1-Day Guided Garden Walk through Nagoya's Castle, Gardens, and Historic Estates

Centrally located and surrounded by fertile plains, mountains, rivers, and the sea, it is easy to understand why Nagoya is known as “the Heart of Japan.” This castle city attracted samurai and craftsmen alike and, later, wealthy merchants and innovative leaders of industry. Today, Nagoya has cemented itself as Japan’s center of industry and is home to manufacturing giants such as Toyota, Brother, Noritake, Ibanez, Buffalo, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

This tour will take you into several historical estates and private gardens of these titans of industry. Marvel at the gilded artwork and golden screens in Honmaru Palace and sip tea while gazing at a garden designed for a daimyo as you are led by an experienced, English-speaking guide through Nagoya on this full-day tour.

Highlights

• View Japan’s largest castle keep, Nagoya Castle, and tour the magnificent Honmaru Palace which was Japan's first castle to be designated a National Treasure.

• Glimpse into the lives of the Toyota family as we tour the Taisho-era home of Sasuke Toyoda and several other well-preserved estates.

• Taste sencha, a Japanese tea, and traditional Japanese sweets while overlooking a tranquil Japanese garden.

• Stroll through a traditional Japanese garden known as Tokugawa-en, and bask in the seasonal beauty of the flowers and foliage.

*For those looking to join the tour from Tokyo, please see the FAQ Section below

Description

This tour will start at Nagoya Station at 9:00 A.M., where your guide will meet you in front of the Silver Clock tower near the Shinkansen Gates. You will have the opportunity to put your belongings in a coin locker at the station if you feel the need.

Your guide will provide you with a brief history of Nagoya and set the scene as we depart Nagoya JR Station via Nagoya’s tourist bus toward our first destination, Nagoya Castle. As we walk around Nagoya Castle’s vast grounds, your guide will point out great spots for photos to commemorate your trip.

You will have the opportunity to enter Honmaru Palace and view the golden rooms which become more and more ornate as we make our way through the palace. Your guide will point out unique details and bring the palace to life as each room has its own story to tell.

We will then stop for lunch at a shopping street full of restaurants and souvenir stands constructed in a Japanese style of architecture giving the feeling of shopping at merchant houses from the Edo period. The street houses many well-known restaurants serving up local Nagoya dishes, known as "Nagoya meshi." 

After lunch, we will continue on foot to Nagoya’s Culture Path—an area rich in well-preserved historical estates from some of Nagoya’s wealthiest residents from the Meiji era through the early Showa era (1868 -1930). You will be able to enter the homes and stroll the gardens of several of these properties, including the home of Sasuke Toyoda and Japan’s most famous geisha, Sadayakko Kawakami.

Our next stop will be Tokugawa Garden. Where we will take a well-deserved break to have some Sencha Tea and a traditional Japanese sweet in a historic building that was once the State Guest House of the Nagoya Pan-Pacific Peace Expo and is now registered as a national tangible cultural property.

Your guide will explain the proper way to enjoy drinking Sencha tea. Feel free to spend some time here contemplating the garden before you while sipping some high-quality, locally-grown tea.

After the sweet refreshments, we will enjoy some mental refreshment as we stroll through the beautiful Tokugawa Garden. The garden features over 100 maple trees, two waterfalls, and a beautiful pond in its center showing visitors a different face in each of the four seasons and making each visit a one-of-a-kind experience. Of course, your guide will be available to help you take photos that will make your friends and family envious.

From here, we will return to the station via Nagoya’s tourist bus and say our goodbyes there. Feel free to ask the guide for dinner recommendations or instructions back to your hotel.

TOUR MEETUP POINT

1 / NAGOYA STATION @ 9:00 A.M.

The meetup point is at the base of the SILVER clock tower outside of the Shinkansen gates. 

If you are arriving via Shinkansen, the clock tower should be located directly in front of you as you exit the gate.

If you are arriving via a JR line, please look for signs directing you towards the Taiko-Dori Gate. The silver clock is located inside the station just before the Taiko-Dori exit.

For those coming from outside the station, you will most likely be entering through the Sakura-Dori gate (the side with the gold clock). In this case, please walk straight through the station towards the Taiko-Dori Gate. The silver clock is located inside the station just before the Taiko-Dori exit.

You may wait nearby there until the tour begins at 9:00 A.M. Be sure to look for the guide holding a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour sign. We highly recommend arriving early as Nagoya station can be quite crowded.

NOTES

Included

• English speaking guide
• Transportation during the tour
• Entry fee at Nagoya Castle
• Entry fee at the Culture Path estates
• Entry fee at Tokugawa Garden
• Sencha Experience

Excluded

• Lunch
• Accommodation
• Transportation to/from Nagoya Station

Other Information

• This tour involves several hours of walking outdoors. We recommend that you wear shoes and clothes which are easy to walk in. Please check the weather forecast before you head to the meetup point and prepare an umbrella or raincoat if necessary.

• In the summer, temperature highs are around 35 °C (95 °F) and above with extreme humidity. We recommend wearing something light and airy while minding sunburn and heatstroke. A parasol is highly encouraged.
• Winter temperatures in Nagoya average between 0℃-10℃ (32°F-50°F). Please wear warm clothing and footwear appropriate for cold conditions.
• There will be free time along the way for guests to purchase souvenirs to remember their trip.