Nagoya

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan and one of the country’s major urban centres. With a population of approximately 2.3 million in 2020, it is Japan’s fourth-largest city and forms the core of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which has a population of over 10 million. Situated on the Pacific coast of central Honshū, Nagoya is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and home to Japan’s busiest seaport, the Port of Nagoya. The city is a major hub for manufacturing, trade, education, and transportation, with strong links to neighbouring metropolitan areas through the Tōkaidō Shinkansen. It hosts the headquarters of major companies such as Brother Industries, Ibanez, Lexus, and Toyota Tsusho, and is home to leading universities including Nagoya University and Nagoya Institute of Technology.

Toponymy

Historically, Nagoya’s name was written using several character forms, all pronounced “Nagoya”. One suggested origin is the adjective meaning calm. Another common name associated with the city is Chūkyō, combining characters that mean “middle capital”. This name appears in titles such as Chūkyō Industrial Area, Chūkyō Metropolitan Area, Chūkyō Television Broadcasting, Chukyo University, and the Chukyo Racecourse.

Early history

Archaeological evidence shows human settlement in the Nagoya region as early as the Jōmon and Yayoi periods, including the discovery of the Guruwa shell midden. During the Kofun period, burial mounds such as the Danpusan and Shiratori Kofun were constructed. The ancient Atsuta Shrine, which enshrines the sacred sword Kusanagi no Tsurugi, became an important centre of religious and political significance. According to tradition, the shrine was founded in memory of the legendary prince Yamato Takeru, who died in 113 AD.

Heian period

In the late Heian period, the Fujiwara clan established Seigan-ji in the Atsuta district. Family ties linked the region to national politics; Yura-Gozen, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, married Minamoto no Yoshitomo and gave birth to Minamoto no Yoritomo, the future founder of the Kamakura shogunate. These connections reflect the area’s early integration into the political sphere of medieval Japan.

Feudal period

During the Azuchi–Momoyama and Sengoku periods, the Nagoya region was home to several prominent warlords. Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu—three figures central to Japan’s unification—had ties to the area. The Battle of Okehazama in 1560, fought just outside modern Nagoya, established Nobunaga’s military prominence when he defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto.
In 1610, Tokugawa Ieyasu relocated the capital of Owari Province from Kiyosu to Nagoya and ordered the construction of Nagoya Castle. The move involved relocating an entire town of around 60,000 people. At the same time, Atsuta Shrine became a major waystation, or Miya, along the Tōkaidō, contributing to the growth of a castle and shrine town that formed the basis of the modern city.

Modern period

During the Meiji Restoration, Japan reorganised its provincial system and established modern prefectures. Nagoya was designated a city on 1 October 1889 and later became a government-ordinance city in 1956. In the Meiji and Taishō eras, Nagoya emerged as a major industrial centre, with its economic sphere extending to renowned pottery towns such as Seto, Tokoname, and Tajimi. Local industries included cotton production and the creation of karakuri ningyō mechanical dolls. The region also developed a gunpowder industry under the shogunate.
Industrial expansion continued into the Taishō period with the founding of Mitsubishi Aircraft Company in 1920, which became one of Japan’s foremost aviation manufacturers. The area’s favourable geography, skilled workforce, and transport infrastructure reinforced Nagoya’s position as a centre of aircraft production.

Pacific War and postwar reconstruction

During the Pacific War, Nagoya was a key target due to its concentration of aircraft and machinery factories. By the 1940s it was Japan’s fourth-largest city, with a population of about 1.5 million, and produced between 40 and 50 per cent of Japan’s combat aircraft and engines. The city was subjected to extensive bombing, including the Doolittle Raid in 1942, widespread incendiary attacks in 1945, and heavy damage to strategic facilities such as Nagoya Castle, which was largely destroyed.
Reconstruction began after the war, though progress was hindered by the destructive Isewan Typhoon in 1959. Nagoya Castle’s main tower was rebuilt that same year. Postwar rebuilding efforts restored Nagoya’s industrial base, and by the mid-twentieth century it had regained prominence as a leading manufacturing and commercial centre. The city expanded into international conventions and exhibitions, hosting events such as Expo 2005 and the 2010 Nagoya Protocol conference.

Geography and administrative divisions

Nagoya lies on the Nōbi Plain, north of Ise Bay. The area’s fertile land and river systems—including the Kiso, Shōnai, Hori, and Tempaku rivers—supported agricultural and commercial development. The city is built on elevated plateaus designed to protect against flooding.
Nagoya experiences a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and cool winters. Rainfall occurs throughout the year, with pronounced summer precipitation.
Administratively, Nagoya consists of 16 wards, a structure in place since the mid-twentieth century. Its population surpassed one million in 1934 and continued to grow, reaching roughly 2.26 million by 2010 across more than one million households. The wider Chūkyō metropolitan area extends into Gifu and Mie Prefectures.

Contemporary city

Today, Nagoya is one of Japan’s foremost centres of industry, technology, commerce, and transport. It retains strong manufacturing sectors in automobiles, aviation, electronics, and ceramics, while also functioning as a major financial hub, supported by institutions such as the Nagoya Stock Exchange. The city incorporates cultural and historical landmarks including:

• Atsuta Shrine, one of Japan’s most revered Shintō shrines.
• Nagoya Castle, reconstructed after wartime destruction.
• Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, one of the country’s largest such complexes.
• Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, a popular attraction on the waterfront.
• Hisaya-dōri Park and the Nagoya TV Tower, one of Japan’s earliest steel TV towers.