Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle was built on the orders of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and completed in 1612, the reconstructed castle features a new five-story main keep or donjon mounted by a pair of 3m-long golden shachi (dolphins), which have become symbols of the city and are made in strict accordance with the originals.
On top of the castle are two golden dolphins, called kinshachi. They are said to be a symbol of the feudal lord's authority. Both kinshachi were temporarily lowered from atop the castle and displayed on the castle grounds, and briefly at the site of the Aichi Expo 2005 from March 19th until June 19th of 2005, and were restored to the castle on July 9th the same year.
The interior houses is an interesting museum displaying Edo period armour, fusama-e (paintings on sliding doors) and other art treasures that remained unscathed from the bombing in World War II. The three corner turrets, the second front gate and the massive walls and moat also escaped wartime damage. Ninowara Garden just to the east of the castle is an original Japanese-style garden and the surrounding Meijo Park with over 2,000 cherry trees is a pleasant place to relax and a popular picnic spot in early spring when the cherry blossom
The area around the castle remains a center of government for the city of Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture. Nearby are Nagoya City Hall, Nagoya Immigration Office, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, venue for the annual Nagoya Sumo Tournament in July, the Nagoya Noh Theater (Nagoya nohgaku-do) and to the east near Ozone subway station the renown Tokugawa Art Museum, which contains the Owari family legacy of art and heirlooms - including maki-e lacquer work, samurai armour, Noh theater costumes and the original twelfth-century painted scroll of The Tale of Genji by Takayoshi Fujiwara.

Tip: The Aichi International Plaza to the south of Nagoya Castle has tourist and resident information, a library and satellite TV. Tokugawa Art Museum: 10am-5pm, closed Monday; entrance ￥1200; the interior houses of Nagoya Castle: 9am-5pm; entrance ￥500.