chubu / central Japan

A Journey Through History: Exploring Castles and Samurai Legends

The Nagoya (Aichi) and Gifu area is the ancestral land of legendary warlords who once ruled during Japan’s tumultuous Warring States period. This region is famously known as the birthplace of the Three Great Unifiers of Japan—Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu—who played pivotal roles in bringing the Sengoku era to an end and unifying the nation.

It was also from this very region that other prominent samurai such as Maeda Toshiie, Kato Kiyomasa, and Fukushima Masanori emerged—many of whom would later become powerful feudal lords across the country. These men shaped the course of Japanese history, and the area stands as the silent stage of their rise to power.

With its majestic castles like Nagoya Castle and Gifu Castle, traces of historic battlefields, and towns that still echo the footsteps of ancient warriors, this is more than a sightseeing trip—it’s a journey to the very origin of Japanese history. Walking through this land, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into the pages of a living chronicle.

Historical Sites and Castles Across the Region