A Relaxed Day Around Nagoya Castle with my friend.

Today, I went for a casual stroll to Nagoya Castle with my friend.

In the midst of a hectic routine, I decided to escape into history—and Nagoya Castle was just the place.
We wanted to refresh without overplanning, so our theme for the day was simple: “Just exploring.”

Lunch, a park walk, a surprise event, dessert…
It turned into a much fuller day than expected, so I decided to capture what we enjoyed today.

Chatting under the trees in Meijo Park & spotting the IG Arena under construction

We met at Meijo Koen Station at 10 AM. The weather was nice and a perfect day for a walk.

The park was filled with open greenery and benches and families enjoying picnics, creating such a calm and cozy vibe.

As we strolled through the park, something caught my eye: a large building under construction.

Suddenly, a large building under construction caught my eye.

As I got closer, I realized it was the “IG Arena” currently under construction. Although it’s not yet complete, it already has a great sense of scale, and I was excited to think about what kind of events will be held here in the future.

We found out it was the upcoming IG Arena! It’s still under construction, but even now, the scale is impressive. I couldn’t help getting excited about all the events that might be held there once it opens.

Cherry blossoms weren’t in bloom, but the greenery had its own charm and made us more excited to visit Nagoya Castle.

Time for Nagoya-meshi at Kinshachi Yokocho!

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We got hungry, so we headed to Kinshachi Yokocho, right next to Nagoya Castle.
It was crowded with both tourists and locals, and picking a spot to eat while chatting was part of the fun.

The buildings here are styled like an old Edo-period town, so it feels like stepping back in time.

We ended up at “Yabaton” in Kinshachi Yokocho—a famous miso katsu spot I’d come across on Instagram.

The crispy cutlet and sweet-savory red miso sauce were a perfect match—pure Nagoya flavor!

This lunch made me feel like SO Nagoya!

Stumbling upon a BMX event in the castle grounds (Ninomaru East Square)

After lunch, we walked into the Nagoya Castle grounds, and from Ninomaru East Square, we heard music and cheering.
Turns out, there was a BMX event happening!

Of course, we stopped to watch. The tricks were incredible, and the crowd was super into it—we found ourselves totally drawn in.

With the castle’s stone walls in the background, it felt like history and modern culture coming together in the most unexpected and striking way.

I never knew Nagoya Castle hosted events like this!
Apparently, they hold all sorts of events regularly, which makes me want to come again on a different day.

A sweet break at “Nagono Chaya”

After walking around a lot, we took a break at Nagono Chaya, a calm, traditional Japanese-style café.
The peaceful atmosphere was the perfect contrast to the energy of the BMX event—just what we needed.

I ordered the matcha parfait, which came with shiratama, anko, and a dusting of matcha powder. It was so pretty, and Instagrammable.

But it wasn’t just photogenic—it was delicious, too.
The balance of bitterness and sweetness in the matcha was just right. Every bite was like a sweet little luxury.

My friend got the Anmitsu with ice cream, which also hit the spot.
We ended the stop with a cup of matcha and a traditional sweet—as sweet as it gets, without being too sweet.
The matcha-perfect little reward after all that walking.　

Enjoying the paid area of Nagoya Castle to the fullest

Next up, we went into the paid zone of Nagoya Castle.
A nice perk: you can get your ticket stamped for re-entry!

We started at Seinan Gura Shirohōkan, where we took our time viewing the exhibits, then headed to the Honmaru Palace.

We couldn’t go up to the tenshukaku this time, but spotting the golden shachihoko still gave us that “Nagoya Castle feeling.”

There’s also a café inside the grounds, so we grabbed a quick coffee break in the middle.
Being able to rest whenever we got tired made the large grounds feel even more welcoming.

Thanks to the re-entry system, you can return and explore at our own pace, without feeling rushed.
We truly got to enjoy Nagoya Castle in a relaxed, fulfilling way.

A modern coffee stop at “POPOVER”

Afterward, we stopped by a café called POPOVER, which my friend had been curious about for a while—and wow, what a find!

We ordered two drinks: the homemade ginger & lime soda and berry orange. Both were so refreshing and popped with natural flavors.

Also, their homemade hojicha gelato was definitely the highlight of this sweet moment.

Rich, aromatic, and smooth—it was like the best of Japanese and Western sweets rolled into one.

This unexpected mix of tradition and trend made me like this area even more.

Wrapping up the day with dinner at “saien”

To end our day, we wandered into a restaurant called saien, totally by chance—and it turned out to be amazing.

We ordered the chef’s special course, and the seasonal appetizers were a work of art.

Each dish was beautifully presented, and we took our time savoring them while chatting about the day.

Creative, elegant, and made with local Aichi ingredients, the entire meal was the perfect way to wrap up our outing.

Nagoya Castle: more than just a historical site!

From a peaceful morning stroll in Meijo Park to local eats, a surprise BMX show, sweet treats, castle adventures, cozy cafés, and a spontaneous dinner—
What started as a laid-back outing turned into a day full of happy surprises.
By the end of the day, I felt lighter, clearer—and deeply grateful for this little escape into history and local charm. We were both just… feeling good.

Nagoya Castle isn’t just for history buffs—it has something for event lovers, foodies, and café-hoppers, too.

And the spontaneous discoveries we made along the way? Those were the best part.

Honestly, there’s so much to see that one day might not be enough. Staying overnight nearby to explore it over two days sounds like a great idea.

I’m definitely coming back again—maybe in another season next time.
If you live in Nagoya, this area is totally worth revisiting with fresh eyes.