History

Nagoya's origins, like those of many other great cities, are quite humble. What is now the nucleus of one of the most productive industrial regions in the world was once a swampy, mosquito-infested ferry port. Located on the northern shore of Ise Bay at the confluence of three large rivers, its geographical location played an important role in its growth. The three rivers, Kiso, Nagara and Ibi, provided abundant fresh water, and their broad floodplain, the Nobi, blessed with a temperate climate, made for bountiful agriculture. The arduous mountain ranges to the north also funneled travelers into the area. The site would eventually become the largest and most dynamic of the stations on the famed Tokkaido highway that linked the historic feudal capitals of Tokyo to the east and Kyoto to the west.

Before the construction of Nagoya Castle, the site was known as Miya, a word that means "shrine" in Japanese. The name came from Atsuta Jinja, one of Japan's oldest and most important Shinto shrines, which was located there. Today, Atsuta safeguards the Kusanagi Sword, one of the three traditional treasures of the imperial family.

An important chapter in the annals of the city began in the early 17th century with the construction of Nagoya Castle, ordered by Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa soon after he had pacified various warring feudal lords, unifying the country and leading Japan into a new era. The castle was built ostensibly to secure a strategically important post on the Tokaido and ward off any possible attacks on the new capital of Edo (present-day Tokyo) from the west. However, by insisting that other lords in power at the time contribute to its construction, the project was also one of Ieyasu's ploys to maintain a drain on their treasuries and manpower resources so that they would not be able to foment rebellion.

Setting the stage for modern Nagoya, a thriving community grew up around the castle. Traditional crafts, the seeds of modern world-class industries, would congregate in different districts together with supporting businesses. These, along with the castle, the shrine, the port and various temples, would give the city its patchwork layout and impart each neighborhood with its own individual atmosphere.

Nagoya was chartered as a modern city in 1889 during the era of dramatic changes that occurred in the nation after the Meiji Restoration (1868). Traditional crafts evolved with the import of new technologies. In the first half of the 20th century, industry in the area focused on aircraft and military-related production, resulting in the city being a primary target for aerial bombardment during World War II. Large areas of the city, including the original Nagoya Castle and its adjoining palace, were destroyed in the bombing.

Recovery after the war took Nagoya in new directions. Broad areas of the city that had been destroyed during the war were rebuilt using models based on U.S. and European cities, giving modern Nagoya one of its most noted characteristics: the many wide avenues laid out in a systematic grid. The former war machine also underwent change, rapidly shifting gears to produce consumer products as well as precision machine tools, automobiles and chemical products. Lacking the cultural and historical allure of other cities in Japan, Nagoya received few international visitors other than students, missionaries and technical consultants until the late 1980s, when Japan's bubble economy was at its peak. The World Design Exposition, held in the city in 1989, marked a turning point, with numerous cosmetic changes, including construction of new parks and public facilities such as museums, theaters, convention halls and hotels. With the influx of international visitors trying to get a piece of the "bubble," there was a marked change in the attitude of the local people, too. The citizens of Nagoya, well known for being conservative, quickly revealed a pragmatism, accepting international visitors without prejudice, but expecting them to contribute to the community as they would their own resident neighbors. One area within Nagoya to get an excellent feel for the city's history is the shopping district surrounding the Osu-Kannon Temple. Once a thriving traditional marketplace, it went into decline when Nagoya's first subway line went into operation in 1957 between Nagoya Station and Sakae, drawing shoppers away to more convenient locations. Although Nagoya's subway system would soon encompass the Osu area, the district continued to languish until small independent discount shops selling personal computers and other high-tech appliances took advantage of some of the empty storefronts there. The Nadya Park building and the Nagoya City Art Museum, both constructed in the last decade, have also served as stepping stones to lead shoppers back to Osu, where new fashionable and trendy boutiques, popular with the young, appear to be opening up almost every day. Today, Osu is a fascinating montage of the antique and the state-of-the-art, and exemplifies Nagoya's notable and multifaceted character.