Kiyosu

Kiyosu is a small city on the plains just northwest of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, and for a brief, decisive stretch of the 16th century it stood near the center of Japanese history. This was Oda Nobunaga's castle town, the base from which the great unifier began his rise.

The rebuilt Kiyosu Castle stands beside the Gojo River, its museum floors tracing Nobunaga's campaigns, including the march to the Battle of Okehazama that made his name. History buffs know the town for the Kiyosu Conference of 1582, when Japan's power brokers met here to decide his successor.

Cherry trees line the riverbank below the keep in spring, the prettiest time to come. Kiyosu is a short train hop from Nagoya, which makes it an easy half-day for castle and Sengoku history fans rather than an overnight stop. Pair it with Nagoya Castle for a full Nobunaga day.