Home of the Three Sacred Treasures and the Three Great Samurais

This region consists of Aichi, Shizuoka, Mie, Gifu, and Yamanashi in Tokai and Fukui, Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, and Nagano in Hokuriku & Sghinetsu. Two notable shrines are Ise Jingu and Atsuta Jingu, which enshrines the Sacred Mirror and Sacred Sword in each. During the Warring States period, three iconic figures emerged: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, all seeking to end the turmoil. Their legacy is reflected in several famous castles, including Nagoya Castle, Inuyama Castle (national treasure), and more.
Easy access to Nagoya on JR Tokaido Shinkansen (the bullet train) from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and other major cities. Or fly to "Centrair" or Central Japan International Airport, then transfer to the local Nagoya train to Nagoya station. To Nagano and Kanazawa, easy access on JR Nagano Shinkansen from Tokyo or on Super Express from Nagoya.

Shrines

Ise Jingu Shrine

Ise Jingu Shrine

Jingu, worship the ancestral deity, Amaterasu. It is customary to pray at Geku first and then Naiku of two main shrines.
(写真提供:神宮司庁/ Jingushicho :Jingu Administration Office)

Atsuta Jingu Shrine

Atsuta Jingu Shrine_熱田神宮

Nearly 2000 years of history starting from the sacred sword, "Kusanagi-no-tsurugi", one of the three Imperial Regalia was enshrined.

Suwa Taisha Shrine

Large tree pillars down the slope in a single bound. Onbashira Matsuri is Suwa Taisha Shrine's sacred ritual ceremony held once every seven years with more than 1200 years of history.

Uesugi Shrine

Kenshin was so strong among Warlords. He lost only twice out of 71 battles, making him a true "God of War." His belief was to restore the Muromachi Shogunate under the turmoil of the Warring State Period.

Castles

Nagoya Castle

Can’t miss the overwhelming beauty of 1,049 sliding door paintings by Kano school, representing Owari Tokugawa's authority

Okazaki Castle

Okazaki Castle_岡崎城

Tokugawa Ieyasu's home castle. Born during the turbulent Warring States period, Ieyasu's life started under hardship as a hostage

Hamamatsu Castle

Hamamatsu Castle_浜松城

Tokugawa Ieyasu's base to fight against his arch-enemy, Takeda Shingen, to achieve a peaceful era with allied Oda Nobunaga.

Inuyama Castle

Inuyama Castle, a National Treasure (国宝犬山城)

The first castle lord, Naruse Masanari, supported the Owari Tokugawa Domain & Tokugawa Shogunate

Azuchi Castle

The inaugural light-up event took place by Oda Nobunaga. This event served as a declaration heralding the arrival of the nation's unifier and a forthcoming peace.

Battlefield

Okehazama

Oda Nobunaga v.s. Imagawa Yoshimoto in 1560. The beginning of the unification of the country and the importance of information became clear.

Nagashino Shitaragahara

Oda Nobunaga & Tokugawa Ieyasu v.s. Takeda Katsuyori in 1575. A continuous fire with many stocks of gunpowder shifted the War from Cavalry to Guns

Sekigahara

Sekigahara Battlefield between Tokugawa and Toyotaomi clans_関ヶ原合戦場

Tokugawa Ieyasu v.s. Ishida Mitsunari in 1600. 150 Letters Brought the Victory to Ieyasu, which promised territorial rewards for those loyal to the Tokugawa.

Temples

Enryakuji Temple

Enryakuji Temple on Mt.Hiei, World Heritage_比叡山延暦寺,世界遺産

Enryakuji Temple was established by Saicho, the founder of the Tendai sect. His teaching was very rational: "All individuals possess the equal potential to attain Buddhahood or enlightenment."

Yoshizaki Temple

Rennnyo Statue at Yoshizaki Temple Ruin in Fukui_吉崎別院跡の蓮如像

Rennyo, Head of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism in front of Yoshizaki Branch Temple facing Kitakata Lake, a key location of the Hokkoku-Kaido road and the Japan Sea Route. (Source: Yoshizaki Betsuin)

Eiheiji Temple

Buddhist Dogen built Eiheiji as a center for Soto Zen Training. Zazen meditation is a key practice of Soto Zen Budd

Others

Takayama Festival

UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage, large ornate floats are drawn by people in traditional kimonos and Karakuri-dolls on the float perform subtle and significant moves.

The Museum Meiji-Mura

Japanese Red Cross Central Hospital, delicately adorned with its exquisite exterior, in the Museum Meiji-Mura, a symbol of relief work in peace driven by Empress Dowager Shôken.

Joan Tea Room

Joan Tea Room, National Treasure, by Oda Uraku. 織田有楽斎の如庵茶室

"The main principle of the tea ceremony is entertaining the guests." Samurai & Tea Master, Oda Uraku, attained this mentality despite the Warring State Period. How

Kenrokuen Garden

Kenrokuen is a strolling garden of the Maeda clan of the Kaga domain. The domain survived through the Edo period, thanks to the survival strategy of the lords.


Experience Nagoya Logo by Meitetsu_名古屋鉄道ロゴ
EXPERIENCE NAGOYA, Central Japan

A travel web magazine provides attractive information for your travels in central Japan: Chubu and Hokuriku region.