This　work　demonstrated　the　12　fold-enhanced　solar　water　splitting　over　the　type-II　core-shell　nanostructured　TiO2　rutile　photoanodes　by　orienting　the　charge　flow　and　accelerating　the　hole　transport　to　water-oxidation　sites.　Such　nanoheterostructured　photoanodes　were　designed　rationally　and　prepared　by　a　facile　strategy　to　enwrapping　an　amorphous　Ta2OxNy　layer　on　surface　of　TiO2　nanorods　grown　on　the　FTO　glass　substrates,　consequently　the　incident　photon-to-current　conversion　efficiency　was　increased　from　2.2%　to　22.6%　in　a　two-electrode　system　under　390　nm　light　irradiation.　The　activity　results　showed　that　under　AM　1.5　G　illumination,　the　photocurrent　output　of　TiO2@Ta2OxNy　photoanodes　reached　a　stable　density　of　1.32　mA　cm−2　at　1.23　V　vs　RHE,　and　which　is　12　times　and　ca.　4.3　times　than　that　of　the　pristine　TiO2　and　TiO2@Ta2O5　counterparts,　respectively.　Correspondingly,　the　oxygen　evolution　rate　was　improved　from　20.3　to　112.7　mmol　m−2　h−1.　A　solar-to-chemical　energy　conversion　efficiency　of　ca.　1.49%　was　achieved　at　1.23　V　vs　RHE.　©　2018　Elsevier　B.V.