Nagoya, Aichi
Encyclopedia
is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan
.
Located on the Pacific coast
in the Chūbu region
on central Honshu
, it is the capital of Aichi Prefecture
and is one of Japan's major ports along with those of Tokyo
, Osaka
, Kobe
, Yokohama
, Chiba
, and Moji
. It is also the center of Japan's third largest metropolitan region, known as the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area
. As of 2000, Chūkyō Metropolitan Area has 8.74 million people, of which 2.17 million live in the city of Nagoya.
The name Chūkyō (中京) is also used (chū (middle) + kyō (capital)), since it is the main city of the central Chūbu region
. Various things are named after Chūkyō, for example the Chūkyō Industrial Area
, Chūkyō Metropolitan Area
, Chūkyō Television Broadcasting, Chukyo University
and the Chukyo Racecourse
.
(The Japanese names in this section are written with the family name first. For example, in the name Oda Nobunaga, the family name is Oda.)
Oda Nobunaga
and his proteges Toyotomi Hideyoshi
and Tokugawa Ieyasu
were powerful warlords based in the Nagoya area who gradually succeeded in unifying Japan.
In 1610, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved the capital of Owari province
from Kiyosu around seven kilometers to a more strategic location in present-day Nagoya.
, a new, large castle, was constructed partly from materials taken from Kiyosu Castle
During the construction, the entire town of around 60,000 people, including the temples and shrines, moved from Kiyosu to the new, planned town around Nagoya Castle. Around the same time not far away, the ancient Atsuta Shrine
was designated as a way station called Miya (the Shrine) on the important Tōkaidō
, a road that linked the two capitals of Kyoto
and Edo
(now Tokyo). A town thus developed around the temple to support travelers. The combination of these two castle and shrine towns forms what we now call Nagoya.
towns Tokoname
, Tajimi
and Seto
, as well as Okazaki
, one of the only places where gunpowder
was produced under the shogunate. Other industries in the area included cotton
and complex mechanical dolls called karakuri ningyo.
Part of the modernization efforts of the Meiji Restoration
saw a restructuring of Japan's provinces into prefectures and the government changed from family rule to that by government officials. Nagoya was proclaimed a city on October 1, 1889, and designated a city on September 1, 1956 by government ordinance.
, beginning on December 13, 1944 with an attack on a Mitsubishi
war industries plant. The bombing of Nagoya in World War II
continued through the spring of 1945, and included large scale firebombing. Nagoya Castle
, which was being used as a military command post, was hit and mostly destroyed on May 14, 1945. Reconstruction of the main building was completed in 1959.
In 1959, the city was flooded and severely damaged by the Ise-wan Typhoon.
on the Nōbi Plain
. The city was built on low-level plateau
s to ward off water damage. The plain is one of the fertile lands of Japan, which allowed for the development of agriculture. The Kiso River
flows to the west along the city border, the Shōnai River
comes in from the northeast and takes a southern towards the bay at Nishi Ward. The man-made Hori River was constructed as a canal in the 1610 and flows from north to south, and is a part of the Shōnai River system. The rivers allowed for trade to develop with the hinterland. The Tenpaku River feeds from a number of smaller river in the east, flows briefly south at Nonami and then west at Ōdaka into the bay.
The geographic location and the position of the city in the centre of Japan
allowed it to develop economically and politically over the centuries.
and Nagoya Castle
.
Other Nagoya attractions include:
Nagoya is also a starting point for short visits in the surrounding area, such as Inuyama, Little World Museum of Man
, Meiji Mura
, Kasadera Kannon
, Toyohashi and Arimatsu
. Reachable within a two hour radius by car or train are Gifu
, Gujo Hachiman, Gifu, Ise Shrine
, Takayama, Gifu
, Gero Onsen and the hill stations in the Kiso Valley Magome and Tsumago.
Nagoya has 16 wards
:
es, carried out in 1889, gave Nagoya's population
as 157,496. It reached the 1 million mark in 1934 and, as of December 2010, the city had an estimated population of 2,259,993 with a population density
of 6,923 persons per km². Also as of December 2010 there were estimated to be 1,019,859 households in the city — a significant increase from 153,370 at the end of World War II
, in 1945.
The total area is 326.45 km². Its metropolitan area
extends into Mie
and Gifu
prefectures, with a total population of about 9 million people, with only Osaka and Tokyo being larger.
(NGO) built on the artificial island off shore of Tokoname
and by Nagoya Airfield (Komaki Airport, NKM) near the city boundary with Komaki and Kasugai
. On February 17, 2005, all of Nagoya Airport's commercial international flights moved to Centrair Airport. Nagoya Airfield is now used for general aviation
and airbase
facility as well as the main J-Air
airline hub.
Nagoya Station
, the world's largest train station by floor area, is on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Tōkaidō Main Line
, and Chūō Main Line
, among others. The Nagoya Railroad
and Kintetsu
provide regional rail service to points in the Tōkai
and Kansai regions. The city is also serviced by the Nagoya Subway.
Nagoya Port
is the largest port by international trade value in Japan. Toyota Motor Corporation
uses Nagoya Port for export of their products.
Nagoya's main industry is the automotive business, as many Japanese automotive companies are based out of Nagoya, akin to how many U.S. automakers are based out of Detroit
. Toyota is headquartered in Toyota
and Nagoya. Mitsubishi Motors
has R & D division in Okazaki
located in a suburb of Nagoya. Many Japanese automotive suppliers such as DENSO
, Aisin Seiki, Toyota Industries
, JTEKT
or Toyota Boshoku
etc. are headquartered in Nagoya or suburbs of Nagoya. Furthermore, major automotive suppliers such as Magna International
or PPG
also have a presence in Nagoya.
JR Central
, which operates the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, is headquartered in Nagoya, as is the fine ceramics company Noritake
. As well Brother Industries
which is known for office machines such as multifunction printer
s, NGK
which is known for spark plug
s and related products, Nippon Sharyo
which is known for manufacturing rolling stock
including the Shinkansen
bullet trains and Hoshizaki Electric which is known for commercial ice machines and refrigeration equipment are also headquartered here. The Japanese confectionery
company Marukawa
is headquartered in Nagoya. There is also a sizable aerospace, machine tool
and electronics industry in the area.
Aerospace-related firms operating in Nagoya include Boeing
, Pratt & Whitney
, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, Bodycote, Kawasaki Heavy Industries
, Spirit AeroSystems
, and Fuji Heavy Industries
.
Robot
technology is another rapidly developing industry. Mechanized puppets, called "karakuri ningyo", are a traditional craft in the Nagoya area. In addition to the aerospace
and robotics
industries, a materials engineering industry is also developing in this area.
The World Expo 2005, also known as Aichi Expo was held just outside of Nagoya in the neighboring cities of Nagakute
and Seto
. The event was held from March 25 to September 25, 2005.
was set up in 1871 as a medical school. Nanzan University
was set up by the Jesuits in 1932 as a high school and expanded throughout the decades to include Nanzan Junior College
and the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture
. Some universities specialise in engineering and technology such as Nagoya University Engineering school, Nagoya Institute of Technology
and Toyota Technological Institute
, since the city is a hub of industrial activity, and receive support and grants from companies such as Toyota.
Other colleges and universities include Aichi Prefectural College of Nursing & Health
, Aichi Shukutoku Junior College
, Aichi Toho University
, Chukyo University
, Daido University, Doho University
, Kinjo Gakuin University
, Kinjo Gakuin University Junior College
, Meijo University
, Nagoya City University
, Nagoya College of Music
, Nagoya Future Culture College
, Nagoya Gakuin University
, Nagoya Management Junior College
, Nagoya Women's University
, St. Mary’s College, Nagoya, Sugiyama Jogakuen University
, Sugiyama Jogakuen University Junior College
, Tokai Gakuen Women’s College
. Various universities from outside Nagoya have set up satellite campuses, such as Tokyo University of Social Welfare
.
The Hōsa Library
dates back to the 17th century and houses 110,000 items including classic literature, an heirloom of the Owari Tokugawa bequeathed to the city. The Nagoya City Archives
have a large collection of documents and books. Tsuruma Central Library
is a public library and Nagoya International Center
has a collection of foreign-language books.
, the 7th lord of Owari, who took a keen interest in drama and plays and lived a lavish lifestyle. Under his rule, famous actors and actresses began to come to Nagoya, creating a bustling city life. The patronage of the arts and culture was emulated and supported by the wealthy merchants of the city. The cultural life continued to flourish after the end of the feudal Edo period and the beginning of the modern Meiji era. The destruction brought on by World War II however was unprecedented in the history of the city. Many old buildings and artefacts were destroyed during the American bombing raids and subsequent fires, grave losses of Japan's cultural heritage. Nevertheless the economical and thus financial power of the region and the city in the post-war years has reconstructed and rekindled the artistic and cultural scene.
Nagoya has a wide array of different kinds of museums, ranging from the traditional to modern art, from handicrafts to industrial high-tech, from natural to scientific museums.
Nagoya Castle has a collection of objects from the Owari Tokugawa era. The main tower is a museum that details the history of the castle and the city. The Honmaru Palace, destroyed in World War II, is slated for reconstruction by 2016 and will again be a prime example of the Shoin-zukuri
architecture of the feudal era. The Tokugawa Art Museum is a private museum belonging to the Owari Tokugawa, who lived in Nagoya castle for 16 generations. Among other things, it contains 10 designated national treasures of Japan
, including some of the oldest scrolls of The Tale of Genji
. The Nagoya Noh Theatre houses various precious objects of Noh theatre. The Nagoya City Museum
showcases the history of the town.
Paintings and sculpture are also exhibited at the Nagoya City Art Museum
, as well as modern art in the Aichi Arts Center
. The Aichi Arts Center also is the venue of rotating exhibitions. The city is also home to the Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts
, a sister museum to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
, which was founded to bring aspects of the MFA's collection to Japan.
The art of porcelain and ceramics can be seen at the Noritake Garden
. Toyota has two museums in the city, the Toyota Automobile Museum
which shows vintage cars, and the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
, which showcases the long history of the company when it started as a textile mill.
The Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum
has a number of old trams and subway cars, as well as the Nagoya City Science Museum
. The SCMaglev and Railway Park opened in March 2011 with various trains from the Central Japan Railway Company.
Arts museums that are located close to Nagoya in Aichi prefecture are the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
and the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
. Meiji Mura
is an open-air museum with salvaged buildings from the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras.
theatre and Kyōgen
have a deep-rooted tradition that dates back to the feudal times of the Owari Tokugawa. The Nagoya Noh Theatre
at Nagoya Castle continues that tradition and is a prominent feature in the cultural life of the city, with monthly performances.
One of the grand stages of Kabuki
in Japan is Misono-za
, which also hosts various other Japanese theatre plays and entertainment forms such as concerts.
In the 1992, the large, modern Aichi Arts Center
was opened in Sakae. It is the main venue for performing arts, featuring a main hall that can be used for opera
and theatre, and a concert hall. The Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra
gives its performances there, as well as many visiting guest orchestras from abroad.
and holidays, there are festivals in Nagoya
which are unique to the city and region.
Major events include the Atsuta Festival at Atsuta Shrine in June, the Port Festival at Nagoya Port in July, the Nagoya Castle Summer Festival in August at Nagoya Castle and the Nagoya Festival held in October at the Hisaya Ōdori Park. Various smaller festivals exist and different wards and areas of the city have their own local festivals as well, such as the in Ōsu.
of the Japanese language
spoken in the western half of Aichi Prefecture, centering on the city of Nagoya. It is also called since the area was formerly part of Owari Province. The Nagoya dialect is relatively near to standard Japanese and has proximities to the Kansai dialect, albeit with its own distinct pronunciation and vocabulary.
in the city dates back hundreds of years and is still kept alive today.
Nagoya is home to several professional sports teams:
In 2007, the Chunichi Dragons won the Japan Series
baseball championship. In 2010, Nagoya Grampus won the J. League championship, their first in team history.
Nagoya is also home of the Shonai FC amateur football club and Nagoya Barbarians semi-pro rugby football club. Since 1984 the city has hosted the Nagoya Marathon
; an annual marathon race for women.
A honbasho
or sumo
tournament is held every July at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
. See also The Crowns
golf tournament.
Los Angeles
, United States Mexico City
, Mexico Nanjing
, China Sydney
, Australia Turin
, Italy
The Nagoya International Center
promotes international exchange in the local community.
The three men who unified Japan in the 16th century all have strong links to Nagoya.
, Mothra vs. Godzilla
, and Godzilla vs. Mothra
. The city is also featured in the Gamera movie, Gamera vs. Gyaos
and the main setting of the 2003 film Gozu
and the 1993 American film Mr. Baseball
starring Tom Selleck
. Nagoya was the setting for the 2007 movie, Ashita e no yuigon
(translated as Best Wishes for Tomorrow), in which a Japanese
war criminal sets out to take responsibility for the execution of U.S. Airmen.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Located on the Pacific coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
in the Chūbu region
Chubu region
The is the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population estimate of 21,886,324 as of 2008.Chūbu, which means "central region", encompasses nine prefectures : Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi, and often Mie.It is located directly...
on central Honshu
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, it is the capital of Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
and is one of Japan's major ports along with those of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Chiba
Chiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....
, and Moji
Moji-ku, Kitakyushu
is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the former city of Moji which was one of five cities merged to create Kitakyūshū in 1963. It faces the city of Shimonoseki across the Kanmon Straits between Honshū and Kyūshū....
. It is also the center of Japan's third largest metropolitan region, known as the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area
Chukyo Metropolitan Area
, sometimes called the Chūkyō region , is the name of a major metropolitan area in Japan that is centered on the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. The area makes up the most urban part of the Tōkai region...
. As of 2000, Chūkyō Metropolitan Area has 8.74 million people, of which 2.17 million live in the city of Nagoya.
Etymology
The city's name was historically written as 那古野 or 名護屋 (both read as Nagoya). One possible etymology for the city's name is the adjective なごやか (nagoyaka), meaning 'peaceful'. http://chimei-allguide.com/23/100.htmlThe name Chūkyō (中京) is also used (chū (middle) + kyō (capital)), since it is the main city of the central Chūbu region
Chubu region
The is the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population estimate of 21,886,324 as of 2008.Chūbu, which means "central region", encompasses nine prefectures : Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi, and often Mie.It is located directly...
. Various things are named after Chūkyō, for example the Chūkyō Industrial Area
Chukyo Industrial Area
The Chūkyō Industrial Area is another name for the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area and the surrounding prefectures, which have strong economic links to it. This industrial region includes the Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures....
, Chūkyō Metropolitan Area
Chukyo Metropolitan Area
, sometimes called the Chūkyō region , is the name of a major metropolitan area in Japan that is centered on the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. The area makes up the most urban part of the Tōkai region...
, Chūkyō Television Broadcasting, Chukyo University
Chukyo University
is a private university in Aichi, Japan, with campuses in Nagoya and Toyota.-External links:*...
and the Chukyo Racecourse
Chukyo Racecourse
is located in Toyoake, Aichi, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It was built in 1994. It has a capacity of 58,400. It has 8,795 seats.-Physical attributes:Chukyo Racecourse has a grass courses, a dirt course.The turf's measures 1600m...
.
Foundation
Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
and his proteges Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
and Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
were powerful warlords based in the Nagoya area who gradually succeeded in unifying Japan.
In 1610, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved the capital of Owari province
Owari Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....
from Kiyosu around seven kilometers to a more strategic location in present-day Nagoya.
Tokugawa period
Nagoya CastleNagoya Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Nagoya, central Japan. During the Edo period, Nagoya Castle was the center of one of the most important castle towns in Japan—Nagoya-juku— and it included the most important stops along the Minoji, which linked the Tōkaidō with the Nakasendō.-History:In...
, a new, large castle, was constructed partly from materials taken from Kiyosu Castle
Kiyosu Castle
is a castle that acted as a base of operations for Oda Nobunaga during the latter half of the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. It is located in the city of Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan....
During the construction, the entire town of around 60,000 people, including the temples and shrines, moved from Kiyosu to the new, planned town around Nagoya Castle. Around the same time not far away, the ancient Atsuta Shrine
Atsuta Shrine
is a Shinto shrine traditionally believed to have been established during the reign of Emperor Keikō located in Atsuta-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture in Japan. The shrine is familiarly known as Atsuta-Sama or simply as Miya...
was designated as a way station called Miya (the Shrine) on the important Tōkaidō
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
, a road that linked the two capitals of Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
(now Tokyo). A town thus developed around the temple to support travelers. The combination of these two castle and shrine towns forms what we now call Nagoya.
Industrialisation
Through the following years Nagoya became an industrial hub for the surrounding region. Its economic sphere included the famous potteryJapanese pottery
Japanese pottery and porcelain , one of the country's oldest art forms, dates back to the Neolithic period...
towns Tokoname
Tokoname, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan.As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 52,301 and the density of 1,023.56 persons per km². The total area is 48.59 km².The city was founded on April 1, 1954....
, Tajimi
Tajimi, Gifu
is a city located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 112,165, with 40,413 number of households. The total area is 91.24 km²....
and Seto
Seto, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan. It is located about 35 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Meitetsu Seto Line.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 133,121, with a household number of 53,253, and the density of 1,192.63 persons per km². The total area is 111.62 km².-...
, as well as Okazaki
Okazaki, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 373,339 and a population density of 964 persons per km². The total area was 387.24 km².-Geography:...
, one of the only places where gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
was produced under the shogunate. Other industries in the area included cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
and complex mechanical dolls called karakuri ningyo.
Part of the modernization efforts of the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
saw a restructuring of Japan's provinces into prefectures and the government changed from family rule to that by government officials. Nagoya was proclaimed a city on October 1, 1889, and designated a city on September 1, 1956 by government ordinance.
World War II and modern era
Nagoya was the target of U.S. air raids during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, beginning on December 13, 1944 with an attack on a Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
war industries plant. The bombing of Nagoya in World War II
Bombing of Nagoya in World War II
The Bombing of Nagoya in World War II by the United States Army Air Force took place during the closing months of the war.- History :The first was a precision bombing on December 13, 1944, the target of which was a Mitsubishi military factory. On January 3, 1945 there was a general firebombing of...
continued through the spring of 1945, and included large scale firebombing. Nagoya Castle
Nagoya Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Nagoya, central Japan. During the Edo period, Nagoya Castle was the center of one of the most important castle towns in Japan—Nagoya-juku— and it included the most important stops along the Minoji, which linked the Tōkaidō with the Nakasendō.-History:In...
, which was being used as a military command post, was hit and mostly destroyed on May 14, 1945. Reconstruction of the main building was completed in 1959.
In 1959, the city was flooded and severely damaged by the Ise-wan Typhoon.
Geography
Nagoya lies north of Ise BayIse Bay
Ise Bay is a bay located at the mouth of the Kiso River between Mie and Aichi Prefectures in Japan. Ise Bay has an average depth of 19.5 metres and a maximum depth of 30 metres toward the centre. The mouth of the bay is 9 kilometres wide and is connected to the smaller Mikawa Bay by two channels:...
on the Nōbi Plain
Nobi Plain
The is a large plain in Japan that stretches from the Mino area of southwest Gifu Prefecture to the Owari area of northwest Aichi Prefecture, covering an area of approximately . It is an alluvial plain created by the Kiso Three Rivers and has very fertile soil...
. The city was built on low-level plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
s to ward off water damage. The plain is one of the fertile lands of Japan, which allowed for the development of agriculture. The Kiso River
Kiso River
The is a river in Japan roughly 193 km long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya. It is the main river of the Kiso Three Rivers and forms a major part of the Nōbi Plain...
flows to the west along the city border, the Shōnai River
Shonai River
The is a Class 1 river flowing through Gifu and Aichi prefectures in Japan. In Gifu Prefecture, it is also referred to as the Toki River ; around the city of Kasugai in Aichi Prefecture, it is referred to as the Tamano River .-Geography:The river originates at Mount Yūdachi in Ena, Gifu Prefecture...
comes in from the northeast and takes a southern towards the bay at Nishi Ward. The man-made Hori River was constructed as a canal in the 1610 and flows from north to south, and is a part of the Shōnai River system. The rivers allowed for trade to develop with the hinterland. The Tenpaku River feeds from a number of smaller river in the east, flows briefly south at Nonami and then west at Ōdaka into the bay.
The geographic location and the position of the city in the centre of Japan
Chubu region
The is the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population estimate of 21,886,324 as of 2008.Chūbu, which means "central region", encompasses nine prefectures : Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi, and often Mie.It is located directly...
allowed it to develop economically and politically over the centuries.
Sightseeing
Nagoya's two most famous sightseeing spots are Atsuta ShrineAtsuta Shrine
is a Shinto shrine traditionally believed to have been established during the reign of Emperor Keikō located in Atsuta-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture in Japan. The shrine is familiarly known as Atsuta-Sama or simply as Miya...
and Nagoya Castle
Nagoya Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Nagoya, central Japan. During the Edo period, Nagoya Castle was the center of one of the most important castle towns in Japan—Nagoya-juku— and it included the most important stops along the Minoji, which linked the Tōkaidō with the Nakasendō.-History:In...
.
- Atsuta Shrine is known as the second-most venerable shrine in Japan, after Ise ShrineIse Shrineis a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
. It is said to enshrine the KusanagiKusanagiis a legendary Japanese sword and one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was originally called but its name was later changed to the more popular Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi .-Legends:...
sword, one of the three imperial regalia of Japan, but it is not on display to the public. It holds around 70 festivals in a year, and many people visit the shrine year-round. Also, the shrine has over 4,400 national treasureNational treasureThe idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of Romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology which supports the nation as the fundamental unit of human social life, which includes shared...
s representing its 2,000 year history.
- Nagoya Castle was built in 1612. Although a large part of it burned down in the fires of World War II, the castle was restored in 1959, adding some modern amenities such as elevators. The castle is famous for two magnificent on the roof, often used as the symbol of Nagoya.
Other Nagoya attractions include:
- The Nagoya TV TowerNagoya TV towerThe is an electric wave tower in Nagoya, central Japan.- History :It is the oldest TV tower in Japan, and was completed in 1954. It is located in the centre of Hisaya Ōdori Park. The tower is 180 metres high, and has two main observation decks at the heights of 90 metres and 100 metres...
and Hisaya-Ōdori Park, located in the central SakaeSakae, Nagoyais an area in Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. It refers to the areas around Sakae intersection, Sakae Station on the Nagoya Municipal Subway, and Sakae Station on the Meitetsu Seto Line...
district - JR Central Towers of Nagoya StationNagoya Stationis a train station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is one of the world's largest train stations by floor area , and houses the headquarters of the Central Japan Railway Company . Much of this space is located in the "JR Central Towers" atop the station, as well as in underground concourses. The...
- Midland SquareMidland Square, officially called , is a skyscraper located in the Meieki district of Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It opened in early 2007. It is the fifth tallest building in Japan behind Yokohama Landmark Tower, Rinku Gate Tower Building, Osaka World Trade Center Building and Midtown Tower...
: The new international sales headquarters for the Toyota Motor CorporationToyota Motor Corporation, , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...
features Japan's highest open-air observation deck. - The Nagoya PortNagoya PortThe , located in Ise Bay, is the largest and busiest trading port in Japan, accounting for about 10% of the total trade value of Japan. Notably, this port is the largest exporter of cars in Japan and where the Toyota Motor Corporation exports most of its cars...
area: The Nagoya port area includes a themed shopping mall called Italia MuraItalia MuraItalia Mura was a mall located near the port of Nagoya, Japan. Its main attractions were a reproduction of one of Venice's canals and the San Marco Square along with its cafés and orchestra....
as well as the popular Port of Nagoya Public AquariumPort of Nagoya Public Aquariumis a public aquarium in Minato-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.-Kū:Since 2003, the aquarium kept an orca named on loan from another aquarium, who served in the aquarium until its death on .-Nami:...
. - Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical GardensHigashiyama Zoo and Botanical GardensThe is a zoo with botanical gardens located at 3-70, Higashiyama-motomachi, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is open every day except Monday. An admission fee is charged....
and the Higashiyama Sky TowerHigashiyama Sky TowerThe Higashiyama Sky Tower is located in the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in the city of Nagoya, central Japan.It contains observation decks and a restaurant 100 meters above ground and is a landmark of the area.- External links :...
. - The Toyota museums: The Toyota Automobile MuseumToyota Automobile MuseumThe is a large museum showcasing Toyota's storied past. It is a large complex located in Nagakute city, a city close to Nagoya, Japan. Unlike the Toyota USA Automobile Museum, however, the museum in Nagoya also features many cars from other manufacturers -such as Alfa Romeo and DeLorean Motor...
in Nagakute and the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and TechnologyToyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and TechnologyThe , also known as Toyota Tecno Museum, is a technology museum located in Nishi-ku in the city of Nagoya, central Japan.- History :Toyota started as a textile firm and evolved over decades into an international automobile producer. The museum was established in June, 1994 and is housed in an old...
near Nagoya station. - The NoritakeNoritakeis a porcelain maker headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.- History :Noritake Co., Limited, commonly known as "Noritake," grew out of a trading company established in Tokyo and in New York City by the Morimura Brothers in 1876. In 1904, key members of this trading company created the...
factory: The home of Noritake fine chinaware is open to visitors and allows people to browse through the history of the establishment. Complete with cafe and information/technology displays, as well as shopping facilities, visitors can spend a whole day wandering through the displays and grounds. It also holds a few sad reminders of devastation during the final stages of WWII. - The Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine ArtsNagoya/Boston Museum of Fine ArtsThe is an art museum located in Nagoya, Japan.- History :It is the sister museum of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and was established in partnership with the Foundation for the Arts, Nagoya partly to help bring the treasures of the MFA's collection, particularly those of types rarely exhibited...
(N/BMFA) - The Ōsu shopping district and Ōsu Kannon Temple.
- The Tokugawa Art Museum and the Tokugawaen, a surrounding Japanese garden
- The Nagoya City Science and Art Museums, located in Shirakawa Park, not far from Fushimi Subway Station.
- The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Money Museum, now located near the Akatsuka-shirakabe 赤塚白壁 bus stop on Dekimachi-dori.
- Nagoya Noh Theatre
- Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
- ŌsuŌsuŌsu is a popular area located in the Naka ward of Nagoya, central Japan.Ōsu is a historic area which has many small shops offering everything from Japanese traditional food to handicrafts. A large department store is OSU301...
district with its many shops and temples, such as Ōsu KannonŌsu Kannonis a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect located in Ōsu in central Nagoya, Japan. It belongs to the Owari Thirty-three Kannon.- History :The official name is Kitanosan Shinpuku-ji Hōshō-in, but is populary known as Ōsu Kannon....
and Banshō-jiBanshō-jiBanshō-ji is a small temple located in Ōsu in central Nagoya, Japan.Lord Oda Nobuhide built this Sōtō Buddhist temple in the village of Nagoya in 1540, and invited the priest Daiun to open it. Kato Kiyomasa stayed at the temple, which served as his quarters while he was engaged in the... - Yagoto district with Kōshō-jiKōshō-ji (Nagoya)Kōshō-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple located in Yagoto, Nagoya, in central Japan. It belongs to the Owari Thirty-three Kannon.- History :...
- Shiroyama Hakusan Shrine, formerly Suemori Castle
- Togan-ji
- Nittai-ji
- Nunoike Cathedral
- Nagoya City Museum
- Nagoya City Science Museum
- Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
- IdcN International Design Centre
- Little Italy - Villaggio Italia (closed in 2008)
- Pachinko Museum
- Koma (Spinning Tops) Museum
- Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
- Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum
- Nagoya Agricultural Center
Nagoya is also a starting point for short visits in the surrounding area, such as Inuyama, Little World Museum of Man
Little World Museum of Man
The Little World Museum of Man is an open-air museum near Inuyama, Aichi in central Japan.- History :The museum was founded in 1970. It is also an amusement park. This anthropological museum contained a large number of buildings built according to the native style of over 22 countries. Visitors...
, Meiji Mura
Meiji Mura
is an open-air architectural museum/theme park in Inuyama, near Nagoya in Aichi prefecture, Japan. It was opened on March 18, 1965. The museum preserves historic buildings from Japan's Meiji , Taisho , and early Shōwa periods. Over 60 historical buildings have been moved and reconstructed onto of...
, Kasadera Kannon
Kasadera Kannon
Kasadera Kannon, also known as Ryūfuku-ji is a Buddhist temple located in Minami-ku, Nagoya in central Japan.It is a part of the Owari Thirty-three Kannon.- History :...
, Toyohashi and Arimatsu
Arimatsu
was a town in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It houses the Arimatsu Station of the Meitetsu-Nagoya Line, about 11 km southeast of downtown Nagoya. The town merged into Nagoya on 1 December 1964 and is now a part of Midori-ku, Nagoya....
. Reachable within a two hour radius by car or train are Gifu
Gifu
Gifu may refer to:*Gifu Prefecture, located in the Chūbu region of central Japan*Gifu, Gifu, the capital city of Gifu Prefecture*Gifu , a region located in southcentral Gifu Prefecture*Gifu Castle atop Mt...
, Gujo Hachiman, Gifu, Ise Shrine
Ise Shrine
is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
, Takayama, Gifu
Takayama, Gifu
is a city located in Gifu, Japan. As of July, 2011 the city has an estimated population of 92,369. The total area is .Takayama was settled as far back as the Jōmon period. Takayama is best known for its inhabitants' expertise in carpentry. It is believed carpenters from Takayama worked on the...
, Gero Onsen and the hill stations in the Kiso Valley Magome and Tsumago.
Wards
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
:
|
Mizuho-ku, Nagoya is one of the 16 wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.It includes Mizuho athletics park and Mizuho rugby stadium.... Moriyama-ku, Nagoya is one of the wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.Moriyama Ward has one university, Kinjo University, and a campus of Aichi Prefectural University.... Naka-ku, Nagoya is the heart of Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Largely hemmed in by Sakura-dōri , Ōtsu-dōri , Fushimi-dōri and Tsurumai-dōri , it contains the main shopping area of Sakae, a massive air-conditioned 5 square-kilometer underground mall) and the 'after-five' semi-red light districts of Nishiki and... - administrative center Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya is one of the 16 wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.... Nakamura-ku, Nagoya is one of the 16 wards of Nagoya, Japan.-History:Nakamura Ward is famous as the birthplace of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.The modern ward was officially established on .-Places:Nagoya Station is in the ward's Meieki district... Nishi-ku, Nagoya is one of the 16 wards in the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.-History:The ward was established in .Nishi-Ward is the birthplace of pachinko.-Companies:... Showa-ku, Nagoya is one of the 16 wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.Currently, it has the highest population density of any of the 16 wards of Nagoya City at 9,641 people per square kilometer -Notable Places:... Tempaku-ku, Nagoya is one of the wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.... |
Climate
Demographics
One of the earliest censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
es, carried out in 1889, gave Nagoya's population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
as 157,496. It reached the 1 million mark in 1934 and, as of December 2010, the city had an estimated population of 2,259,993 with a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 6,923 persons per km². Also as of December 2010 there were estimated to be 1,019,859 households in the city — a significant increase from 153,370 at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1945.
The total area is 326.45 km². Its metropolitan area
Chukyo Metropolitan Area
, sometimes called the Chūkyō region , is the name of a major metropolitan area in Japan that is centered on the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. The area makes up the most urban part of the Tōkai region...
extends into Mie
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
and Gifu
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
prefectures, with a total population of about 9 million people, with only Osaka and Tokyo being larger.
Transportation
Nagoya is served by Chūbu Centrair International AirportChubu Centrair International Airport
is an airport on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, south of Nagoya in central Japan.Centrair is classified as a first class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chūbu region of Japan...
(NGO) built on the artificial island off shore of Tokoname
Tokoname, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan.As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 52,301 and the density of 1,023.56 persons per km². The total area is 48.59 km².The city was founded on April 1, 1954....
and by Nagoya Airfield (Komaki Airport, NKM) near the city boundary with Komaki and Kasugai
Kasugai
Kasugai may refer to:* Kasugai, Aichi, a city in Japan* Kasugai, Yamanashi, a town in Japan* Kasugai , a Japanese snack company* Kasugai Station* Nishi Kasugai...
. On February 17, 2005, all of Nagoya Airport's commercial international flights moved to Centrair Airport. Nagoya Airfield is now used for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
facility as well as the main J-Air
J-Air
, is a regional commuter airline with its headquarters in the Terminal Building in Nagoya Airfield and in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan and its main hub at Nagoya Airfield. J-Air previously had its headquarters in Ōmura, Nagasaki Prefecture. Its operations include scheduled...
airline hub.
Nagoya Station
Nagoya Station
is a train station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is one of the world's largest train stations by floor area , and houses the headquarters of the Central Japan Railway Company . Much of this space is located in the "JR Central Towers" atop the station, as well as in underground concourses. The...
, the world's largest train station by floor area, is on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Tōkaidō Main Line
Tokaido Main Line
The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...
, and Chūō Main Line
Chuo Main Line
The , commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, while the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the fastest rail...
, among others. The Nagoya Railroad
Nagoya Railroad
, often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
and Kintetsu
Kintetsu
, named Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in English until June 27, 2003, is a Japanese rail transit corporation commonly known as . It is the largest non-JR railway in Japan. Its complex network of lines connects Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Tsu and Ise...
provide regional rail service to points in the Tōkai
Tokai region
The is a sub-region of the Chūbu region in Japan that runs along the Pacific Ocean. The name means "East sea" and comes from the Tōkaidō, one of the Edo Five Routes...
and Kansai regions. The city is also serviced by the Nagoya Subway.
Nagoya Port
Nagoya Port
The , located in Ise Bay, is the largest and busiest trading port in Japan, accounting for about 10% of the total trade value of Japan. Notably, this port is the largest exporter of cars in Japan and where the Toyota Motor Corporation exports most of its cars...
is the largest port by international trade value in Japan. Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota Motor Corporation
, , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...
uses Nagoya Port for export of their products.
Economy
Nagoya is the center of Greater Nagoya which earned nearly 70 percent of Japan's trade surplus as of 2003.Nagoya's main industry is the automotive business, as many Japanese automotive companies are based out of Nagoya, akin to how many U.S. automakers are based out of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. Toyota is headquartered in Toyota
Toyota, Aichi
is a city located in the Mikawa region of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of Nagoya.Toyota's main plant, the Tsutsumi plant, is located here. The longstanding ties between the Toyota Motor Corporation and the town of Toyota-shi, formerly known as Koromo, gave the town its current...
and Nagoya. Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
has R & D division in Okazaki
Okazaki, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 373,339 and a population density of 964 persons per km². The total area was 387.24 km².-Geography:...
located in a suburb of Nagoya. Many Japanese automotive suppliers such as DENSO
DENSO
is a global automotive components manufacturer headquartered in the city of Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Established December 16, 1949 as , in 1996 the company became DENSO Corporation worldwide...
, Aisin Seiki, Toyota Industries
Toyota Industries
Toyota Industries Corporation is a Japanese machine maker. Originally a manufacturer of automatic looms, it is the company from which Toyota Motor Corporation developed.-History:...
, JTEKT
JTEKT
JTEKT Corporation is a Japanese multibillion corporation created on January 2006 upon the merger of two companies: Koyo Seiko Co. and Toyoda Machine Works....
or Toyota Boshoku
Toyota Boshoku
Toyota Boshoku Corporation is a Japanese corporation. It is a member of the Toyota Group of companies. The Toyota Boshoku Corporation has recently entered into the North America market via Toyota Boshoku America...
etc. are headquartered in Nagoya or suburbs of Nagoya. Furthermore, major automotive suppliers such as Magna International
Magna International
Magna International Inc. , is an automotive supplier headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
or PPG
PPG Industries
PPG Industries is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 60 countries around the globe. Sales in 2010 were $13.4 billion...
also have a presence in Nagoya.
JR Central
Central Japan Railway Company
The is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as . Its headquarters are located in the JR Central Towers in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.The company's operational hub is Nagoya Station...
, which operates the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, is headquartered in Nagoya, as is the fine ceramics company Noritake
Noritake
is a porcelain maker headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.- History :Noritake Co., Limited, commonly known as "Noritake," grew out of a trading company established in Tokyo and in New York City by the Morimura Brothers in 1876. In 1904, key members of this trading company created the...
. As well Brother Industries
Brother Industries
is a diversified Japanese company that produces or imports a wide variety of products including printers, sewing machines, large machine tools, label printers, and typewriters, fax machines, and other computer-related electronics. It markets its multifunction printers as Multi-Function Centers...
which is known for office machines such as multifunction printer
Multifunction printer
An MFP , multifunctional, all-in-one , or Multifunction Device , is an office machine which incorporates the functionality of multiple devices in one, so as to have a smaller footprint in a home or small business setting , or to provide centralized document...
s, NGK
NGK
is a Public Company established in 1936 and based in Nagoya, Japan. NGK is involved in the manufacture and sale of spark plugs and related products for internal-combustion engines and new ceramics and applicable products.-Organization:...
which is known for spark plug
Spark plug
A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed fuels such as aerosol, gasoline, ethanol, and liquefied petroleum gas by means of an electric spark.Spark plugs have an insulated central electrode which is connected by...
s and related products, Nippon Sharyo
Nippon Sharyo
, , formed in 1896, is a major rolling stock manufacturer based in Nagoya, Japan. In 1996, it abbreviated its name to "日本車両" Nippon Sharyō. Its shortest abbreviation is Nissha "日車". It was a listed company on Nikkei 225 until 2004. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Nagoya Stock Exchange...
which is known for manufacturing rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
including the Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
bullet trains and Hoshizaki Electric which is known for commercial ice machines and refrigeration equipment are also headquartered here. The Japanese confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
company Marukawa
Marukawa
is a Japanese manufacturer of confectioneries.Founded in 1888, the Nagoya-based company manufactures the Fūsen brand of bubble gum.-External links:*...
is headquartered in Nagoya. There is also a sizable aerospace, machine tool
Machine tool
A machine tool is a machine, typically powered other than by human muscle , used to make manufactured parts in various ways that include cutting or certain other kinds of deformation...
and electronics industry in the area.
Aerospace-related firms operating in Nagoya include Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
, Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
, Bodycote, Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
, Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. , based in Wichita, Kansas, is the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer. The company builds several important pieces of Boeing aircraft, including the fuselage of the 737, portions of the 787 fuselage, and the cockpit of nearly all of its airliners...
, and Fuji Heavy Industries
Fuji Heavy Industries
, or FHI, is a Japanese transportation conglomerate most known for being the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles. It traces its roots to the Nakajima Aircraft Company, a leading supplier of airplanes to the Japanese government during World War II...
.
Robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
technology is another rapidly developing industry. Mechanized puppets, called "karakuri ningyo", are a traditional craft in the Nagoya area. In addition to the aerospace
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
and robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
industries, a materials engineering industry is also developing in this area.
The World Expo 2005, also known as Aichi Expo was held just outside of Nagoya in the neighboring cities of Nagakute
Nagakute, Aichi
is a town located in Aichi District, Aichi, Japan.On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute...
and Seto
Seto, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan. It is located about 35 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Meitetsu Seto Line.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 133,121, with a household number of 53,253, and the density of 1,192.63 persons per km². The total area is 111.62 km².-...
. The event was held from March 25 to September 25, 2005.
Education
Nagoya has a large number primary and secondary schools, which are mostly state-run. A large number of state and private colleges and universities exist throughout the city as well, with many located on the eastern side of the city. Some educational institutions were founded during the opening of the Meiji era according to a Western system, with more to follow during the Taishō and Shōwa eras. Nagoya UniversityNagoya University
Nagoya University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:...
was set up in 1871 as a medical school. Nanzan University
Nanzan University
is a private, coeducational university located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The main campus is in the Shōwa Ward of Nagoya City, with another in Seto City and a recently established satellite campus near Nagoya's Takaoka Station on the subway Sakura-dōri Line....
was set up by the Jesuits in 1932 as a high school and expanded throughout the decades to include Nanzan Junior College
Nanzan Junior College
is a private junior college in Japan. The College was opened in 1968, and is affiliated with the Nanzan University....
and the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture
Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture
The ' is one of the largest, if not the largest, centers in the world devoted to scholarly research on the interface of philosophy and religions East and West...
. Some universities specialise in engineering and technology such as Nagoya University Engineering school, Nagoya Institute of Technology
Nagoya Institute of Technology
The , or less commonly Nitech, is a public highest-level educational institution of science and technology located in Nagoya, Japan.Nagoya Institute of Technology was founded on 1905 as Nagoya Higher Technical School, renamed Nagoya College of Technology in 1944 then merged under the new...
and Toyota Technological Institute
Toyota Technological Institute
The is a university located in Nagoya, Japan. Founded in 1981 by a large endowment from Toyota Motors Corporation, it originally only accepted students with some industrial work experience....
, since the city is a hub of industrial activity, and receive support and grants from companies such as Toyota.
Other colleges and universities include Aichi Prefectural College of Nursing & Health
Aichi Prefectural College of Nursing & Health
is a public university in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. The school was established in 1995.-External links:*...
, Aichi Shukutoku Junior College
Aichi Shukutoku Junior College
was a junior college in Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.The college was founded in 1961. The predecessor of the school, Aichi Shukutoku Girls High School, was founded in 1905. The college closed in 2001....
, Aichi Toho University
Aichi Toho University
is a private university in Meitō-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 2001. The present name was adopted in 2007....
, Chukyo University
Chukyo University
is a private university in Aichi, Japan, with campuses in Nagoya and Toyota.-External links:*...
, Daido University, Doho University
Doho University
is a private university in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1826, and it was chartered as a 1959. It includes the Nagoya College of Music , also known locally as Meion . The university is affiliated with the Jōdo Shinshū of...
, Kinjo Gakuin University
Kinjo Gakuin University
is a private women's college in Moriyama-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in , and it was chartered as a university 1949. Locally, it is known as the "K" of the "SSK" schools, the other two being Sugiyama Jogakuen, another women's college, and Aichi...
, Kinjo Gakuin University Junior College
Kinjo Gakuin University Junior College
was a junior college in Moriyama-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture Japan.The college was founded in 1950, and closed in 2003....
, Meijo University
Meijo University
is a private university in Japan. Its main campus is in Tempaku-ku, Nagoya, Aichi and it has a satellite campus in Kani, Gifu.- History :The name Meijō derives itself from the abbreviated kanji form of ....
, Nagoya City University
Nagoya City University
, abbreviated to , is one of the public universities in Japan. The main campus is located in Mizuho-ku, Nagoya City. Other three campuses are also located in the city.- History :...
, Nagoya College of Music
Nagoya College of Music
is a private university at Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The school was founded as a junior college in 1965 and became a four-year college in 1976. The school is also known locally as Meion . It is part of Doho University.-External links:*...
, Nagoya Future Culture College
Nagoya Future Culture College
is a private junior college in Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, established in 1950.-External links:*...
, Nagoya Gakuin University
Nagoya Gakuin University
is a small, private university located in Nagoya, Japan . Founded in 1887 by Dr. Frederick C. Klein, an American Methodist minister, Nagoya Gakuin University follows the principles of “fearing God and loving people” in trying to educate students "to become virtuous and gentle people with care and...
, Nagoya Management Junior College
Nagoya Management Junior College
is a private junior college very close to the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Originally established as a women's junior college in 1965, the school became coeducational in 2000....
, Nagoya Women's University
Nagoya Women's University
is a private women's university in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan with campuses at Tempaku-ku and Mizuho-ku. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1915, and it was chartered as a junior college in 1950....
, St. Mary’s College, Nagoya, Sugiyama Jogakuen University
Sugiyama Jogakuen University
is a private women's college in Hoshigaoka in Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1905 as a sewing school, and it was chartered as a university in 1949....
, Sugiyama Jogakuen University Junior College
Sugiyama Jogakuen University Junior College
was a junior college in Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and was part of the Sugiyama Jogakuen network.* The Junior College was founded in 1969 as an attached to Sugiyama Jogakuen University....
, Tokai Gakuen Women’s College
Tokai Gakuen Women’s College
was a junior college in Tenpaku-ku, Nagoya, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and was part of the Tokai Gakuen network.The Junior College was founded in 1964. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1888....
. Various universities from outside Nagoya have set up satellite campuses, such as Tokyo University of Social Welfare
Tokyo University of Social Welfare
is a private university in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan, established in 2000.It has campuses in Nagoya and Isesaki, Gunma also.-External links:*...
.
The Hōsa Library
Hōsa Library
The Hōsa Library is a library located on the compound of the Ōzone Shimoyashiki in Nagoya, central Japan.- History :It was established by Tokugawa Yoshinao, the first lord of the Owari Domain, as an official archive. It was transferred from the Tokugawa family to Nagoya City in 1950...
dates back to the 17th century and houses 110,000 items including classic literature, an heirloom of the Owari Tokugawa bequeathed to the city. The Nagoya City Archives
Nagoya City Archives
Nagoya City Archives is a historic building located in the city of Nagoya, central Japan.It was constructed in 1922 during the Taisho era, when western influences in architecture were increasingly fashionable in Japan. It was originally build as the Nagoya Court of Appeals building. It is...
have a large collection of documents and books. Tsuruma Central Library
Tsuruma Central Library
is a library serving Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. It was established in 1923 but burned down in 1945 in the Second World War and reopened in 1952. It is closed every Monday, unless that Monday is a national holiday, in which case the library is instead closed on the next weekday...
is a public library and Nagoya International Center
Nagoya International Center
The Nagoya International Center is a non-profit organization based in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan...
has a collection of foreign-language books.
Culture
Culture runs deep in Nagoya, as it was a major trading city and political seat of the Owari lords, the most important house of the Tokugawa clan. The Owari lords actively encouraged trade and the arts under their patronage, especially Tokugawa MuneharuTokugawa Muneharu
was a daimyo in Japan during the Edo period. He was the seventh Tokugawa lord of the Owari Domain, and one of the gosanke.- Biography :Muneharu was the 20th son of Tokugawa Tsunanari by a concubine, and a great-great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu...
, the 7th lord of Owari, who took a keen interest in drama and plays and lived a lavish lifestyle. Under his rule, famous actors and actresses began to come to Nagoya, creating a bustling city life. The patronage of the arts and culture was emulated and supported by the wealthy merchants of the city. The cultural life continued to flourish after the end of the feudal Edo period and the beginning of the modern Meiji era. The destruction brought on by World War II however was unprecedented in the history of the city. Many old buildings and artefacts were destroyed during the American bombing raids and subsequent fires, grave losses of Japan's cultural heritage. Nevertheless the economical and thus financial power of the region and the city in the post-war years has reconstructed and rekindled the artistic and cultural scene.
Museums
Nagoya Castle has a collection of objects from the Owari Tokugawa era. The main tower is a museum that details the history of the castle and the city. The Honmaru Palace, destroyed in World War II, is slated for reconstruction by 2016 and will again be a prime example of the Shoin-zukuri
Shoin-zukuri
is a style of Japanese residential architecture used in the mansions of the military, temple guest halls, and Zen abbot's quarters of the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods . It forms the basis of today's traditional-style Japanese house. Characteristics of the shoin-zukuri development were the...
architecture of the feudal era. The Tokugawa Art Museum is a private museum belonging to the Owari Tokugawa, who lived in Nagoya castle for 16 generations. Among other things, it contains 10 designated national treasures of Japan
National treasures of Japan
National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...
, including some of the oldest scrolls of The Tale of Genji
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...
. The Nagoya Noh Theatre houses various precious objects of Noh theatre. The Nagoya City Museum
Nagoya City Museum
The Nagoya City Museum is a museum of the city of Nagoya in central Japan.- History :The museum of history was established in 1977 ....
showcases the history of the town.
Paintings and sculpture are also exhibited at the Nagoya City Art Museum
Nagoya City Art Museum
The Nagoya City Art Museum is located in the city of Nagoya in central Japan.The museum building itself was constructed by Kisho Kurokawa, one of the leading Japanese architects, from 1983-1987....
, as well as modern art in the Aichi Arts Center
Aichi Arts Center
is the main venue for the performing arts in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.The center consists of:*Aichi Prefectural Museum*Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater**Main Hall**Concert Hall*Aichi Prefectural Arts Promotion Service*Aichi Prefectural Library...
. The Aichi Arts Center also is the venue of rotating exhibitions. The city is also home to the Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts
The is an art museum located in Nagoya, Japan.- History :It is the sister museum of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and was established in partnership with the Foundation for the Arts, Nagoya partly to help bring the treasures of the MFA's collection, particularly those of types rarely exhibited...
, a sister museum to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
, which was founded to bring aspects of the MFA's collection to Japan.
The art of porcelain and ceramics can be seen at the Noritake Garden
Noritake Garden
The Noritake Garden is located in the city of Nagoya in central Japan.- History :Noritake is a leading company in the Japanese ceramics industry since over 100 years, based in Nagoya...
. Toyota has two museums in the city, the Toyota Automobile Museum
Toyota Automobile Museum
The is a large museum showcasing Toyota's storied past. It is a large complex located in Nagakute city, a city close to Nagoya, Japan. Unlike the Toyota USA Automobile Museum, however, the museum in Nagoya also features many cars from other manufacturers -such as Alfa Romeo and DeLorean Motor...
which shows vintage cars, and the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
The , also known as Toyota Tecno Museum, is a technology museum located in Nishi-ku in the city of Nagoya, central Japan.- History :Toyota started as a textile firm and evolved over decades into an international automobile producer. The museum was established in June, 1994 and is housed in an old...
, which showcases the long history of the company when it started as a textile mill.
The Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum
Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum
The Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum is located in the city of Nagoya, central Japan.The museum houses a collection of the city's old subway trains and trams. The museum visitors can practice driving Nagoya's present-day subway trains and older models of streetcars using Playstation-style computer...
has a number of old trams and subway cars, as well as the Nagoya City Science Museum
Nagoya City Science Museum
The Nagoya City Science Museum is a museum located in Sakae, Nagoya in central Japan.The museum houses one of Japan's largest planetariums in the astronomy section and has three main sections on modern technology, life sciences and general science with a variety of hands-on exhibits...
. The SCMaglev and Railway Park opened in March 2011 with various trains from the Central Japan Railway Company.
Arts museums that are located close to Nagoya in Aichi prefecture are the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
The Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum is an art museum located in the city of Nagoya, central Japan.- History :The museum was established in 1978 to showcase the history of Japanese pottery found in the area of Owari Province, today Aichi Prefecture...
and the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
The Toyota Municipal Museum of Art is an art museum located in the city of Toyota, Aichi in central Japan.- History :The museum features works by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Edvard Munch, and others...
. Meiji Mura
Meiji Mura
is an open-air architectural museum/theme park in Inuyama, near Nagoya in Aichi prefecture, Japan. It was opened on March 18, 1965. The museum preserves historic buildings from Japan's Meiji , Taisho , and early Shōwa periods. Over 60 historical buildings have been moved and reconstructed onto of...
is an open-air museum with salvaged buildings from the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras.
Theatres
NohNoh
, or - derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent" - is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and...
theatre and Kyōgen
Kyogen
is a form of traditional Japanese comic theater. It developed alongside Noh, was performed along with Noh as an intermission of sorts between Noh acts, on the same Noh stage, and retains close links to Noh in the modern day; therefore, it is sometimes designated Noh-kyōgen...
have a deep-rooted tradition that dates back to the feudal times of the Owari Tokugawa. The Nagoya Noh Theatre
Nagoya Noh Theatre
The Nagoya Noh Theatre is a Noh drama theatre building located in the city of Nagoya, central Japan.- History :The history of Noh in Owari Province dates back to the heydays of feudal rule, when performances were shown at the Ninomaru Palace of Nagoya Castle...
at Nagoya Castle continues that tradition and is a prominent feature in the cultural life of the city, with monthly performances.
One of the grand stages of Kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
in Japan is Misono-za
Misono-za
The is a theatre in the city of Nagoya, central Japan. It was originally constructed in 1800's and presents kabuki and Western stage plays.- External links :*...
, which also hosts various other Japanese theatre plays and entertainment forms such as concerts.
In the 1992, the large, modern Aichi Arts Center
Aichi Arts Center
is the main venue for the performing arts in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.The center consists of:*Aichi Prefectural Museum*Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater**Main Hall**Concert Hall*Aichi Prefectural Arts Promotion Service*Aichi Prefectural Library...
was opened in Sakae. It is the main venue for performing arts, featuring a main hall that can be used for opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and theatre, and a concert hall. The Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra
Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra
The is a symphony orchestra based in Nagoya, Japan, founded in 1966. The orchestra gives concerts primarily at the Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater Concert Hall and the Chukyo University Center for Culture & Arts Aurora Hall.- History :...
gives its performances there, as well as many visiting guest orchestras from abroad.
Cultural Path
The civic authorities try to promote tourism and have taken steps to safeguard architectural heritage by earmarking them as important cultural assets. Apart from the castle, temples, shrines and museums in the city, a "Cultural Path" was instituted in the 1980s, located between the Tokugawa Art Museum and Nagoya Castle. This old residential area has some historic buildings such as the Nagoya City Archives, the Nagoya City Hall main building, the Aichi Prefectural Office main building, the Futaba Museum, the former residence of Sasuke Toyoda, the former residence of Tetsujiro Haruta and the Chikaramachi Catholic Church. Most buildings date from the Meiji and Taisho era and are protected historical sites.Festivals
Apart from the main national festivalsJapanese festivals
Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs....
and holidays, there are festivals in Nagoya
Festivals in Nagoya
There are many festivals held in the city of Nagoya in central Japan. These festivals take place throughout the year. Apart from the main national festivals and holidays, which are celebrated across the entire country, Nagoya has its own unique festivals...
which are unique to the city and region.
Major events include the Atsuta Festival at Atsuta Shrine in June, the Port Festival at Nagoya Port in July, the Nagoya Castle Summer Festival in August at Nagoya Castle and the Nagoya Festival held in October at the Hisaya Ōdori Park. Various smaller festivals exist and different wards and areas of the city have their own local festivals as well, such as the in Ōsu.
Dialect
The is a dialectJapanese dialects
The comprise many regional variants. The lingua franca of Japan is called hyōjungo or kyōtsūgo , and while it was based initially on the Tokyo dialect, the language of Japan's capital has since gone in its own direction to become one of Japan's many dialects...
of the Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
spoken in the western half of Aichi Prefecture, centering on the city of Nagoya. It is also called since the area was formerly part of Owari Province. The Nagoya dialect is relatively near to standard Japanese and has proximities to the Kansai dialect, albeit with its own distinct pronunciation and vocabulary.
Handicrafts
The industry of Japanese handicraftsJapanese handicrafts
The many and varied traditional handicrafts of Japan are officially recognised and protected and, owing to the folk art movement, are much in demand. Some enjoy status as a meibutsu or regional specialty. Each craft demands a set of specialized skills...
in the city dates back hundreds of years and is still kept alive today.
- Arimatsu and Narumi dye: during the construction of Nagoya Castle in the 17th century, the lords of Owari called in skilled craftsmen from the Bungo ProvinceBungo Provincewas a province of Japan in eastern Kyūshū in the area of Ōita Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Buzen Province. Bungo bordered Buzen, Hyūga, Higo, Chikugo, and Chikuzen Provinces.-History:...
in KyushuKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, known for their tie-dyed fabric technique. These craftsmen and their families were treated generously by the Owari lords and settled in the Arimatsu und Narumi neighbourhoods of Nagoya. In the tie-dyed fabric technique, only the base fabric is dyed, leaving a parts that were tied together as white spots. This highly specialised process takes half to one year to complete a piece of cloth.
- Straps for getaGeta (footwear)Geta are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resemble both clogs and flip-flops. They are a kind of sandal with an elevated wooden base held onto the foot with a fabric thong to keep the foot well above the ground. They are worn with traditional Japanese clothing such as kimono or yukata,...
clogClog (shoe)A clog is a type of footwear made in part or completely from wood.The Oxford English Dictionary defines a clog as a "thick piece of wood", and later as a "wooden soled overshoe" and a "shoe with a thick wooden sole"....
s: wooden clogs called geta were the shoes of the feudal era. The lords of Owari devised their own unique pattern for the cotton straps of the clogs and ordered them to be woven by local weavers. The technique has been passed from generation to generation. The making of these specially-designed cotton straps for wooden clogs began when the lord of the Owari clan devised his own unique pattern and ordered it to be woven by a local weaver. The technique has developed over the generations. The straps became stronger and more resilient but more comfortable for the feet with the discovery of cotton velvet.
- Shippo: the technique for enamelware called shippo was introduced to Japan from the Netherlands towards the end of the Edo period. The patterns used look almost transparent and are often used on pottery.
- Candles: for Japanese candles wax is taken from a wax tree, and painted around a rope made out of grass and Japanese paper (washiWashiis a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub , or the paper mulberry, but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat...
) over and over again into layers. When cut in half, the candle looks as if it grew like a tree with rings. Japanese candles produce less smoke and are harder to blow out, since the wick tends to be larger. Artists paint the candles in coloured patterns.
- Yuzen: the art of silk dyeing was introduced to Nagoya by craftsmen from Kyoto during the rule of the Owari Togukawa. The initial designs were extravagant and brightly coloured, but over time became more muted and light-coloured.
- Sekku Ningyo: these are festival dolls, introduced by markets that were held all over Japan during the Meiji era. Nagoya craftsmen rank amongst the top producers of festival dolls in the country.
Cuisine
Nagoya is known for unique local cuisine Nagoya meshi. Some famous Nagoya foods:- tebasaki: chicken wings marinated in a sweet sauce with sesame seeds, basically a type of yakitoriYakitori, grilled chicken, is commonly a Japanese type of skewered chicken. The term Yakitori can also refer to skewered food in general. Kushiyaki , is a formal term that encompasses both poultry and non-poultry items, skewered and grilled...
. - kishimen: flat udonUdonis a type of thick wheat-flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in its simplest form as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru which is made of dashi, soy sauce , and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions...
noodles with a slippery texture. It should be dipped in a light soy sauce soup and a sliced leekLeekThe leek, Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum , also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs, along with the onion and garlic, to family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Allioideae...
or other flavouring added. It can be eaten cold or hot. - red miso dishes: various dishes that use red misoMisois a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus , the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso...
exist, such as miso katsu (pork cutletTonkatsuTonkatsu , invented in the late 19th century, is a popular dish in Japan. It consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet one to two centimeters thick and sliced into bite-sized pieces, generally served with shredded cabbage and/or miso soup...
with sweet miso sauce), miso nikomi udon (hard udon stewed in miso soup), miso oden (miso taste odenOdenOden is a Japanese winter dish consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon radish, konnyaku, and processed fish cakes stewed in a light, soy-flavoured dashi broth. Ingredients vary according to region and between each household...
), and dote nabe (miso nabemonoNabemonoNabemono or simply called nabe, is a term referring to all varieties of Japanese steamboat dishes, also known as one pot dishes....
with meat and vegetables). - Nagoya kōchin: a special breed of free-range chicken. This is a breed of chicken that has been cross-bred between a Nagoya chicken and a cochinCochin (chicken)The Cochin or Cochin China, originally known as the Chinese Shanghai, is a breed of chicken.The name Cochin came from the original Chinese name 九斤黄, meaning nine jin yellow, erroneously conflated with the then-current names for what are now parts of southern India and Vietnam, where jin is a...
. The time until maturity is 2.5 times the normal broiler chicken, and its meat is said to be juicy and tender. - uirōUirois a traditional Japanese steamed cake made of rice flour and sugar. It is chewy, similar to mochi, and subtly sweet. Flavors, among others, include azuki bean paste, green tea , yuzu, strawberry and chestnut...
: rice dumpling made by mixing rice flour with a little sugar and then steaming the mixture in a steamer. The name is said to have come from a Chinese medicine that resembled it in colour. It is assumed that the medicine was brought by Chinese medicine vendors to Japan more than 600 years ago. - tenmusu: rice ballOnigiri, also known as or rice ball, is a Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and often wrapped in nori . Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled ume , salted salmon, katsuobushi, kombu, tarako, or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural preservative...
wrapped in layer with tenpura at the centre. This dish originated in TsuTsu, Mieis the capital of Mie Prefecture, Japan. The city of Tsu is located on Ise Bay, east of the city. Tsu is bounded to the north by Suzuka and Kameyama; to the west by Iga, Nabari, and Nara Prefecture; and to the south by Matsuzaka city.-History:...
and became popular in Nagoya. - moriguchi pickles: pickles use the Moriguchi daikonDaikonDaikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...
. The radish, about two metres long and two centimetres in diameter is pickled in barrels of sake and other seasoning. The radish is so long that you have to pack them along the inner wall of the barrel, one on top of the other. - Hitsumabushi: rice dish with unagiUnagiUnagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eels, especially the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica. Saltwater eels are known as anago in Japanese. Unagi are a common ingredient in Japanese cooking...
in a lidded wooden container. This dish is enjoyed three way; eat as unadonUnadonAn Unadon is a popular donburi dish made with unagi kabayaki, grilled eel coated with a sweet sauce....
, eat with spice and eat as chazuke.
Sports
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chunichi Dragons Chunichi Dragons The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:... |
Baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond... |
Central League Central League The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League... |
Nagoya Dome Nagoya Dome Nagoya Dome , constructed in 1997, is a baseball field, located in the city of Nagoya, Japan. The dome has the capacity to seat up to 38,414 people . It is an example of a geodesic dome.... |
1936 |
| Nagoya Grampus Nagoya Grampus are a Japanese association football club that play in the J. League. Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and originally founded as the company team of the Toyota Motor Corp... |
Football Football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball... |
J. League J. League The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese... |
Mizuho Athletic Stadium Mizuho Athletic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Nagoya, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the part time home stadium of Nagoya Grampus along with Toyota Stadium... , Toyota Stadium Toyota Stadium is a 45,000 seat retractable roof stadium in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was built in 2001 and is often used as home to the J. League club Nagoya Grampus... |
1993 |
| Nagoya Oceans Nagoya Oceans is a Japanese futsal club.- Trophies :*AFC Futsal Club Championship: 1**Winners: 2011*All-Japan Championship: 1**Winners: 2007*F. League: 3**Winners: 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10-Current players:... |
Futsal Futsal Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"... |
F. League F. League The F. League is the top league for Futsal in Japan. The winning team obtains the participation right to the AFC Futsal Club Championship.- Overview:... |
Taiyo Yakuhin Arena | 2006 |
In 2007, the Chunichi Dragons won the Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
baseball championship. In 2010, Nagoya Grampus won the J. League championship, their first in team history.
Nagoya is also home of the Shonai FC amateur football club and Nagoya Barbarians semi-pro rugby football club. Since 1984 the city has hosted the Nagoya Marathon
Nagoya Marathon
The is an annual marathon race for female runners over the classic distance of 42 km and 195 metres, held in Nagoya, Japan in early March every year. It holds IAAF Silver Label road race status....
; an annual marathon race for women.
A honbasho
Honbasho
A is an official professional sumo tournament. There are six held each year, a system established in 1958. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi ....
or sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
tournament is held every July at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
The is an all purpose gymnasium in Aichi, Japan, built in 1964. Located on the site of the secondary enclosure of Nagoya Castle, it is host to numerous concerts and events...
. See also The Crowns
The Crowns
is a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. The official Japanese name of this competition is "".The tournament record is 260 . It was set by Masashi Ozaki in 1995. The tournament has been played at the Wago Course at the Nagoya Golf Club since the tournament's inception in 1960. The course...
golf tournament.
Sister cities
Nagoya has five sister cities around the world:Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, United States Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, China Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
The Nagoya International Center
Nagoya International Center
The Nagoya International Center is a non-profit organization based in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan...
promotes international exchange in the local community.
Leaders
- Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
(1534–1582) came from Kiyosu CastleKiyosu Castleis a castle that acted as a base of operations for Oda Nobunaga during the latter half of the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. It is located in the city of Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan....
in Owari ProvinceOwari Provincewas an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646.... - Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
(1536–1598) was one of Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
’s top generals. - Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasuwas the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
(1543–1616) was born in Mikawa ProvinceMikawa Provinceis an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
, (the eastern half of modern Aichi prefecture).
Inventors/industrialists
- Sakichi ToyodaSakichi Toyodawas a Japanese inventor and industrialist. He was born in Kosai, Shizuoka. The son of a poor carpenter, Toyoda is referred to as the "King of Japanese Inventors".- Career :...
(1867–1930) was a prolific inventor from Shizuoka PrefectureShizuoka Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun... - Kiichiro ToyodaKiichiro Toyodawas a Japanese entrepreneur and the son of Toyoda Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. His decision to take Toyoda Loom Works into automobile manufacturing would create what would eventually become Toyota Motor Corporation, the world's largest automobile manufacturer....
(1894–1952), son of Sakichi Toyoda, established Toyota Motor Corporation - Akio MoritaAkio MoritaAkio Morita KBE was a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony Corporation along with Masaru Ibuka.-Early life:...
(1921–1999) (from nearby Tokoname, AichiTokoname, Aichiis a city located in Aichi, Japan.As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 52,301 and the density of 1,023.56 persons per km². The total area is 48.59 km².The city was founded on April 1, 1954....
), co-founder of SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
.
Writers
- Yokoi YayūYokoi Yayūwas a Japanese samurai best known for his haibun, a scholar of Kokugaku, and haikai poet. He was born , and took the pseudonym Tatsunojō. His family are believed to be descendants of Hōjō Tokiyuki.- Life :...
(1702–1783) was a Haiku poet and Samurai in Owari DomainOwari DomainThe was a feudal domain of Japan in the Edo period. Located in what is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture, it encompassed parts of Owari, Mino, and Shinano provinces. Its headquarters were at Nagoya Castle. At its peak, it was rated at 619,500 koku, and was the largest holding of the... - Asahi Monzaemon was a GenrokuGenrokuwas a after Jōkyō and before Hōei. This period spanned the years from September 1688 through March 1704. The reigning emperor was .The years of Genroku are generally considered to be the Golden Age of the Edo Period. The previous hundred years of peace and seclusion in Japan had created relative...
samurai in Nagoya and left a diary spanning the years 1684-1717
Musicians/composers
- KiyoharuKiyoharu, better known by his given and stage name, is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter, known for his work with Kuroyume and Sads. In 2003 he began his solo career, performing as both a singer and guitarist.- Independent career and Kuroyume :...
- Koji KondoKoji Kondois a Japanese video game composer and sound director who has been employed at Nintendo since 1984. He is best known for scoring numerous titles in the Mario and The Legend of Zelda series.-Early life:...
- SeamoSEAMOis a Japanese rapper and hip-hop artist better known under his alias Seamo . He made his debut in 2004 using the alias , but later changed his name to Seamo. He made his solo debut in 2005 with the Japanese record label BMG Japan with the single...
- Kazuki KatoKazuki Katois a Japanese actor and singer from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. He is known most notably for his role as Daisuke Kazama aka Kamen Rider Drake in Kamen Rider Kabuto and Keigo Atobe in The Prince of Tennis musicals.- Drama :...
- LullatoneLullatoneLullatone is a popular music group based in Nagoya, Japan, whose music is characterized by an innocent, child-like quality and spare, lo-fi sounds. Although the group refers to their style of music as "pajama-pop", it is commonly included in such musical subgenres as Twee pop, Indie pop and...
- Jasmine YouJasmine YouJasmine You was a Japanese musician, best known as original bassist of the symphonic metal band Versailles. In 1998 Jasmine You entered the visual kei music scene after joining Jakura, who managed to become pretty successful before disbanding in 2003. In 2006 he was invited by his long-time...
- Shinichi Suzuki
- HazukiHazukiHazuki is a Japanese name and can refer to:*Riona Hazuki*Hazuki Tanaka*Erino Hazuki*Ryo Hazuki, the protagonist in the video game series, Shenmue*Iwao Hazuki*Hazuki Shiina, a character in the anime and manga series Legend of Light....
- nobodyknows+
Actors
- Naoko MoriNaoko Moriis a British-Japanese actress known for roles as Sarah, Saffron's "odd" friend in Absolutely Fabulous, Mie Nishikawa in Casualty, and Toshiko Sato in Doctor Who and Torchwood.-Early life:...
- The Nose sisters: Anna, Erena, and Karina
- Hiroshi TamakiHiroshi Tamakiis a Japanese actor, singer, and model from Nagoya, Japan. When he was still in high school, he was discovered by a talent agent while out shopping with friends. He made his debut in the drama Am I Weird? in 1998...
- Haruhiko Kato
Sports stars
- Midori ItoMidori Itois a former Japanese figure skater. She is the 1989 World Champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist. She is the first woman to land a triple/triple jump combination and a triple axel in competition. She is also the first woman to land seven triple jumps in a free program, which she did at the...
- Mao AsadaMao Asadais a Japanese figure skater.She is the 2010 Winter Olympic silver medalist, the 2008 & 2010 World champion, the 2008 & 2010 Four Continents champion, a two-time Grand Prix Final champion, the 2005 World Junior champion, the 2004–2005 Junior Grand Prix Final champion and a four-time Japanese...
- Mai AsadaMai Asadais a Japanese figure skater. She was the 2004–2005 Japanese junior national silver medalist.Mai Asada studied ballet before taking up skating at the age of eight or nine....
- Miki AndoMiki Andois a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2007 and 2011 World Champion, 2011 Four Continents Champion, 2004 World Junior Champion, and a three-time Japanese National Champion....
- Último Dragón
Nagoya in films
Nagoya, especially Nagoya Castle, has been featured in three Godzilla movies, King Kong vs. GodzillaKing Kong vs. Godzilla
is a 1962 Japanese science fiction kaiju film produced by Toho Studios. Directed by Ishirō Honda with visual effects by Eiji Tsuburaya, the film starred Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, and Mie Hama. It was the third installment in the Japanese series of films featuring the monster Godzilla...
, Mothra vs. Godzilla
Mothra vs. Godzilla
is a 1964 science fiction kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda. It was the fourth film to be released in the Godzilla series, produced by Toho Company Ltd...
, and Godzilla vs. Mothra
Godzilla vs. Mothra
, translated in English as Godzilla vs. Mothra, is the 19th installment in the Godzilla series of films. It is the sixth film to feature Mothra and the only film to feature Battra. The movie was released theatrically in Japan on December 12, 1992...
. The city is also featured in the Gamera movie, Gamera vs. Gyaos
Gamera vs. Gyaos
is a 1967 daikaiju eiga featuring the giant turtle Gamera by the Daiei Motion Picture Company. Gamera vs. Gyaos was released in the United States by AIP-TV as Return of the Giant Monsters, and later by Sandy Frank as Gamera vs. Gaos...
and the main setting of the 2003 film Gozu
Gozu
is a Japanese cult film directed by Takashi Miike.-Plot:Structurally, Gozu is a succession of bizarre scenes sandwiched between a storyline involving Minami’s search for his Yakuza brother Ozaki in a small town, that is reminiscent of the episodic quests in Greek Mythology.-Cast:*Hideki Sone as...
and the 1993 American film Mr. Baseball
Mr. Baseball
Mr. Baseball is a 1992 American film that starred Tom Selleck and was directed by Fred Schepisi.-Plot:Jack Elliot is an aging American baseball player put on the trading block by the New York Yankees in favor of a rookie first-baseman , and there's only one taker: the Nagoya Chunichi Dragons of...
starring Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck
Thomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
. Nagoya was the setting for the 2007 movie, Ashita e no yuigon
Best Wishes for Tomorrow
Best Wishes for Tomorrow is a Japanese film by director Takashi Koizumi and based on the novel Nagai Tabi by Shohei Ooka.-Plot summary:...
(translated as Best Wishes for Tomorrow), in which a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
war criminal sets out to take responsibility for the execution of U.S. Airmen.