Nagoya Castle Guide: History, Highlights & Access【2026-10-20更新】 | For all your real estate needs in Meito-ku, Nagoya, or any of our neighboring communities: Century 21 Kowa Home

Following his victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the construction of Nagoya Castle in 1610 as a strategic defense against the Toyotomi clan. Built via tenka-bushin by western daimyo, the castle was completed in 1612 to serve as the residence of Ieyasu’s son, Yoshinao.
 

Its massive keep—topped with golden shachihoko and boasting the largest floor space of any keep ever built—along with the lavish Honmaru Palace and high stone walls, powerfully showcased Tokugawa authority. For 260 years, the castle thrived as the home of the Owari Tokugawa family. Its construction also triggered the "Kiyosu-goshi" mass relocation, laying the grid-like foundation for modern Nagoya.
 

Designated as a Special Historic Site (equivalent to a National Treasure), Nagoya Castle remains a profound symbol of the city's heritage and the pinnacle of early modern Japanese architecture. Today, while the main keep is closed to visitors for a wooden reconstruction project, the beautifully restored Honmaru Palace is open to the public.