{"id":1020,"date":"2026-05-10T13:58:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T13:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shirolog.info\/?p=1020"},"modified":"2026-05-10T13:58:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T13:58:09","slug":"044-nagoya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shirolog.info\/en\/044-nagoya\/","title":{"rendered":"[Japan Top 100 Castles No. 044] Nagoya Castle: Honmaru Palace Highlights and Shohei Ohtani\u2019s Signature Linking to the Future Main Keep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1. Basic Information to Know Before Your Visit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Item<\/strong><\/td>Details<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Castle Name (No.)<\/strong><\/td>Nagoya Castle (Japan Top 100 Castles No. 044)<\/td><\/tr>
Aliases \/ Location<\/strong><\/td>Kinshachi-jo, Kinjo \/ 1-1 Honmaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture<\/td><\/tr>
Founder \/ Built Year<\/strong><\/td>Tokugawa Ieyasu \/ 1610 (Keicho 15)<\/td><\/tr>
Main Structures<\/strong><\/td>Honmaru Palace (Reconstructed), Northwest Corner Tower, Omote-ninomon Gate, Stone Walls, Kiyomasa Stone<\/td><\/tr>
Stamp Location<\/strong><\/td>Main Gate Ticket Office, East Gate Ticket Office<\/td><\/tr>
Parking<\/strong><\/td>Main Gate Parking, Ninomaru East Parking (Paid)<\/td><\/tr>
Time Estimate<\/strong><\/td>Approx. 2\u20133 hours (if viewing the Honmaru Palace thoroughly)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2. Local Report: Strategy Points and Fatherly Insights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Visual Grandeur as a Show of Power: Highlights of Nagoya Castle\u2019s Honmaru Palace<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Step inside the reconstructed Honmaru Palace, and you are immediately immersed in an overwhelming world of gold. To a modern observer, it might seem almost surreal\u2014a space so glittering it feels disconnected from reality. However, this was exactly the Tokugawa strategy. It was a “presentation of authority” designed to visually demonstrate immense wealth and power to visiting feudal lords (daimyo), ensuring their submission without a single sword being drawn. This structural psychological warfare continues to resonate even after 400 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Gold<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A “Stove” to Warm the Shogun\u2019s Meals? The Practicality of the Kamigozensho<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

While the public rooms are spectacular, I found the “Kamigozensho” (the upper serving area) even more fascinating. This was the backstage area where meals were prepared just before being served to the Shogun. It features a sunken hearth (irori)\u2014essentially a modern stove\u2014used to reheat dishes brought from a distant kitchen to ensure they were served at the perfect temperature. This uncompromising hospitality and the logical flow of the floor plan reveal a highly rational and practical management style beneath the surface-level luxury. It felt like a lesson in management for any modern professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Historical<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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3. Family Guide: Pok\u00e9mon GO and Historical Discoveries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spot the Difference with Tigers and Leopards, and Lucky Pok\u00e9mon GO Finds<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My son, initially overwhelmed by the ornate screen paintings, stopped in front of the “Leopards and Tigers in a Bamboo Grove.” When I shared the historical trivia that leopards were once mistakenly believed to be female tigers, he immediately started a game of “spot the difference” with the animals on the walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Famous<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After leaving the palace, we opened Pok\u00e9mon GO near the statue of Kato Kiyomasa. In a stroke of incredible luck, he encountered and caught a “Shiny” legendary Pok\u00e9mon! He named it “Kato Kiyomasa” on the spot, and we both celebrated. It was a perfect blend of a historic site and modern gaming fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Statue<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Interacting with the Samurai Squad: Tracking Growth in the Castle<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When asked by Lord Ieyasu of the “Nagoya Omotenashi Bushotai” (Samurai Performance Squad), “From whence have you come?”, my son confidently replied, “From Edo!” (Tokyo). I was impressed by his ability to dive into the historical world. Looking back at photos taken in the same spot years ago, I realized how much he has grown. The vast grounds of Nagoya Castle make it an ideal place for families to track their own history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nagoya<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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4. Lunch & Souvenirs for Castle Explorers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pillars of the Future: Shohei Ohtani\u2019s Signed Wood<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On display was a piece of Gassan Pine signed by baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani. When I explained that this precious timber would eventually become a beam in the future wooden reconstruction of the main keep, my son was genuinely intrigued. I\u2019m already looking forward to visiting again when the keep is finished to say, “That\u2019s the wood we saw back then.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shohei<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nagoya Specialty: Yabaton\u2019s Waraji Katsu<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

After exploring the castle, we headed to the famous “Yabaton.” The cutlets drenched in rich miso sauce are perfect for refueling after a long walk. My son loved it, noting that the “Nagoya flavor” is quite different from what we usually eat in Tokyo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Famous<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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5. Recommended Nearby Spots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n