Golden Shachi Day

What Is Golden Shachi Day?

August 22nd is "Golden Shachi Day" (Kin Shachi no Hi), a day established by Yoshihiko Kawamura, who runs an acupuncture and bonesetting clinic in Nagoya, and registered with the Japan Anniversary Association, to promote the golden shachihoko atop the main keep of Nagoya Castle — one of the city's most iconic symbols.

A Date Inspired by the City Emblem and the Shape of the Shachihoko

Golden Shachi Day was created to spread the appeal of the golden shachihoko and to nurture local pride and affection for Nagoya.

• Origin: August comes from Nagoya's city emblem, the "Maruhachi" (circled 8), and the 22nd from the numeral "2," which resembles a shachihoko — with two of them standing on the left and right of the keep.
• Established by: Yoshihiko Kawamura, who runs an acupuncture and bonesetting clinic in Nagoya.
• Purpose: To re-introduce the golden shachihoko atop Nagoya Castle's main keep to people both inside and outside the city.

The History of Nagoya's Golden Symbol

The golden shachihoko of Nagoya Castle are a pair of gold-scaled mythical creatures perched atop the main keep, built on the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Believed to protect against fire, they have been cherished since the Edo period as a symbol of the city's prosperity. They were destroyed along with the keep in the 1945 air raids on Nagoya and were recreated when the keep was rebuilt; the current pair uses 88 kg of gold, with the male measuring 2.62 m and the female 2.57 m.

Ways to Mark the Day

• Learn more about the golden shachihoko of Nagoya Castle
• Visit Nagoya Castle and look up at the shachihoko atop the main keep
• Explore the history of Nagoya and the origins of the shachihoko figure
• Look for shachihoko-themed goods or sweets

Nagoya's Golden Pride

Golden Shachi Day is a chance to reflect anew on the golden shachihoko that has stood alongside Nagoya Castle through the centuries. On August 22nd, take a moment to picture the shachihoko gleaming against Nagoya's sky.