Nagoya Castle Tickets

Nagoya Castle was one of the great fortresses of the Tokugawa era, and its silhouette, crowned by two golden shachihoko dolphins, remains the symbol of the city. The broad moats, massive stone ramparts and corner turrets convey the scale of the original project, ordered by Ieyasu himself, and the grounds reward a slow circuit in any season.

The Honmaru Palace

The highlight today is the Honmaru Palace, a faithful reconstruction of the shogunal residence using traditional materials and techniques, its chambers lined with brilliant gold leaf screens of tigers and leopards painted in the style of the original Kano school works. Walking its corridors in socked feet, room after gleaming room, is the closest thing in Japan to entering a castle palace as it looked four centuries ago. Note that the main keep itself has been closed to entry in recent years ahead of restoration work, so treat it as a monument to admire from the gardens rather than a building to climb.

Around the grounds

The Nishinomaru area holds exhibition facilities on the castle’s history, while the Ninomaru garden offers teahouses and seasonal colour. The adjacent Kinshachi Yokocho dining street serves Nagoya specialties like miso katsu and hitsumabushi eel, ideal for lunch after the visit.

Getting there

Take the Meijo subway line to Nagoyajo Station, which opens close to the east gate. From Nagoya Station the trip takes around ten minutes with one change at Sakae, or the Meguru sightseeing loop bus runs directly to the castle from the station.

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