What to do in Nagoya, Japan

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Nagoya has been one of the overlooked cities in Japan when it comes to tourism because it’s primarily a residential and commercial city.  There are no major natural or technological marvels to visit and few historical landmarks within the city limits.  At the same time, Nagoya has few tourist traps or gimmicks so you are able to experience the authentic Japan the way it was before the tourism took over many of the hot spots.  If you are wondering what there is to do in Nagoya, here are 5 ways you can make Nagoya a part of your memorable vacation in Japan.

Where is Nagoya, Japan?

But first, you may be wondering where exactly is Nagoya? The fourth largest city in Japan after Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka, Nagoya is in the Aichi Prefecture and is located on the JR Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Osaka.  The population of 2.296 million people in Nagoya is coincidentally almost identical to the population of the fourth largest city in the U.S., Houston, Texas.

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO IN NAGOYA

1. STAY!

I don’t mean as “Don’t leave!” but I mean use Nagoya as a main place to stay as your “base” and visit some of the main tourist attractions without spending a lot of money in lodging and a lot of time traveling.  Because of its size but without the name recognition by the foreign travelers, it might be one of the more convenient yet affordable cities to stay in Central Japan.  There are so many great hotel options within the Nagoya Station area as well as in Kanayama, which is one train station away from the city center. Compared to other heavily traveled destinations, hotels in Nagoya may be less expensive and more vacancies might be available.

2. Take day trips from Nagoya

Day trips from Nagoya to the key tourist attractions are absolutely abundant.  Purchase a JR Pass to ride the Shinkansen and you can hit all these sites without having to haul your entire luggage each time or having to pay for expensive hotel or ryokan at these tourist destinations.  Even if you do decide to extend your stay at any of the other cities, the hotel in Nagoya will hold your luggage for you so that you only need to take an overnight bag with you. Here are some of the top ideas for day trips from Nagoya:

• Tokyo (1 hour 50 min on Hikari Shinkansen) See all the ideas of things to do in Tokyo in this article.
• Osaka  (55 min on Hikari)
• Kyoto (40 min on Hikari)
• Nara (40 min to Kyoto then transfer to Nara)
• Mt Fuji – via Hakone or Kawaguchiko
• Himeji Castle – This World Heritage Site is also one of the most spectacular castles in Japan.
• Ise – Ise’s Inner Shrine is considered Japan’s most sacred shrine.
• Hikone Castle – One of the few original castles left in Japan. Also, see if you can get a glimpse of Hikonyan, Hikone city’s official mascot and one of the more famous mascots in Japan.
• Inuyama Castle – Considered as one of the national treasures, with a spectacular view of the Kiso River from the top.
• Shiragawa-go – Another UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. A village with 300 year old farm houses.
• Takayama – Often referred to as “Little Kyoto,” the beautifully preserved old town has cute shops including some local sake shops. Also, be sure to sample some dishes made with their local Hida Beef, which is considered one of the top grade beef in Japan.

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Beef sushi made with one of the highest grades of beef in Japan – Hida Beef. This was about $10 (1,000 Yen). So tender and delicious I could have eaten 10 more of these! #Japan #beef #sushi #japanesefood

A post shared by The Japantry (@thejapantryblog) on Apr 1, 2019 at 8:56pm PDT

3. Go on guided bus tours from Nagoya

Because Nagoya is a major hub in Japan, there are a ton of bus tours that depart out of Nagoya, including some English-speaking guide accompanied tours.  If you know a bit of Japanese or if you are comfortable going anywhere without much Japanese (everyone will still try to be so helpful, by the way!), you should consider signing up for some of the guided tours without the English-speaking guides. You will be able to visit epic locations that are lesser known to the foreign tourists. But here are some of the English tours to get you started on the search:

• Takayama & Shirakawa-go
• All about Ninja Tour in Mie Prefecture
• Kamikochi Mountain Resort Tour (starting in mid June through September)

4. Hang out with the locals

Nagoya Castle (under reconstruction until 2022) is the main tourist attraction in Nagoya. But in Nagoya you can also spend your time more leisurely, hanging out where the locals hang out. Because of the minimal tourism in Nagoya, businesses aren’t set up just to attract tourists. Besides, it does not get crazy busy as the similar type of attractions in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto. It’s a great place to experience “do as the Romans do,” or in this case, “do as the Japanese do” and go hang out as one of the locals. 

• Atsuta Jingu – One of the most important shrines in Japan.
• Oosu Temple and Kamimaezu Street Shopping
• Underground shopping mall in Sakae
• Department store shopping – such as the Meitesu Department Store in Nagoya Station or many more in Sakae. Go check out the Japanese ware (e.g. kimono, china, chopsticks) sections for great souvenir ideas. Since they are sold to Japanese as everyday products and not as souvenirs, there are more authentic and less expensive options.
• Nagoya Fish Market – Go early to check out the fish market or go during lunch or dinner time. Sushi and sashimi shops near the major fish markets in Japan are honestly the best there is!
• Izakaya hop – “Izakaya” is a type of casual Japanese pub that serves small plates of a vast varieties of food. There are quite a few around Nagoya Station that you can try that you can make a night (or ten!) of it!
• Kirin Brewery Nagoya Factory – Free self-guided tour in English with 3 sample drinks
• Toyota Automobile Museum – Great for car enthusiasts!
• LEGOLAND Japan
• Chunichi (Nagoya) Dragons baseball game – Tickets are available from March through September.
• Nagashima Resort – A major vacation destination including an amusement park, water park, onsen, outlet mall AND a flower park!

5. EAT!

To cater to such a large population, Nagoya has vast dining options that are incredible! And it’s food the way that Japanese people like it.  None of the overpriced, overrated tourism food that may be fantastic on Instagram but not so much on your taste buds!  Restaurant options are everywhere but heavily clustered around Nagoya’s two city centers: Nagoya Station and Sakae. 

You’ll notice that every major city or region has their own specialty foods in Japan.  Although I think it’s an excellent marketing ploy to get Japanese people and tourists to buy more souvenirs at every destination, it’s a tradition I happily oblige and partake in.  Nagoya specialty foods are collectively called “Nagoya Meshi.”  Here are Nagoya’s some of the notable specialties that you should definitely try:

• Tenmusu – Onigiri rice balls with shrimp tempura
• Taiwan ramen – While it’s called “Taiwan ramen” it’s not Taiwanese at all. It’s a spicy ramen topped ground pork and vegetables.
• Miso katsu – Pork cutlet with miso sauce
• Tebasaki – Japanese-style, deep fried chicken wings
• Hitsumabushi – Grilled eel bowl
• Uirō – Soft sweet mochi cake that comes in a variety of colors and flavors
• Kishimen – Noodle soup with broad, flat noodles

Flying in and out of Nagoya

Nagoya also has an airport Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) which has been ranked as one of the Top 10 Airports in the World in the last 4 years as well as the World’s Best Regional Airport award in 2017 and 2018. The airport is large, clean and very convenient to get in and out of.  Unfortunately, the direct flight from the U.S. to NGO is currently very limited to only from Detroit or Honolulu.

Next time you hear from other international travelers that Nagoya is “boring” or “not worth it,” think again.  They just don’t know what they are missing!

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