Nagoya - Culture

Culture

Culture runs deep in Nagoya, as it was a major trading city and political seat of the Owari lords, the most important house of the Tokugawa clan. The Owari lords actively encouraged trade and the arts under their patronage, especially Tokugawa Muneharu, the 7th lord of Owari, who took a keen interest in drama and plays and lived a lavish lifestyle. Under his rule, famous actors and actresses began to come to Nagoya, creating a bustling city life. The patronage of the arts and culture was emulated and supported by the wealthy merchants of the city. The cultural life continued to flourish after the end of the feudal Edo period and the beginning of the modern Meiji era. The destruction brought on by World War II however was unprecedented in the history of the city. Many old buildings and artefacts were destroyed during the American bombing raids and subsequent fires, grave losses of Japan's cultural heritage. Nevertheless the economical and thus financial power of the region and the city in the post-war years has reconstructed and rekindled the artistic and cultural scene.