Solo Trip Nagoya (August 2023) - Nagoya Castle Treasure House

 

One of the most fascinating thing I saw on this visit to Nagoya Castle, was the wooden treasure house that was opened to public. It is located before the castle, just as you enter the royal grounds. From the outside, it doesn't really looked that impressive. It looks more like a simple tea house. It is a place where the emperor receive visitors. 

Here is a courtyard view of the place. I tried to go into the back room of the house, but a Japanese guy told me that they are filming inside, and told me to go in from the front instead. At the entrance, you are required to watch a video on what you can and cannot go inside the treasure house. After that, you are lead to a lobby where you have to take off your shoes before entering the house. 

But once inside, it was just amazing! It was like stepping into a musical box! Everything was made of wood, and the decorating just reminded me of a musical box, made in Japan of course. The number of people allowed inside are limited, so it wasn't crowded inside. I can see why. Everything here was made of wood, and the doors are made of paper. Can you imagine the damage? It was an extremely delicate place. And it opens up to rooms after rooms of beautiful art. 

What can I say? It's just very elegant to be inside such a beautiful place. And the weird thing was, all the room was empty. The beauty lies in the door, the walls, the ceilings. The details of the art painted on them was amazing.

The gold theme seems to be reflected in the whole place. And I can see why. It shines when the sunlight hits it. As per the photo above, the tiger and the gold background of the wall illuminates the whole room! And it was just early afternoon when I was inside.

Almost every room is gold, and painted with natural scenes. The room was spacious. And if they were not big enough, the sliding doors can be opened up to make it into a bigger room. It was such a flexible concept, such a dynamic design and layout.

The corridors too are beautiful, even a simple one like this above. There's just something about wood.

On the hallways, the beans holding up the building is also decorated elegantly, here with crane and cloud. 

Some of the corridor have windows like these to let in the air and for ventilation. The light illumination makes the place shine. 

Above is just a door. Look at the detailed design on it. So much effort has been put into it. Fit for a king indeed. I don't know, I actually prefer these simplicity than the elaborated design of the western royal dwellings. Simple is just so much more sophisticated, so much more classier and, it says so much without saying anything at all. Does that make sense?

Here is a heavily decorated room, with the ceilings all filled with art pieces in each square.

Here's me! You know how some people think that if you've seen one, you've seen it all? I try not to have that thought when I visit any place. I have visited many castles in Japan, and I still drag myself here. I am glad I was not disappointed. At a glance, everything may look similar, but every single castle I visited has it's own unique point, it's unique memory, forever a part of me. From the very first Hiroshima Castle, to the latest Nagoya Castle, they are all unique in their own ways.