Nagoya

Nagoya, city of Japan, on the south coast of Honshu, capital of Aichi Prefecture. Located on Ise Bay, this is one of Japan's leading seaports and industrial centres. Manufactured goods include iron and steel, chemicals, motor-vehicle equipment, aircraft, and textiles. Among the city's landmarks are Nagoya Castle (originally built in 1612, destroyed by fire in 1945, rebuilt 1959), and Atsuta Shrine and Ise Shrine, two of Japan's oldest and most famous Shinto shrines. Major educational facilities include Nagoya University (1939), Meijo University (1948), Nanzan University (1949), Nagoya City University (1950), and the Nagoya Institute of Technology (1949).

The development of Nagoya dates from the early 17th century, when Nagoya Castle was built by the Japanese general and statesman Iyeyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. The city grew rapidly after 1880 as an industrial centre, and in 1907 annexed the port of Atsuta to the south. Nagoya was badly damaged in World War II. Population 2,154,287 (2007).