[Castle EXPO Secretariat] Original castle seals to be sold at the “5th Nagoya Castle Tea Ceremony × Traveling Castle EXPO in Hizen Nagoya Castle”!
Castle EXPO Secretariat Press Release: October 31, 2025 “The 5th Nagoya Castle Grand Tea Ceremony” × Travel! Castle EXPO in Hizen Nagoya Castle” original castle seals on sale! ~Ticket applications for the lecture by a castle specialist are open until November 6th~ Original castle seals will be on sale at the “5th Nagoya Castle Grand Tea Ceremony × On-Site Castle EXPO in Hizen Nagoya Castle,” to be held on November 23rd (Sun) and 24th (Mon, national holiday), 2025. Tickets are also available for the “Castle EXPO Talk,” a talk by a castle specialist scheduled for the 23rd.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/120609/34/120609-34-c6bf23f35822d167584f011647b25c53-3724×1743.jpg Nagoya Castle, the main venue (Courtesy of Nagoya Castle Museum) “Castle EXPO” is a festival for castle fans that has been held since 2016 with the aim of promoting and developing castle culture and providing a place for castle enthusiasts to interact with each other. This year’s “On-Site Castle EXPO in Hizen Nagoya Castle” (organized by Saga Prefecture and Karatsu City) is being held in Kyushu for the first time to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Nagoya Castle (Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture) being designated a Special Historic Site, ahead of the “Castle EXPO 2025” (organizer: Tetsuo Owada), which will be held at Pacifico Yokohama in December. Nagoya Castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and attracted approximately 150 military commanders from all over Japan. To recreate the bustle of those days, the event will be held in collaboration with the Nagoya Castle Grand Tea Ceremony, an event packed with fun cultural experiences such as tea ceremony, Noh, tableware, food, and falconry. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of Nagoya Castle’s designation as a Special Historic Site, we have decided to sell original “Castle EXPO” castle seals!
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/120609/34/120609-34-2ab7f7bec38aff7a0d23e3be2bfc2f79-402×438.png Original sparkling golden castle seal On the day, we have decided to sell original castle seals from the “Castle EXPO in Hizen Nagoya Castle”! Castle seals are sold as a memento of your visit to the castle. They are popular as souvenirs and collectibles. The castle seals being sold this time have a sparkling gold finish, in honor of the “Golden Teahouse” favored by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. They are special seals commemorating the “70th anniversary of Nagoya Castle’s designation as a special historic site” and the “Castle EXPO.” They will be on sale at the Nagoya Castle Museum Shop for 700 yen (tax included). Applications for the specialist lecture “Castle EXPO Talk” are being accepted until November 6th! On Sunday, November 23rd, a castle specialist will give a lecture on the value of Nagoya Castle. Ticket applications are accepted until November 6th. ~Understanding the Value of Hizen Nagoya Castle~ Castle EXPO Talk
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/120609/34/120609-34-c0b1e1d34307cb3ada6aae7faa05d209-2194×2194.jpg Mr. Yu Hirayama Photo: Kazuhisa Hatanaka
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/120609/34/120609-34-417011e24057decf6fb013bbea12e316-864×864.jpg Mr. Masato Miyatake
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/120609/34/120609-34-6adf25ae1c64e313459a69ece3ddcd24-300×300.jpg Mr. Tetsuo Owada Sunday, November 23rd 1. 10:30 AM – 11:20 AM Masaru Hirayama (Historian) “Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Nagoya Castle: When Nagoya, Hizen, was the Center of Japan” Nagoya Castle in Hizen, built by Hideyoshi as a base for his “invasion of China,” was a military outpost, but its existence had numerous influences on subsequent early modern society. First and foremost, it marked a temporary shift in the center of Japan to Nagoya in Hizen. Around Nagoya Castle, the seat of Hideyoshi’s military leader, the daimyo of Japan established their camps, leading their clans and vassals to their camps. Subsequently, the daimyo, excluding those who crossed the sea, engaged in daimyo diplomacy in the castle town of Nagoya, marking the beginning of close relationships. The personal connections forged there had a major impact on subsequent political developments. The tea ceremony and Noh were cherished tools for this interaction. The opportunity for these two cultures to spread widely throughout Japan was sparked by exchanges in the Nagoya Castle area. Furthermore, the formation of personal networks among the daimyo also helped to create a unifying force for Tokugawa Ieyasu in the political situation following Hideyoshi’s death. These personal networks, combined with the differences in intentions and conflicts of opinion between the daimyo who had crossed the sea and those who remained, led to the civil war of 1600. I would like to introduce the impact that Hizen Nagoya Castle and its surrounding area had on early modern society, using several anecdotes. 2.11:30-12:20 Masato Miyatake (Professor, Saga University) “Evaluation of Nagoya Castle in the History of Japanese Castles” Nagoya Castle was built as a sea base for the invasion of the continent. While serving as Hideyoshi’s temporary “throne room,” it was one of the largest castles of its time, utilizing cutting-edge castle-building concepts and techniques. Its unique features had a profound influence on subsequent castle styles and determined the direction of the evolution of modern castles. Based on the accumulated results of excavations over the past 40 years and the results of an examination of historical documents, we will explain the significance and true value of Nagoya Castle in the history of the development of castles in Japan. 3. 2:50 PM – 3:50 PM Tetsuo Owada (Chairman of the Japan Castle Association) “The Culmination of the Master of Rope Planning, Kanbei Kuroda” Nagoya Castle” When talking about master castle builders, the names of Kato Kiyomasa and Todo Takatora immediately come to mind, but it would be fair to say that these two were experts in stone wall construction and other construction techniques. When talking about another category of master castle builders, masters of terraforming, the name Kuroda Kanbei is the first to come to mind. In addition to his own castle, Nakatsu Castle, he also worked on the terraforming of Jurakudai in Kyoto and Mori Terumoto’s Hiroshima Castle, under the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hizen Nagoya Castle can be said to be the culmination of Kuroda Kanbei’s terraforming work. Nagoya Castle is positioned within Kuroda Kanbei’s castle-building history. Venue: Nagoya Castle Museum Hall Price: Reserved seats 1 and 2 are 1,000 yen per adult 1,000 yen per adult for 3. (Advance application and lottery required for both) *Free for high school students and younger, and those with a disability certificate or designated intractable disease medical care benefit certificate, along with one caregiver. Application acceptance period: First application September 8th (Monday) – October 5th (Sunday) Second application October 6th (Monday) to November 6th (Thursday) *For details, please refer to the special website
(https://www.hajimari-nagoya.jp/daichakai/) On November 23rd, when the Castle EXPO Talk is held, there will be the “Castle EXPO Tourist Information Zone,” which will feature castle booths from warlords who gathered in Nagoya, including Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Maeda Toshiie, and Kato Kiyomasa, as well as the “Nagoya Castle Marche,” where you can enjoy the flavors of Nagoya, including Karatsu cuisine and cuisine associated with warlords.You can also enjoy cultural experiences such as tea tasting, Noh, and Kyogen. A satellite event will also be held at Karatsu Castle!
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/120609/34/120609-34-43fd80b9be25da4ecdff36e6b85633ee-1000×666.jpg Satellite venue: Karatsu Castle (Provided by: Karatsu Tourism Association) In addition to Nagoya Castle, Karatsu Castle will also be hosting special exhibitions, including “The Toyotomi Government and Karatsu Castle” and “Medieval and Early Modern Castle Panel
Exhibition” (Saturday, October 11th – Sunday, November 30th), as well as the “Castle EXPO Theme Exhibition” (Saturday, November 1st – Sunday, November 30th). “Castle Expo in Hizen Nagoya Castle” will be held at two castles: Nagoya Castle as the main venue and Karatsu Castle as the satellite venue. This event, in collaboration with the “5th Nagoya Castle Grand Tea Ceremony,” will allow you to enjoy a deeper look into the world of castles. We hope you’ll enjoy it. “5th Nagoya Castle Grand Tea Ceremony x Traveling! Castle EXPO in Hizen Nagoya Castle” Event Overview Date and time: November 23rd (Sunday) and 24th (Monday/holiday), 2025 9:30-16:45 Venue: Main Venue Satellite Venue Organizers: Saga Prefecture, Karatsu City Co-organized by: Castle EXPO, Saga Shimbun, Saga Television, Momoyama Tenkaichi Roadside Station Admission: Free (some content requires payment) Special website: https://www.hajimari-nagoya.jp/daichakai/ Main contents: ■Stage event ・Nagoya Castle Crosstalk: Talking at the “Center of the World” (Actor Hideki Takahashi, Professor Masaru Hirayama of the University of Health Sciences, and castle-loving weather forecaster Asami Kuboi) *Pre-registration required, fee applies (registration from September 8th to November 6th) ・Dance performance by the Samurai Corps (Kokura Castle Samurai Corps, Sekigahara-gumi Battlefield Hospitality Samurai Corps, Karatsu Nagoya Castle Samurai Corps) ・Falconry demonstration ・Japanese drum performance ・Win amazing prizes! Closing Event ■Castle EXPO Tourist Information Zone ■Castle EXPO Talk *Advance registration required, fee applies (applications from September 8th to November 6th) ■Noh and Kyogen performances *Advance registration required, fee applies (see the special website) ■ Enjoy the tea ceremony beloved by military commanders at a tea ceremony ceremony ■ Nagoya Castle Marche ■ Nagoya Castle Premium Forum: Four Popular Scholars Gather (Professor Motoki Kuroda of Surugadai University; Visiting Professor Atsushi Kawai of Tama University; Professor Emeritus Hitoshi Nakai of the University of Shiga Prefecture; and Specially Appointed Professor Masaru Hirayama of the College of Health Sciences) *Pre-registration required, fee applies (see the special website) ■ Thatched Tea House Experience Program *Pre-registration required, fee applies (see special website) ■ “More than a camp, it’s like ____!” Maeda Toshiie Camp Site – Latest Excavation Survey Results Part 2 *Paid ■Castle Ruins Guided Tour *Paid ■Honmaru Photo Spot ■Karatsu Castle Satellite Venue Special Exhibition ・Period: October 11th (Sat) – November 30th (Sun) Special Exhibition “The Toyotomi Government and Karatsu Castle,” “Medieval and Early Modern Castle Panel Exhibition” Period: November 1st (Sat) – November 30th (Sun) Special Exhibition “Castle EXPO” “Theme Exhibition” (Signage for Japan’s 100 Famous Castles and Japan’s 100 Continued Famous Castles, Castle Diorama Display) *Details about the event content, schedule, special bus service, parking, etc. will be posted on the special website. *Content is subject to change. Please check the special website for the latest information.