Normally closed.^[7][11]

OriginalImportant Cultural Property

Seihoku (northwest) corner turret

A three-tiered turret thought to date from around 1619. Normally closed.^[7][11]

OriginalImportant Cultural Properties

Honmaru Omote Second Gate, Ninomaru Ote Second Gate, former Ninomaru East Second Gate

Gates surviving from the Edo period.^[11]

Key facts

Type: Castle
Setting: Flatland castle (hirajiro)built on flat ground, defended by moatsEditorial article
Period: Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu): Modern reconstructiona keep rebuilt in the 20th century or later; shape or position may differ from the originalEditorial article
Built by: Tokugawa IeyasuJapan Castle Foundation
Built: 1615Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords: Tokugawa IeyasuJapan Castle Foundation
Abandoned: 1871Wikipedia (ja)
Remains to see: Turrets or turret bases, Gates, Stone walls, Moats, Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Keep base (tenshudai)Editorial article
Designation: Special Historic Site (Nagoya Castle ruins) (1952); Important Cultural Properties (three turrets, three gates, Honmaru Palace paintings and more) (1950); Place of Scenic Beauty (Ninomaru Garden) (1953)Editorial article
Selection: Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 39Japan Castle Foundation

Visiting

Access

Partly open

The grounds are open with an admission ticket (Main Gate and East Gate). The keep is closed and cannot be entered. The turrets' interiors are normally closed. The Honmaru Palace and the Nishinomaru Okura Treasure Hall are included in admission. Leashed pets may enter the grounds but not buildings such as the palace (assistance dogs are allowed).

Address

1-1 Honmaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0031^[13]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Nearest stations and how to get there

Nagoyajo Station (subway), Exit 7Nagoya Municipal Subway Meijo Line

about 5 min walk · Not confirmed

5 minutes' walk from Exit 7. About 15 minutes from Nagoya Station by subway, with one transfer.^[16][17]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Meitetsu Higashi-Ote StationMeitetsu Seto Line

about 15 min walk · Not confirmed

15 minutes' walk, toward the East Gate side.^[16]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Hours and admission

Nagoya Castle (grounds, Honmaru Palace, Nishinomaru Okura Treasure Hall)

Hours: 9:00–16:30. Last entry to the Honmaru Palace and the Treasure Hall is 16:00 (be at the building entrance by then).
Closed: December 29–31 and January 1 (subject to change for events)
Admission: Adults 1,000 yen (from October 1, 2026; previously 500 yen); Nagoya residents 65 and over 300 yen; junior high students and younger free. Groups of 30+ 900 yen. Combined ticket with Tokugawa-en garden 1,040 yen. Cash, credit cards, IC transit cards and QR payments accepted.^[13][14][15]

Checked: 2026-10-03

By car / parking

Main Gate parking (308 cars) and Ninomaru East parking (123 cars), both 250 yen per 30 minutes for cars (revised June 2026), first come, first served. About 8 minutes from the Kurokawa exit or 5 minutes from the Marunouchi exit of the Nagoya Expressway.^[16][17][15]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Grounds opening hours

9:00–16:30 (castle grounds)^[13]Checked: 2026-10-03

Time needed

The official estimate is 1 to 1.5 hours including the Honmaru Palace.^[13][17]

Steps, slopes and footing

A flatland castle with extensive grounds; it takes about 10 minutes to walk from the Main or East Gate to the Honmaru Palace. Details on slopes and steps are not confirmed.^[13]

Wheelchairs and strollers

Wheelchairs and strollers can be borrowed at the Main and East Gates (limited numbers, no reservations). There are three wheelchair-accessible toilets on the grounds and one at the Main Gate parking lot. The Honmaru Palace has a ramp on its north side and dedicated wheelchairs for use inside. The keep is closed.^[17][18][6]Checked: 2026-10-03

Toilets and rest

Toilets on the grounds (see the guide map). The Honmaru Palace has no toilets or heating and cooling inside.^[18][6]

English signs / audio guide

There is an official English website. An audio guide is available for the Honmaru Palace (languages not confirmed).^[20][6]

Seasons

About 900 cherry trees and 70 plum trees. The keep is lit up every night from sunset to 23:00 (21:30 on the 8th of each month).^[17]

Photography

Photos are allowed inside the Honmaru Palace, but flash is prohibited to protect the paintings.^[17][6]

Works, closures and restrictions

The keep has been closed since May 2018. Adult admission rose to 1,000 yen on October 1, 2026. Conservation work is under way on stone walls around the keep base, including the north side.^{[5][15][21][4]}Checked: 2026-10-03

Editors' guide

An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.

Who will enjoy it

Ideal for anyone who wants to see a palace lined with gold-leaf paintings, or who is curious about Edo-period turrets and walls built by competing daimyo. As long as you know in advance that the keep is closed, there is plenty to see.

What makes it interesting

Start with the Honmaru Palace and compare how the ceilings and transoms change from room to room. Then, outside, take in the keep from the grounds and walk around looking for the three corner turrets, the Kiyomasa Stone and the carved marks on the walls.

Before you go

The keep has been closed since 2018, and there is no completion date yet for the wooden reconstruction. Adult admission became 1,000 yen on October 1, 2026. Last entry to the palace is 16:00, and it takes about 10 minutes to walk there from the Main or East Gate, so allow time.

Ways to enjoy it

At Step Nagoya on the grounds you can climb a full-size model of a staircase from the planned wooden keep and see the restored keep in VR. In the evening, the illuminated keep is worth a look from outside.

Photos

Visitor reviews

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Open questions

As of the February 2026 public briefing, both the start and completion dates of the wooden keep reconstruction are undecided. Review and permission from the Agency for Cultural Affairs are required, and plans may change.
The story that Kato Kiyomasa hauled the Kiyomasa Stone is a legend; the official site says this section was built by Kuroda Nagamasa and calls the story a modern invention.
The description of the keep as having one of the largest floor areas in history is the official site's wording.
Details on slopes and steps, the languages of the palace audio guide, and current information on nearby sites such as Tokugawa-en could not be confirmed.

Sources

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観覧ガイド天守閣名古屋城総合事務所(名古屋市)officialChecked: 2026-10-03
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観覧ガイド本丸御殿名古屋城総合事務所(名古屋市)officialChecked: 2026-10-03
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名古屋城の文化財一覧名古屋城総合事務所(名古屋市)officialChecked: 2026-10-03
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