Photo: そらみみ (Soramimi) / CC BY-SA 4.0The castle was built from 1610 for Tokugawa Ieyasu's ninth son and held by the Owari Tokugawa through the Edo period. An air raid burned it on 14 May 1945. The keep you see, golden fish and all, is a 1959 rebuild in concrete. It has been closed since May 2018 over its age and earthquake resistance, and the city's plan to rebuild it in wood has no completion date.
The reason to come is the Hommaru Palace. It was finished in 1615, burned in 1945, and rebuilt from Edo-period plans, photographs and the surviving paintings; it opened in full in 2018. Go there first. The Nagoya Castle Autumn Festival runs to 23 November, and Meijo Park beside it colours in mid to late November.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Do not plan to climb the keep. It is closed, and older guides and tour listings that mention it are out of date.
- The station is now Nagoyajo (Nagoya Castle), not Shiyakusho. Use Exit 7. On the Meijo Line from Sakae or Hisaya-odori.
- Walk to the Hommaru Palace first. It is about 10 minutes from either gate, and its last admission is 16:00, the same as the castle's.
- Every rail route back to the ship goes through Nagoya Station and the Aonami Line. Trains to Kinjo-futo leave every 15 minutes from 13:00 to 16:59.
- A 2.5-hour guided walk of the castle and Kinshachi Yokocho, admission included, starts at Nagoyajo Station Exit 7 at 09:00, 13:00 and 14:00 (Viator listing).
The Nagoya Castle Autumn Festival runs to 23 November, and Meijo Park beside it colours in mid to late November.
Guided ways to do Nagoya Castle and the Hommaru Palace
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
More in Nagoya
Spot guideAtsuta Jingu and the Kusanagi-kan
The shrine of the imperial sword, a museum of 450 others, and kishimen in the grounds
Open the guide →
Spot guideOsu Kannon and the Osu streets
A temple moved here in 1612 and some 1,200 shops and restaurants around it
Open the guide →
Spot guideToyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
Sakichi Toyoda's looms and Toyota's first cars, in a 1911 brick plant one stop from Nagoya
Open the guide →Questions people ask here
Is Nagoya Castle open on a cruise call in November 2026?
Yes. It is open 9:00–16:30 every day except 29 December to 1 January, so it is open on 10, 14 and 28 November. The main keep is closed; the Hommaru Palace and grounds are open.
How much is Nagoya Castle?
¥1,000 for adults from 1 October 2026, up from ¥500. Junior high pupils and younger are free. A combined ticket with Tokugawaen garden is ¥1,040.
How long does it take to reach Nagoya Castle from Kinjo Pier?
About 1 hour 15 minutes each way by our estimate: the walk to Kinjo-futo Station, 24 minutes on the Aonami Line, the subway to Nagoyajo and 5 minutes on foot. A taxi is about 19 km, roughly ¥8,500 by our estimate before traffic.