Recommended Routes
Nagoya Castle suggests four walks: 60, 90, 120 or 150 minutes, each from either the Main Gate or the East Gate. Both gates visit the same places; only where you start and finish changes.
On every route the main keep is closed inside: you see it from outside. Honmaru Palace is the part you go into.
Before you start
- Which gateComing by subway to Nagoyajo Station? Start at the East Gate: it is the nearest gate, and you reach Honmaru Palace sooner.
- Honmaru Palace firstLast entry is 16:00. The first hour after opening (9:00) is quiet on every day. You take your shoes off, and there are no toilets or air conditioning inside, so use the toilets before you go in. Palace guide
- Barrier-freeThe 60-minute routes are the barrier-free ones.
- On the mapEvery route is drawn on our castle map: pick the gate, then the time. The lines are drafts while we walk each route.
60 minutes (barrier-free)
The shortest route, and the barrier-free one. Honmaru Palace, the keeps from outside, and the museum.
From the East Gate
- East Gate (start)
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- East Gate (finish)
From the Main Gate
- Main Gate (start)
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- Main Gate (finish)
90 minutes
The 60-minute route plus the gates and defences on the east and north sides of the Honmaru.
From the East Gate
- East Gate (start)
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Former Ni-no-maru Higashi Ni-no-mon Gate
- Karamete Umadashi, Rear Gate Guard
- North side of the keep
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- East Gate (finish)
From the Main Gate
- Main Gate (start)
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Former Ni-no-maru Higashi Ni-no-mon Gate
- Karamete Umadashi, Rear Gate Guard
- North side of the keep
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- Main Gate (finish)
120 minutes
The 90-minute route plus the Ofuke-maru Area behind the keep, the great stone walls, and a corner of the Ni-no-maru Garden.
From the East Gate
- East Gate (start)
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Former Ni-no-maru Higashi Ni-no-mon Gate
- Karamete Umadashi, Rear Gate Guard
- North side of the keep
- Ofuke-maru Area: Nogi-Soko Storehouse
- Ishigaki, Stone Walls (the Tower Keep Stone Base)
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- Part of the Ni-no-maru Garden
- East Gate (finish)
From the Main Gate
- Main Gate (start)
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Former Ni-no-maru Higashi Ni-no-mon Gate
- Karamete Umadashi, Rear Gate Guard
- North side of the keep
- Ofuke-maru Area: Nogi-Soko Storehouse
- Ishigaki, Stone Walls (the Tower Keep Stone Base)
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- Part of the Ni-no-maru Garden
- Main Gate (finish)
150 minutes
Everything on the 120-minute route plus a walk around the Ni-no-maru Area and its garden.
From the East Gate
- East Gate (start)
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Former Ni-no-maru Higashi Ni-no-mon Gate
- Karamete Umadashi, Rear Gate Guard
- North side of the keep
- Ofuke-maru Area: Nogi-Soko Storehouse
- Ishigaki, Stone Walls (the Tower Keep Stone Base)
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- A loop of the Ni-no-maru Area: Ni-no-maru Garden and Yoho Teahouse
- East Gate (finish)
From the Main Gate
- Main Gate (start)
- Nishi-no-maru Okura Museum
- Ote Umadashi Enclosure
- Omote Ni-no-mon Gate
- Honmaru Palace
- Former Ni-no-maru Higashi Ni-no-mon Gate
- Karamete Umadashi, Rear Gate Guard
- North side of the keep
- Ofuke-maru Area: Nogi-Soko Storehouse
- Ishigaki, Stone Walls (the Tower Keep Stone Base)
- Tenshu and Kin-Shachi (outside only: the keep is closed)
- Back along the west side of the keep
- A loop of the Ni-no-maru Area: Ni-no-maru Garden and Yoho Teahouse
- Main Gate (finish)
The official courses
These routes follow the recommended courses on Nagoya Castle's official map. Official recommended courses