Destination: Tokugawa Garden (1001 Tokugawa-cho, Higashi-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi 461-0023)
Travel Date: November 15, 2015
Open: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Last entrance at 5:00 p.m.) *closed on Mondays
Garden Entrance: 300 yen for adults
Access: Morishita Station on Seto line or Ozone Station on Meijo subway line.
Website: http://www.tokugawaen.city.nagoya.jp/english/01_direction/index.html 
In the early Edo period (1603-1867), Tokugawa Mitsutomo (1625-1700), second lord of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan, established a vast residence called the Ōzone Shimoyashiki. After his death, the property was passed on to the families of his three retainers Naruse, Ishiko and Watanabe, until the Meiji Restoration of 1867, when ownership was returned to the Owari Tokugawa.
In 1931, Tokugawa Yoshichika (1886-1976), 19th head of the Tokugawa family, decided that "the time had come to present the property to the community", and donated the land of 23,000 m2 and buildings to the City of Nagoya. Included in the donation were family treasures and the establishment of the Owari Tokugawa Reimeikai Foundation. The City opened the garden in 1932, and the foundation opened the art museum in 1935. The garden however was destroyed during World War II, leaving only the main gate intact. [Reference]
Look for maps on you way out the subway. On what will be quicker direction to the garden. Don't worry there are several signs along the way (around 15-20 minutes).
An early visit on mid-November, the trees and most of the maple leaves are still green.
Seikotei (Sei Lake Levee)
The Sei Lake located in Hangzhou (which I happened to visit last June 2010), China has long been considered to have an admirable and beautiful landscape and with visible culture of people from Hakuraten and Sotoha. The Seikotei in Tokugawaen is a smaller version of the levee (an embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river) that parts the surface of Sei Lake in China.
Too early for autumn feel. But more than that, there are still traces of spring and summer in the area.
Summary of 3 days itinerary in 2015 Autumn Nagoya-Toyota Trip:
Day
|
Places to see
|
Food and Restaurants
|
Where to Sleep
|
Day 1
|
Korankei at Toyota
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki Tokugawa Garden Nunoike Catholic Church Mall Hopping at Otsu Dori |
Lotteria
| |
Day 2
|
Lotteria
Subhakamana |
Hotel Trusty in Sakae
| |
Day 3
|
Hotel Trusty in Sakae
|