Nagoya Castle Ruins

Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum

Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum is located on the southern end of the Nagoya Castle ruins and is an invaluable educational asset for the history of and future cultural interactions between Japan and Korea. Nagoya Castle was constructed for Hideyoshi Toyotomi between 1591 and 1592 and served as a vantage point for generals to prepare for Japan’s invasions of Korea. Today, the only remains of the once sprawling complex are stone walls and 23 daimyo campsites. The museum’s three main goals are to illustrate the millennia of history between Japan and Korea, preserve and excavate Nagoya Castle ruins (designated as a special historic site), and facilitate cultural learning and academic exchange between Japan and Korea. The museum’s permanent exhibitions, located on the second floor, display hundreds of artifacts that recount the history before, during, and after Nagoya Castle, as well as information about the present day historical site. The facility’s most recent permanent addition is the Golden Tea Room, which is a recreation of one that was located in the castle. Observe countless artifacts from ancient times to more recent eras, including pottery, statues, letters, maps, textbooks, and more. The museum also features models that provide a visual representation of the castle in its heyday. The museum’s first floor is dedicated to exchange between Japan and Korea, and has a hall with a capacity for 500 people, as well as a reading room. Here, the facility offers Korean language courses (every Saturday) and facilitates cultural exchanges between Japanese and Korean students (elementary to high school) and local residents.