|
Although its past can be traced back to the ancient times of the Atsuta
Grand Shrine, one of the most important Shinto shrines in J apan,
Nagoya didn’t start its development as a typical castle town of feudal
Japan till the 16th century.
This was when Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most famous Shogun of the time, built
the famous Nagoya Castle for his 9th son, Yoshinao in 1614.
Nagoya enjoyed prosperity as the castle town of the Tokugawa family of
Owari, one of the three closest relatives to the main lineage of the
Tokugawa Shogunate up to middle of the 19th century. Artifacts that
belonged to this ruling family can be seen at the Tokugawa Art Museum
Nagoya has always been a cultural crossroads since ancient times since
it is located around the center of mainland Japan. Due to its convenient
location, it has served as a meeting place for the nation's eastern and
western cultures.
At present, the city enjoys the prosperity as a center of various
industries with the population of 2.20million, making it the 4th largest
city in Japan.
Some of the places of interest in Nagoya are:
Tokugawa Art Museum
 This
museum has an impressive collection of furnishings, armor, calligraphy,
painted scrolls, lacquerware and ceramics, all of which previously
belonged to the Tokugawa family. A priceless 12th-century scroll
depicting The Tale of Genji is locked away except for a short public
viewing in late November; the rest of the year, visitors have to contend
on watching it on video.
Nadya Park
 Site
of the International Design Centre Nagoya, Nadya Park is a futuristic
skyscraper museum/shopping complex in Sakae.
It is a secular shrine to the deities of conceptualization, form and
function, and a fascinating place to spend an hour or more. Exhibits
trace the history of design from Art Deco to the present.
For shopping buffs, there is the Loft department store. Kinokuniya
bookstore is on the 6th floor of Loft, with a decent English-language
selection.
Nagoya-jō
 Tokugawa
Ieyasu built Nagoya-jō on the site of an older castle for his ninth son
in 1612. Although a large part of it was burned down by the fires of
World War II, the castle was restored to the original condition in 1959.
Nagoya-jō is very famous for two magnificent Kin no Shachi or
shachi-hoko (Golden Carp) on the roof. They are often used as the symbol
of Nagoya.
The impressive museum inside, features armor, treasures, and histories
of the Oda, Toyotomi and Tokugawa families.
Noritake Garden
On the grounds of one of Japan's
best-known porcelain makers (established 1876) a new craft centre offers
a peek at the production process, a porcelain museum, and a chance to
glaze your own dish or cup. Signage is in English throughout the
grounds.
There are ample shopping opportunities – the 'Box' outlet store offers
40% discounts on discontinued items. Admission to the grounds and shops
is free.
|
