Tokugawa Ieyasu's castle

After winning the Battle of Sekigahara and subsequently establishing the Edo Shogunate, the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered in 1610 that the samurai who had been enemies begin the construction of Nagoya Castle. The golden shachihoko (dolphin-like creatures) that adorn the two ends of the castle's ridge, the claim to the largest castle tower in history, the splendid and luxurious Honmaru Palace, the expansive Ninomaru Garden, and other structures of Nagoya Castle all demonstrate the formidable strength of the Tokugawa family. The castle is also surrounded by high walls, giving it fortress capabilities. Over the 260 years of the Edo period (1603-1867), Nagoya Castle, as the stronghold of the Owari Tokugawa family, flourished and prospered without end.