Iwasaki Castle: Nisshin's Hidden Castle (and Its Sakura Festival)

So, everyone knows Nagoya Castle. It's big, it's golden, and it's on every "things to do in Nagoya" list out there. But just east of the city, in Nisshin, there's a much smaller castle that's just as worth your time, especially in spring. This is Iwasaki Castle (岩崎城), and most visitors to Aichi have never heard of it.

The five-story keep of Iwasaki Castle under spring sakura

A little bit of history

Now, to be upfront: the castle tower you see today isn't the original. The five-story keep was built in 1987 on the site of the old main enclosure (the honmaru). But the history behind the site is very real.

The castle dates back to the early 1500s and was held by the Niwa clan. In 1584, during the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute (the big standoff between Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu), Iwasaki Castle ended up right in the path of Hideyoshi's forces and fell. It's a small castle with a big moment in its story, and once you know that, walking the grounds hits a little differently.

A stone lantern beside an old tree on the Iwasaki Castle grounds, in black and white

The sakura festival

If you can, come in early April. The grounds are covered in cherry blossoms, and the city holds a sakura festival with food stalls, decorations, and a lot of local families out enjoying the day. It's not a giant tourist event. It's more of a neighborhood festival, and that's exactly the appeal. You get the cherry blossoms without fighting through the kind of crowds you'll find at the big spots in Nagoya.

Festival stalls and visitors below Iwasaki Castle during cherry blossom season

Even the fences get dressed up for it.

A pink paper flower tied to a fence for the Iwasaki Castle sakura festival

A quick tip for photographers: don't just shoot the castle head-on. Try getting low to the ground, or catching the tower between the houses nearby. It's a castle that sits right in the middle of a regular neighborhood, and that's a big part of its charm.

A low-angle view across a manhole cover toward Iwasaki Castle

Iwasaki Castle glimpsed between neighborhood buildings, in black and white

The museum

Right on the grounds is the Iwasaki Castle History Museum (岩崎城歴史記念館), and here's the best part: it's free. It covers the history of the castle and the battle, and it's a good way to spend half an hour if you want some context before walking around.

Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (open if Monday is a national holiday), plus the New Year break
Admission: free

Hours can change, so it's always a good idea to check the city's website before you go.

Getting there

From central Nagoya, take the Higashiyama subway line to Hoshigaoka. From there, catch a bus to the "Iwasaki Mitakeguchi" stop, and the castle is about a 5-minute walk. If you're driving, it's an easy trip out of the city.

Is it worth it?

If you're expecting Himeji or Nagoya Castle, you'll be disappointed. That's just not what this is. But if you want to see a quieter, more local side of Aichi, with a real piece of Sengoku-era history and one of the nicest little sakura festivals around, Iwasaki Castle is well worth a half-day trip.

You can find more picks around Nagoya in the Aichi guide, or open the NipponNavi map to plan your day.