Nagoya, Japan

Nagoya is the 4th largest city in Japan.  Much of it was destroyed during air raids in World War 2, but several historical artifacts were preserved - and the rest of the city was completely rebuilt.  This gives Nagoya a relatively "new" feel.  It's definitely more laid-back than Tokyo and Osaka.

During 2003, I was spending weeks of my time in Japan - overseeing the production of several video games at Japanese game developers.  This meant that I had weekends to myself, so I decided to venture out beyond Tokyo.  One of my stops was Nagoya - simply to see the famous Nagoya Castle:

It's impressive.  It was originally built in 1612 (major restoration was done after WWII) and is perhaps best-known for the golden dolphins (kinshachi) on the roof:

I know, it's hard to see...

A close-up, so you can see what they actually look like

View from the top of the castle...

I just love the Japanese castles.  The minimalist approach, he symmetry and beauty of the architecture, the quiet that surrounds each building...I just love 'em.

Like any good castle, it has a moat - to keep those pesky ninjas out:

As many of you know, the cherry blossoms in Japan are breath-taking.  The Nagoya Castle has extraordinary gardens surrounding the grounds and in April, it looks amazing:

In the Spring, the castle gardens show off Cherry Blossoms, Wisteria, and Peony.  In the Summer, you find Hydrangea and Iris.  In the Winter, you'll find Japanese witch hazel and chrysanthemums:

Another great place to visit, is the Atsuta-jingu shrine.  This particular shrine was founded about 1,900 years ago.  It's probably one of the three most-sacred sites in Japan.  The Shinto site actually enshrines the Sun Goddess Amaterasu:

Inside, they have what's called a "treasure storehouse" that houses an Imperial sword from hundreds of years ago:

Like many shrines and temples, there is a colorful display of Sake barrels just outside the main gate:

In the actual downtown portion of Nagoya, you see the modern contrast to all of these ancient sites:

One interesting part is called Oasis 21 - a real funky-looking building, right next to a major TV tower.  It's a major shopping destination:

You can see all of this in one day...if you move at a decent pace.  That's the Robison method, you know ; )