Travel to Nagoya is easy on the shinkansen from Tokyo, and takes about one and a half hours. Our main reason to visit was to go to the Suzuka F1 race. However, we enjoyed exploring the city centre and the nearby Studio Ghibli Park. Nagoya is a relatively large city, but not so touristy. There are plenty of museums and a historic castle. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to go into the main part of Nagoya Castle due to previous earthquake damage. However, the grounds and other buildings are nice to explore. I also enjoyed a morning run through the city, and discovered many covered shopping streets.
Additionally, the unique local foods we tried included uni (bbq eel) and miso katsu. Very tasty, and different flavours to the typical Japanese food.
Highlights
- Tebasaki chicken wings
- Studio Ghibli Park
- Nagoya castle
- Shirakawa Park
- Nagoya city science museum
- Nagoya city art museum
- Osu Shotengai Shopping Street
- Shintenchi Dori Shopping Street
- MEGA Don Quijote UNY Nayabashi store
- Sky Promenade viewing tower
- Suzuka F1 racing
Before you go
- Add Suica card to Apple wallet and load yen onto it for local travel
- Some places only take cash and others take only physical credit cards
- Eating while walking is considered rude. Eating on Shinkansen is ok but not buses or local trains
- If you are visiting during the Suzuka F1, then book accommodation early
- Some popular restaurants either require a reservation in advance or waiting in a queue
Transport
- Nagoya has a rail station, which is served by local trains and shinkansen. It is about 1.5 hours from Tokyo
- Travel to Ghibli park is possible by train, but they are infrequent and take awhile so you may want to use a taxi
- Uber works but GO is more popular
- It is possible to walk around the city centre but for some places around the city, use either public or taxi transport
Accommodation
- In Nagoya, we stayed at APA Hotel Nagoya Fushimi Ekikita, which is part of a Japanese chain
- The hotel was comfortable and well-located. The price was reasonable considering we were there during the F1 race in Suzuka. Book far in advance!
- As usual I recommend checking reviews on Google Reviews or using AirBnB
Food
Yabaton miso katsu was an amazing meal. Crispy tonkatsu (breaded and fried pork cutlet) with miso sauce. The restaurant is famous for this dish, and usually has a long queue. Unlimited green tea is available on the table.
Unatou Nakagawa was a quiet restaurant outside of the city centre. It’s known for uni (bbq eel), which was tender and flavourful. You’re meant to enjoy it plain, with dashi and with pickles.
Mulberry Patisserie was a beautiful French-style bakery with tasty desserts. We enjoyed these on a train, though I would say they are best enjoyed chilled and soon after purchase. At Nagoya Castle festival, I tried a candied matcha apple, which was unique and delicious.
Like most of Japan, the snacks from 7 Eleven, Family Mart, and Plusta are great. I especially like the onigiri (rice balls), maki sushi, and smoothies.
Tebasaki chicken wings are a local specialty but unfortunately we only got to try these at an izakaya in Kyoto. Most of the places that would serve tebasaki are bars that are only open in the evenings.
Finally, Hoshino Coffee Nagoya Spiral Towers Shop was a nice casual cafe for breakfast. We had their souffle pancakes.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a tour guide?
A: No, it is easy to find the places of interest around the city
Q: Do people speak English?
A: Some people speak English, but many do not. Luckily many signs now have Japanese and English. However, I recommend to have GoogleTranslate ready
Q: Is it a walkable city?
A: Yes, it is walkable. However, if you want to go to Suzuka, then you will need to take a train and a shuttle bus
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