Nagoya Castle

Visited in November 2026. The palace is very easy to reach by subway, with only about a five minute walk from the station. The grounds and gardens surrounding the palace are huge, so be prepared to walk quite a bit. There is a ¥500 entrance fee, which is very reasonable considering this is one of Nagoya’s highlights. It is easy to spend a lot of time here, as there is so much to see and explore. There are plenty of great photo spots, and surprisingly, quite a few food places as well. The weather in November was perfect, and I really enjoyed strolling around the area.

Overall quite underwhelming borderline disappointing visit at Nagoya castle. The castle itself is closed (has been closed since 2018 apparently) so a visit there is pretty much a visit of the Hommaru Palace and the castle grounds. The place is very crowded, since there’s nothing much to do in Nagoya from a tourist point of view, pretty much all visitors end up here, making the waiting time for Hommaru Palace alone 30 minutes ! That’s a long time to wait to enter a place that’s not THE castle and that is very crowded. Not going to comment about the palace itself, I saw pictures from other reviews and decided that my time was worth more than it so I didn’t enter. The souvenir shop is very underwhelming too, I wanted to get something, anything from Nagoya as a souvenir… but there’s really nothing worth buying. Looking at the food stalls being set up and the souvenirs shops on the castle grounds outside, I got some « Himeji » feelings : this is a tourist trap attraction where people come to visit a « name » rather than a place. Now to be fair, this is probably the most tourist friendly spot in the whole city, from the metro station all the way to the castle you will have English text, menus, indications, speakers … even the route from the metro to the castle is filled with restaurants offering local specialities. So yeah they are trying to sell you as much stuff as possible using the castle notoriety and even then they didn’t get to convince me despite me being ready to get an overpriced souvenir. So I’d say if you’re visiting Nagoya for one day and you have nothing else to do this is the place to go. If you want to visit a castle, then you are at the wrong place, you can get pretty pictures of it but that’s it. I’m putting 2* because there is nothing to do in Nagoya beside this, I still got to take a few pictures and had a nice meal just next to the metro station so it wasn’t a complete waste of time. If you want to see an actual castle not far from there look for Kiyosu castle, although it is harder to access, you get to see the inside of a castle, take pictures from the rooftop AND try out samurai armor for less than half the price of Nagoya’s castle entry.

Nagoya Castle is still nice to visit even though the main castle is under renovation and not accessible at the moment. You can still walk around the grounds and enjoy the atmosphere, but it is more of a quick stop rather than a long visit. The highlight is the Hommaru Palace, which is beautifully restored and worth seeing. The artwork and interiors are impressive and give you a good sense of the castle’s history. The surrounding park area is also pleasant for a short stroll. A good place to drop by if you are already in the area and want to see one of Nagoya’s key landmarks without needing too much time.

Nagoya Castle is a famous landmark with an impressive and beautiful exterior. However, since I joined a tour, I was only able to take photos outside and spend some time shopping around the area, without exploring the inside in depth. Even so, the exterior alone is enough to showcase the castle’s majestic charm and traditional Japanese architecture.

This is one of the top attractions in Nagoya. The main Castle is not allowed to visit but the Hommaru palace is. You need to take off the shoes and wear their slipper during the palace visit. You are allowed to take pictures without flash. You can enjoy the great artworks and magnificent decorations. It is good to walk around the castle ground with colorful changing leaves 🍁. It was very busy and crowded with visitors as you expected in any tourist destination. Overall good visit:

Visiting Nagoya from Malaysia on a business trip, and thanks to my Japanese colleague, I finally got to see Nagoya Castle 🏯 — absolutely stunning! The iconic golden shachihoko 🐉 shining on the roof, the elegant green tiles, and the peaceful gardens 🌸 make it feel like stepping into history. Beautiful, powerful, and photogenic from every angle 📸 A must-visit landmark that truly represents Nagoya! ✨

The castle, or rather part of it, is obviously very beautiful, but unfortunately the main building, i.e. the actual castle, is not open to visitors. Renovation work has been ongoing since 2018, as the castle was seriously damaged during an earthquake. Only the gardens are open to visitors, something like the outer bailey, i.e., the representative rooms where you can admire the craftsmanship of Japanese renovations. The castle was completely destroyed during World War II, with only the foundations surviving, so what we visit is a magnificent reconstruction. Overall, it is worth visiting this place. It may not be as spectacular as other castles, such as those in Osaka or Kyoto, but it is worth spending an hour visiting this site. Important information: you visit the castle along a set route, wearing slippers. I recommend leaving your bags in the cloakroom, otherwise you will have to carry them in front of you. We visited on a very rainy day, and despite this, the queue was very long. The ticket price is 500 yen, so it is worth arriving early and buying a ticket. People with disabilities, e.g., in wheelchairs, will not be able to see the exhibition, as it is narrow, the route has many turns and narrow turns, and the entrance is not wheelchair accessible.

Nagoya Castle is a must-visit if you're traveling to Nagoya. Although the main castle is currently closed to visitors, walking around is still enjoyable. If you visit in spring, the experience is even better, as cherry blossoms bloom around the castle and completely change the atmosphere.

Yelp Review 2024 #196: The very first shogun hails from Nagoya. Samurai has deep roots in Nagoya. It is the first Japanese castle to be designated a National Treasure. We bought tickets for about 500 Yen each. All we really wanted to do was take pictures of the outside of the castle and then explore Nagoya the rest of the day. But somehow we ended up touring the whole place a because we had to follow a path and flow of the tour of the castle grounds - oh no! We got to see and climb up one of the towers, and go inside Honmaru before reaching the castle to take pictures. A precursor castle, Yanagi-no-maru was built in 1521-1528 by Governor Imagawa Ujichika. The Oda clan took over and renamed it Nagoya Castle but abandoned it later on. The Tokugawa clan rebuilt this castle and took over. Over the years, it has been taken over by different people who have remodeled/ rebuilt this castle. The roof of the castle is adorned with golden shachihoko (a mythical carp with the head of a tiger/ dragon). They serve as protection against fire, and a symbol or power and wealth. We got to do a meet and greet some "ninjas" and "samurais". Then, we left. There is a shop, vending machines, and ice cream stand inside the castle grounds. There are restrooms near the castle.

Absolutely breathtaking. Highly recommend going to Nagoya even to just see the castle. Unfortunately you can't go inside the castle anymore. But the side building was gorgeous. The grounds are huge and it was absolutely worth seeing.

Very cool experince. It was nice to go inside the castle. food and unique stuff over there. https://rumble.com/v6excnd-nagoya-castle.html

Last time I visited this place was in the year 2012. Lots of history! Organized place. You can go all the way to the top to see the good view. It's like bringing back the historic time, like you're there with them. It's different atmosphere. It's truly a must see when you're in Nagoya. Did a day trip only and made it in and out of the airport in time for my flight back to Guam. 5-3-2012

Fascinating piece of history! The construction of Nagoya Castle was ordered by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1610. It was finished in two years. Much later, in 1930, it was designated a Japanese National Treasure. However, it was burned down in 1945 during WWII and rebuilt in 1959. Our tour started the morning at Nagoya Castle. Everyone watched a video which described the rules - remove your shoes and place them in the lockers; no flash photography; no eating/drinking; no smoking; and no touching. When we got to the entrance, we all removed our shoes. If a person didn't have socks, house slippers were available. We locked our shoes in the boxes and took the keys with us. Each room was viewed and described. The hand painted walls were intricately beautiful. They all had special meaning and were kept in pristine condition! We saw a worker using a paintbrush to dust the ledges of the walls! Wow! This was an interesting excursion! I'm glad that our tour included this attraction!

A famous landmark in Nagoya, you should visit here to check the scenery. There is an admission fee of 500 yen per person. It is reachable by bus or subway.

I had only 30 minutes at this spot. I parked, jogged round trip, and made it! It has a great view at the top and some picture with the fake golden shachihoko spots at another floor. Oh, google map took me to a parking lot under construction... Admission: Parking:

While inside Nagoya castle, since it was reconstructed, it reminded me of Kumamoto castle prior to the earthquake not too long ago. This castle has a strong tie with Tokugawa clan, Tokugawa ieyasu spent so much restoring it in early 1600's. current one is reconstructed in 1950's. They have English display available, easy to follow self-guided tour inside the main castle. Wifi was available from time to time, especially near a building.

This castle has become one of my favorites so far. Yes, the main keep is a replica. But it was built loyally to what it looked before it was burnt down by air raid in WWII. Also, they rebuilt the the palace which was also loyal to its real blue print. It definitely adds historical value. While many were fascinated by those two attractions, I was rather impressed with massive stone walls and "bigger than standard" turrets surrounding the main keep. Generally this type of building were designed to be modest size just to enough to build as many as they can and also just high enough to be able to have good outlook. But Nagoya on the other hand, some of them are massive. It's almost same size as the main keep of some castle in provincial cities. Particular the one that was built on northwest corner of the compound. It was rainy and also had to squeeze in tight schedule. I need to come back here to explore more.

This castle is massive and amazing for the time that it was built. The amount of large rocks moved by man is amazing. Of course the castle has been lovingly and according to original blueprint rebuilt since its destruction from the war. The moated area and stoned structure looks inmpenetrable. Right now the entranceway to the castle is lined with a variety of bonsai. Love that there are many toilets at each of the buildings. Western and Asian style toilets was pleasing. One gate entrance even has a beer, fried chix, gyro and wood fired pizza trucks on property. Beautiful city views from top floor of castle. There is an elevator, but to get to this floor, you must walk the 1 flight of stairs. There is also a museum store, another snack shop, gold screen display, tea house and garden. The rock garden is closed now for renovations. In awe.

Loved this castle in Japan. Nagoya culture was amazing. I enjoyed going into part of the palace. You will have to take off your shoes to go inside. If you go at the right time, the blossoms look amazing for pictures. Also, the ninjas and samurai roam around and are friendly to take pictures. They put on some shows. Definitely worth it to come and experience the culture and check out the scenery.

Nagoya Castle... I mean, Nagoya Museum in the shape of a castle, is a 6 floor sweltering hot place for tourists. Even cooler than entering the castle is the entire castle grounds, which are comprised of a; Noh theater museum, doll museum, gift shop / cafeteria, flower garden, woodland moss garden, cultural garden, and teahouse. The castle complex costs about Y500 per person to enter. The top floor of the castle is an observatory with a gift shop in the middle. You do not need to remove your shoes to enter the main castle. But, you will be asked to remove your shoes and put them in a locker if you enter the Royal Palace home separately. It was a little confusing at first, because the castle entrance is around the back of the building. Next to the ice cream and tofu donut vendor. When visiting, make sure to walk the entire complex and not miss a thing. I really regret not stopping at the teahouse on the way out, because the menu looked really awesome. Since this is Nagoya, even the most touristy of area are not that busy in the morning. I really like how most of the cultural spaces in Nagoya are condensed into this one complex, so it makes it much easier to visit than, let's say, Osaka Castle. It is also very easy to access from the subway system. But, seriously, we just walked here all the way from Nagoya Station (main station) with no issue. Nagoya is not a large city, so it is easy to walk across most of downtown in about 30 minutes.

Nagoya-jō is a Japanese castle, and during the Edo period, it was the heart of one of the most important castle towns. The cultural influence of this historic structure is reflected in its alternative pronunciation Meijō, which is part of many city institutions.

This is a nice place to hit up if you're in Nagoya and have a few hours to spend. Unlike some other castles, this one is a reconstruction of an old one that was badly damaged during WW2. It may not be as big or "original" as some of the more impressive castles in Japan, but it's still a nice place to soak in some history. The castle grounds are fairly large but there's a lot of renovation going on so be ready to run into some construction sites, which are kind of an eyesore if you're looking to snap photos. As for the inside - there are several floors with each serving a different purpose. For the most part it's a museum of the castle's history and also features a couple of interesting interactive items. For example if you've ever wondered what it's like to be a Japanese laborer tasked with dragging huge blocks of stone to build the castle, you get to experience that. The top floor of the castle is the observation deck and you get a pretty nice view of Nagoya city and its surrounding areas. My recommendation is to take the elevator from the ground floor to the 5th or 6th floor (can't remember exactly) and then walk up a couple of flights to the top and work your way down. It's less tiring and tedious than having to walk up each floor then to come back down again. This place is pretty easy to get to and is near a couple of subway stations. I'd say if you're in town and haven't been here before, it's worth visiting. I personally liked Himeiji and Osaka castles better but this one is still nice and makes a nice picture backdrop.

When in Nagoya, you can't miss visiting this castle. Somehow among all the castles that I've visited, where the fee is usually when you enter the main castle only , Nagoya castle is different. You have to pay to enter the area. The castle is not that big as I imagine and modern inside too, just like Osaka Castle. It also have it's own elevator at the side. The museum have a great collection of swords and some other things pertinent to the castle. The castle ground is also big. The second time I went back to Nagoya, I did not bother going inside.

Nagoya Castle is one of the few places you should visit on your stay in Nagoya. The castle is well maintained and beautiful. It doesn't take too much to see the inside. I would say about two hours is more than enough, and the admission cost is only 500yen. On the day I went, they were offering only one tour in English in the afternoon, which is a bit of a bummer. Most of major stuff inside the castle are described in English but not the little details. If you have seen other castles in Japan and had enough, you can skip here. But if you area history wiz and renting a car driving from/to Tokyo or Osaka/Kyoto, you should make a quick trip in Nagoya and see the castle and enjoy the food!!

I would have given this place a 5 star rating but half of the castle is closed due to construction. Not their fault its needed every now and then. I can't give it a five star since I couldn't experience the other parts of the facility. What I did visit was breath taking. The staff on site speak great English and are willing to answer any of your questions. The gift shop was really neat too. Thanks also goes out to the Japanese for posting interesting points on placards in English. It was amazingly helpful since I can't read Japanese. I would loved to have seen the other parts of the Castle but hats off to the facility for a wonderful visit. Thanks.

Nagoya Castle is an ancient castle from 1612, but started in about 1610 and was commissioned by Tokugawa who had won the battle of Sekigahara. They did not live in the castle itself, there was a magazine on 7 floors and 1 basement. It would accommodate food and equipment for around 6000 samuraiers. The owners even lived in a palace next to, where there were departments according to how high the ranges were, and where the decorations were there. During the Second World War, both the tower of the castle and the palace were destroyed. It was refurbished in 1959, and they are continuing with restorations. Today there are different exhibits from the original on each floor, the upper floor is today observation room and gift shop. We were there Saturday and then they had an English guided tour at 1pm which one should try to bring. It costs 500 yen in adult entrance fee. There is also a park where you can relax. It is definitely worth a visit

Amazing castle with recreated BEAUTIFUL palace. A must go for visiting Nagoya, easy to get to from downtown and most of the workers speak English.

Nagoya was a bit of a wildcard on our trip to Japan and we are really glad we stopped here. Nagoya castle is an absolutely stunning place to while away a few hours exploring the castle grounds and the various buildings in the complex. For the tiny entrance price of 500 yen you can explore an incredibly interesting museum which takes you through the construction of the castle (which was completed in 1612), it's near total destruction during bombing raids during WWII through to it's ongoing restoration and current state. It looks absolutely spectacular amidst the cherry blossoms and whilst many parts are still under reconstruction and renovation it is a shining example of traditional Japanese architecture. The multilingual guides we met around the castle were friendly and welcoming, even thanking us profusely for visiting the castle and their fair city. The vast majority of information throughout is also in Japanese and English but the greatest enjoyment I got from our visit here was just the sheer wonder of the place as we trekked around. An absolute must if you're in Nagoya, which is a city we enjoyed tremendously.

The place is big enough for the tourists to spend a full day. They just opened a new traditional eatery places next to the castle. It is probably the only historical sightseeing spots in Nagoya that is original and unique. Other places are kind of good for whatever the

This is not an original castle, but a replica, observatory and a museum. I was born and raised just 10min away from this park. Back in time, there were no fences around the moat and we used to go down to play. Ever since, their cherry trees have grown so much and they are so beautiful during the cherry blossom season.