Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle, originally built between 1610 and 1612, is a significant landmark in Nagoya, Japan. It was destroyed during World War II but was rebuilt in 1959. The castle's history is tied to the Owari branch of the powerful Tokugawa shogunate, which established a castle in the area in 1610. Japanese castles, as an architectural form, developed in the 16th and 17th centuries, evolving from small wooden fortresses to more elaborate stone structures. These castles often featured a central tower (tenshu) surrounded by gardens and fortified buildings, enclosed by moats and stone walls. The interiors were decorated with paintings on sliding panels (fusuma) and folding screens (byōbu), reflecting the artistic styles and growing national confidence of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.12