Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle is almost in the center of Nagoya, and is famous for the golden dolphins that adorn the roof of its castle tower. The castle was built in 1612 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the then-shogun of the Edo government. Until the revolution of 1867 it was the residence of the Owari Tokugawas, one of the three Tokugawa houses. Much of the castle was burnt down in 1945 during the World War II air raids, but the tower was rebuilt in 1959 as a reinforced concrete building with seven stories above ground and a basement. Since then, it has continued to be a beautiful symbol of Nagoya. Floors 1 to 5 inside the castle have been opened up as exhibition rooms.