10 reasons to visit Nagoya

When we think of traveling to Japan, more often than not, we think of big cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, or even Osaka. But beyond these wonderful cities, there are some lesser-known, beautiful hidden gems. One of these hidden destinations is the wondrous city of Nagoya. Nagoya is the fourth largest city in Japan, yet still less crowded than the main three big cities, rendering it a sweet haven for fellow introverts and those who are seeking peace after experiencing congested trains and other aspects of the city. Aichi Prefecture’s capital also distinguishes itself with its rich history, food culture, and beautiful natural scenery, but also with its science and industrial center. As you can see, Nagoya has a lot to offer, and if you’re looking for more, this blog will help you see all of what is within this great city.

Museums

For all automobile lovers, and more importantly for all Toyota fans, this museum within Nagoya might just be your paradise. For others, if you are seeking a journey through culture and history or if you are searching for a different kind of adventure, the following may pique your interest. Nagoya is home to not one, but three museums entirely dedicated to Toyota Industries.

Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology

Now, if you are interested in history, I would highly recommend you visit the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. The museum invites you to a journey through time. You start by traveling back in the past and learning about Toyota’s beginnings and continue further along the timeline until you reach the present, to the majestic empire it has become. Learn more about its growth, from a textile machinery manufacturer to using modern robotics to construct cars. Comprehend its story as well as the secrets and mechanics behind its immense success. In a way, visiting the museum will make you feel like you are part of its journey.

Opening hours: Monday (9:00 – 17:00), Tuesday to Sunday (9:30 – 17:00) – Last entry: 16:30

Entrance Fee: Adults (≥18) – 1,000¥; (≥65) – 600¥; Free for preschool children

Location: Noritakeshinmachi, Nishi Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: トヨタ産業技術記念館 (tcmit.org)

For more details, please visit the website

Toyota Kaikan Museum

Did you know that the city of Koromo officially changed its name, in 1959, to Toyota, following the automobile manufacturer’s huge success? Even funnier, both Toyota Motor Corporation’s headquarters as well as the Toyota Kaikan Museum are located in the city of Toyota, not too far from Nagoya. The Toyota Kaikan Museum opened in 1977 and is one of the manufacturer’s oldest museums. The building offers a variety of interactive exhibits, such as a car simulator or the C+walk ride. Not only that, but it also has a showroom displaying the latest models and an area dedicated to children. However, I must admit that the pinnacle of the museum is the lovely musician robot, which greets each visitor by playing a melodious tune on its violin. And the cherry on the cake: The entrance is free.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday (9:30 – 17:00), Closed: Sunday – Last entry: 16:30

Entrance Fee: Free

Location: Toyotacho, Toyota, Aichi

Website: トヨタ会館 (toyota.co.jp)

For more details, please visit the website

Toyota Automobile Museum

There is a third Toyota museum located in Nagakute, not too far from Nagoya, which commemorates the history, culture, and evolution of automobiles by displaying cars from all around the world. A must-see place for any automobile enthusiast!

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday (9:30 – 17:00); Closed – Monday/Tuesday when Monday falls on a public holiday – Last entry: 16:30

Entrance Fee: Adults (≥18) – 1,200¥; (≥65) – 700¥; Free for preschool children

Location: Yokomichi, Nagakute, Aichi

Website: Toyota Automobile Museum | A museum that tracks the evolution and culture of cars in the world

For more details, please visit the website

Tokugawa Art Museum

Now, if you are passionate about Japan, its history, and its artifacts, I would highly recommend the Tokugawa Art Museum. The museum possesses a large and priceless collection of art pieces and heirlooms inherited and owned by the Owari Tokugawa family, a daimyō (feudal lord) family from the Edo period. Originally belonging to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun and founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, his treasures were bequeathed to the Owari, Mito, and Kii branches, after his death. Some of the items also passed through the hands of important and renowned historical figures such as Nobunaga Oda and Sen no Rikyū.

The museum truly honors Japanese history and culture with its “9 designated National Treasures, 59 Important Cultural Properties, and 46 Important Art Objects” (Tokugawa Art Museum) from the Edo period. In the New Hall, based on Nagoya Castle’s architectural design, you may witness replicas of the formal living quarters of the Owari clan, the same as they were in the Ninomaru Goten of Nagoya Castle. To finish off your visit, you may enjoy taking a stroll in the Tokugawa Garden or venture inside the Hōsa library and explore the hundreds of historical texts and records. I can guarantee that both places will bring you peace and tranquility.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday (10:30 – 17:00); Closed – Monday/Tuesday when Monday falls on a public holiday – Last entry: 16:30

Entrance Fee: Adults – 1,600¥; Students – 800¥; Children – 500¥

Location: Tokugawacho, Higashi Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: Tokugawa Art Museum (tokugawa-art-museum.jp)

For more details, please visit the website

Nagoya City Science Museum

If you are anything like me, science and nature are words that are close to your heart. If that is the case for anyone reading, the next one on our list will steal your heart. As a preliminary point, let me point out that Aichi Prefecture paved the way for leading Japan’s Aerospace industry. Did you know that parts of the International Space Station and parts of the rockets that took them to space were produced in Aichi Prefecture? Fascinating, isn’t it?

The Nagoya City Science Museum takes pride in rendering the field more accessible to the public. At this location, you can experience a journey beyond the stars, and learn more about our universe and its natural wonders, through displays and live performances. Additionally, you can gain a better understanding of the latest technology used in creating a spacecraft, of the components behind the whole structure, and their importance and functions. Enjoy the many exhibits, the replicas of real rockets, and space stations, and most importantly, take advantage of one of the world’s largest planetariums.

But this museum is much more than that. Nagoya City Science Museum makes sure to encompass and touch every area of science. From microbiology to fossils and dinosaurs, from periodic tables to house structures and electricity, and everything in between, there is something to learn no matter where you turn. The bonus part, you can test a tornado simulator, and if that’s not enough thrill for you, I dare you to try the Deep Freezing Lab.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday (9:30 – 17:00); Closed – Monday/Tuesday when Monday falls on a public holiday, the 3rd

Friday of the month – Last entry: 16:30

Entrance Fee: Museum & Planetarium: Adults (800¥), High school & university students (500¥), Junior High School students and under (Free); Museum only: Adults (400¥), High school & university students (200¥), Junior High School students and under (Free)

Location: Shirakawa Park, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: Nagoya City Science Museum

For more details, please visit the website

SCMaglev and Railway Park

Another fun attraction that you can do while in Nagoya, is to visit the SCMaglev and Railway Park. It is a fun activity, not only for avid train lovers but for the general public as well.

Opened in 2011, and owned by the Central Japan Railways (JR Central), the museum was established to highlight the importance of the railway industry and the consequences of its development on the Japanese economy. But, truthfully said, its impact goes far beyond that. The growth of Japanese society, its culture, and its lifestyle, all of these areas have been greatly influenced by the progress of the railway industry.

The museum, not only, teaches us the history and evolution of trains, through displays of various models, some of which you can enter. But it also explains the functioning and role of its mechanics and components, by installing divers simulators. Every generation can find joy in exploring the museum. From steam locomotives to modern-day shinkansen and Superconducting Magnetically Levitated Vehicle (Maglev), unravel all the secrets.

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday (except on Tuesday) (10:00 – 17:30); Closed – Tuesday/Wednesday when Tuesday falls on a public holiday – Last entry: 17:00

Entrance Fee: Until the 05/31/25 the price will be as following: Adults (1000¥), Students (500¥), 3 years old and above (200¥); From 06/01/25 onwards: Adults (1200¥), Students (500¥), 3 years old and above (200¥)

Location: Kinjofuto, Minato Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: SCMAGLEV and Railway Park | Central Japan Railway Company

For more details, please visit the website

Theme Parks

We have talked a lot about museums, but did you know that Nagoya is also famous for its legendary theme parks such as the Ghibli Park (not to get confused with the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo), Legoland, and Sea Life Nagoya?

Ghibli Park

Throughout the years, Ghibli Studios graciously cradled us with a plethora of stupendous universes, exciting storylines bringing tears and joy, and, above all, endearing characters. Each one of their cinematographic worlds succeeded in transporting the viewer to another dimension, through the beauty of their drawings and their unique animation style.

The opening of the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, in October 2001 made the fans overjoyed. But, how would you like it, if I told you that near Nagoya, the city of Nagakute was also graced with its own Ghibli-themed park? Opened on the first of November 2022, Ghibli Park welcomes its visitors by recreating the diverse universes seen in its movies, immersing them into its ethereal world, right as they enter. The park contains 5 main areas spread across the grounds of Moricoro Park: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke Village, and Valley of Witches. While the park doesn’t really have thrilling rides such as roller coasters, it does have, nonetheless, softer rides, suitable for children and for creating a gentler atmosphere.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday (except Tuesday) (10:00 – 17:00); Weekends (9:00-17:00) – Closed: Tuesday/Wednesday when Tuesday falls on a public holiday

Entrance Fee: Adults (weekday: 7300¥ and weekend: 7800¥ – access to all areas), Children (weekday: 3650¥ and weekend: 3900¥ – access to all areas)

Location: Ibaragabasama, Nagakute, Aichi

Website: Ghibli Park

For more details, please visit the website

Legoland Japan

We all have some fond memories with LEGOS, whether as a child, spending hours constructing and deconstructing our creations, or in recent years, enjoying the LEGO movies with your family. Well, what if you could recreate those reminiscences and bring them back to life by entering this amazing amusement park? Indeed, for the great pleasure of all ages alike, Legoland welcomes its visitors with eight themed lands, made out of 17 million LEGO bricks and 10,000 LEGO models, and with over 40 rides, workshops, and performances. Legoland lets you create your own adventure by playing, building, and rearranging the bricks as your imagination dictates. And if you or your children get tired, rest at one of the creative restaurants for LEGO brick-shaped churros or french fries.

Opening hours: Everyday (10:00 – 17:00)

Entrance Fee: Adult (4500¥~), Children (3 to 18 years old) (3300¥~)

Location: Kinjoufutou, Minato Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: 【Official】Welcome to LEGOLAND® Japan Resort

For more details, please visit the website

Sea Life Nagoya

While you are visiting Legoland, make sure to visit the Sea Life Nagoya as well. This lovely aquarium, only a minute away from the theme park, introduces you to a variety of majestic and intriguing inhabitants of the sea. Discover all eleven zones that it offers: from creative workshops where your drawings come to life, to coral reefs and sunken ships, passing through the tale of Urashima Taro, just to name a few. The beauty of Sea Life Nagoya is that it combines both real marine animals, more than 3,500 creatures, and LEGO character figures.

Opening hours: Everyday (11:00 – 18:00) – Last entry: 17:30

Entrance Fee: Adult (1800¥~), Children (3 to 18 years old) (1400¥~)

Location: Kinjoufutou, Minato Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: SEA LIFE Nagoya | LEGOLAND® Japan Resort

For more details, please visit the website

Midland Square Sky Promenade

If you would rather prefer a much more relaxing and slow-paced activity, the Midland Square Sky Promenade is the one for you. Opened in 2017 and located in the tallest building in Nagoya, fifth if you count the whole of Japan, the Sky Promenade offers its visitors a 360-degree panoramic view of the scenic city.

Beyond the staggering height of the building, 247 meters, the uniqueness of this attraction resides in the fact that you get to experience a view of the cityscape from three different floors: 44th, 45th, and 46th. The entrance to the Sky Promenade is, however, on the 42nd floor.

To top it off, not only will you get the opportunity to enjoy a nice breeze by dint of the open roof, but you may also explore the rest of the building in search of nice restaurants, cafés, shops, or even the cinema theater.

Opening hours: Everyday (11:00 – 22:00) – Last admission: 21:30

Entrance Fee: Adult (1000¥), Senior (500¥), High school students (500¥), Elementary School Students (3 to 18 years old) (500¥/Free on weekends and holidays)

Location: Meieki, Nakamura Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: Sky Promenade｜Midland Square

For more details, please visit the website

Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER

There is another famous observatory deck that you should visit while in Nagoya, and it is the Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER. Now, you may ask what the point is in visiting two different observation platforms, to which I would reply that the Mirai Tower is much more than just a viewing point.

Constructed in 1954, the Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER holds an important historical meaning as it represents the first consolidated radio tower erected in Japan. Its momentousness can also be perceived in the pop culture world, as it was featured in two Godzilla movies. Needless to say, this tower has become an icon for the city.

At the height of 90 meters, you can enjoy the panoramic 360° degree that the indoor Sky Deck Mirai 360 offers. On the other hand, at the height of 100 meters, you can appreciate and relax in the lovely open-air Sky Balcony.

Moreover, do not forget to stop at the café and the souvenir shop on the 3rd floor. While the former will allow you to unwind, the latter will make you travel back in time with its loads of original products.

Fun fact: The Base Lab café was produced by Sir Kazuyuki Ishi who worked as a music producer on numerous TV dramas and movies, such as Rurouni Kenshin.

Opening hours: Weekdays (10:00 – 21:00); Weekends (10:00 – 21:40)

Entrance Fee: Adult (1300¥), Children (800¥)

Location: Nishiki, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER Official Website

For more details, please visit the website

Nagoya’s exquisite food

One of the most important reasons for which you should visit the wonderful city of Nagoya is the variety of delectable food that it provides.

Nagoya Morning Service

Did you know that you can enjoy free breakfast in Nagoya? Yes, you heard me right. Many Nagoyan cafés have the custom of providing their clients with a complimentary breakfast if they just order a drink. It is believed that the tradition originated in Ichinomiya, a city about 20 kilometers north of Nagoya. Ichinomiya being known for its textile industry with its loud machinery, hosting business meetings in the factories became unsuitable. Therefore, the meetings would be held in a different location, namely in local coffee shops. To maintain the loyalty of their customers, the owners would often offer a free snack along with their orders. Over time, due to the popularity of the method as well as the competitiveness that it brought, the amount of free food began to increase until it became a full breakfast set. Nowadays, you usually get a slice of toast and hard-boiled eggs. Depending on the café, you can also get an Ogura Toast, a toast with sweet red bean paste.

Hitsumabushi

Another Nagoyan signature dish is Hitsumabushi. It consists of grilled eel thinly cut into small strips glazed in a sweet soy sauce, on top of rice. It differs from a regular Unagi-don (eel over rice), as Hitsumubashi is considered to be a more lavish dish due to the various condiments that come with it. Indeed, it is often accompanied by green onions, nori (seaweed), wasabi, dashi (soup stock) or green tea, and sometimes, mitsuba (Japanese parsley). There is also a specific method to consume it:

• Eat the eel and rice as it is.
• Eat the eel and rice with the solid condiments.
• Pour the warm stock over the dish and add as many condiments as per your liking.

Tenmusu

If you are an onigiri fan, you must try Nagoya’s famous version of the classic rice ball, also known as Tenmusu. Tenmusu is an onigiri that has been filled with shrimp tempura and wrapped in nori (seaweed). A true Nagoyan delicacy, not only easy to make but also easy to take away and eat at your own pace.

Misokatsu

Now, if tonkatsu is your thing, let me preface by telling you that Nagoya put its own spin on it and created another delicious version called Misokatsu. This succulent dish is made out of crispy deep-fried breaded pork served with an appetizing dark colored and smoky flavored Hatcho miso sauce. Compared to its counterparts, the three main ingredients of Hatcho miso are soybeans, water, and salt. In other terms, it doesn’t use any additional grain components, making it stronger in taste with hints of sweetness.

Arimatsu

Arimatsu is a town in the south-eastern suburbs of Nagoya, renowned for two reasons. The first is because it was built on a famous ancient highway called the Tokaido, which linked Kyoto to Edo during the Shogunate period. To this day, Arimatsu has preserved the image of its former townscape with old shops, wooden houses, as well as warehouses from the samurai era.

The second reason is because Arimatsu is the birthplace of the Narumi Shibori method. While Japan already had a long history with Shibori (the Japanese traditional tie-dye method), the entrepreneur Takeda Shokura developed the style into a more refined and intricate art form, thus creating the Arimatsu Narumi Shibori method. From 1608 and then onwards, the exquisite patterns were so well-liked that they propelled Arimatsu to fame and prosperity. It was THE place to go if you wanted to buy sophisticated cloth with quality and detailed work.

If you want to travel back in time, specifically in the Edo period, or if you just want to deepen your knowledge about Japanese textile and tie-dye industry, I would highly recommend you visit Arimatsu and the Arimatsu-Narumi Tie-Dyeing Museum.

Arimatsu-Narumi Tie-Dyeing Museum

Opening hours: Everyday (9:30 – 17:00 – Demonstration: Until 16:30)

Entrance Fee: Adult (300¥), Elementary, junior high, and high school students (100¥)

Location: Arimatsu, Midori Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: 有松・鳴海絞会館 | 有松絞りの歴史や資料｜有松の史跡と名所巡り｜有松絞商工協同組合

For more details, please visit the website

Nikko Style Nagoya

Now, traveling and visiting can be quite tiring, therefore, you need a good place to stay, somewhere where you will feel like you got your money’s worth. Well, I have the perfect place for you. Indeed, I have saved the best for last. Let me present to you an incredible hotel that mingles history and culture with modernity’s artistic sensitivity. I present to you: Nikko Style Nagoya.

Everything in this hotel has been thoroughly thought through to make the client feel completely relaxed and immersed in the Nagoyan culture. The hotel was minutely designed to awaken and appeal to all of our senses. From the choice of art and decoration reflecting the local culture, to the music carefully selected to appease our ears. And let us not put aside the delightful aroma of freshly brewed coffee tickling our nose.

But more than that, Nikko Style Nagoya was constructed to create a space where people could meet each other, to build a sense of community and meaningful connections. Somewhere where locals and travelers could cross paths while discussing and discovering Nagoyan culture. As a matter of fact, the hotel offers various guided tours to help you navigate and find the true hidden gems of the city.

This charming lodging, close to Nagoya station, has a lot to offer, and its main purpose is the well-being of its customers, so why not give it a try? If you do need more information, please visit their website. Furthermore, you can also read the interview we conducted with the manager of the hotel, as well as our other article going in-depth about the establishment.

Location: Meieki, Nakamura Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Website: Official Website | Nikko Style Nagoya | Book a Lifesytle hotel in Nagoya

For more details, please visit the website

Plenty of reasons to visit Nagoya

As you can see, Nagoya is an endearing and intriguing city with a lot of fun activities to do and luscious food to try. And yet, the above list only lists 10 points among the endless amount of things that you can do and see in this beautiful city.

Nagoya has the big advantage of being less known than Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, rendering it more peaceful and less crowded than the other three cities. But this quietude doesn’t equate to weariness. On the contrary, throughout history the city has continued to develop in many areas, notably a noticeable growth in the field of Science and in the textile industry, rendering it an epicenter for cultural and historical activities. But more than that, it also offers a beautiful contrast between its incessant industrial growth and its ethereal natural landscape, surrounded by majestic mountains and plains, by the sea and rivers.

If I haven’t convinced you of the charms of this lovely city yet, let me emphasize the quality and diversity of the food, with Nagoya having its own spin on many of the known dishes, mingling creativity and deliciousness, as well as the friendliness of the locals.

There are a lot of hidden gems concealed throughout the city, whether those are places, food, or people. Nagoya is a charming and enchanting place waiting for you to explore it.

Featured Photo Credit: Vinay Jayaram

If you’ve booked a summer vacation to Japan, then be sure to check out our summer tours for an in-depth Japanese culinary experience!