Nagoya Castle in Japan

The Nagoya castle is an Edo period construction, built in 1612 by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu of the Owari clan. The air raids of the Second World War had completely demolished the original feudal fort, and the castle as it stands today, is actually a 1959 reconstruction. Almost the entire building had fallen to pieces and the three corner turrets that survived destruction have been acclaimed as "Important Cultural Properties" of Japan. Even the 'shachi' or the golden dolphins, nestled in the main tower, have been built to closely resemble the original ones. The castle is now an imposing white structure with its gardens, gates bridges, and a girdle of cherry trees. The moats are a haven for deer and the Meijo Park with its cherry trees make the castle grounds a delightful spot for 'hamami'. The Ninowara Garden is a sprawling green patch of original Japanese style garden, and brings in tourists from all parts of the world. The Nagoya castle had flourished into a major castle town, and has spread to make the city the fourth largest one in Japan.

Tourist destinations in Nagoya: Nagoya is a city seeped in a rich cultural and historical heritage, and apart from the historic castle with its park and museum, the city offers a number of other destinations to its visitors. The Atsuta Shrine is one such attraction with the Kusanagi sword that it enshrines. The shrine is actually one of the three imperial regalia of the country, and thus brings in thousands of tourists to the sacred place. Italia Mura is a favorite spot with the tourists. With its cafes and orchestra, the mall is an excellent replica of a canal and San Marco Square in Venice. The Nagoya TV Tower gives a panoramic view from the observatory on top. The part of the city to the east of the castle still has the seventeenth century mansions standing and has a quaint air quite distinct from the rest of the modern town.

How to reach Nagoya: Nagoya is a 1 ½ hour train ride from Tokyo by the Nozomi trains. The Kodama trains take 3 hours while the local trains need six hours( with 3 train transfers) to reach Nagoya.

Both day and overnight buses available from Tokyo reach Nagoya in five or six hours.

The nearest airport is the Chubu Centrair International Airport, from where it would take around half an hour to reach Nagoya by the Meitetsu Tokoname Line train.

The castle is a few minutes walk from the Shiyakusho Station.

Accommodations in Nagoya: Nagoya has some of the finest hotels in Japan. Westin Nagoya Castle is a luxury accommodation to guarantee a delightful stay. Sunroute Nagoya Hotel, Hilton Nagoya, Tokyu Nagoya Hotel, Kanaya Nagoya Hotel and Marriott Associa Nagoya Hotel are a few of the most comfortable and convenient accommodations of the city.

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