Lonely PlanetAug 20, 2026
The 13 best things to do in Nagoya, Japan
Restaurants, nightlife, family attractions, cultural sites and more.
25 things in this story
- Atsuta-jingūPlace of worshipOne of Japan’s most sacred Shintō shrines, founded over 1900 years ago.
- Tokugawa Art MuseumMuseumHolds 10,000 artworks including nō masks, ceramics, paintings, and armor.
- Kusanagi-kanMuseumDisplays famous swords and other artifacts from the Tokugawa era.
- Bunkaden Treasure HallMuseumExhibits highlights from a collection of over 4000 Tokugawa-era swords.
- Tokugawa-enSightA magnificent Japanese garden with woodland, ponds, and a teahouse.
- Ōsu districtNeighborhoodHome to hundreds of cool vintage boutiques and vibrant street art.
- Ōsu KannonSightA Buddhist temple with roots tracing back to 1333.
- Ghibli ParkSightFantasy landscape with recreations of famous Studio Ghibli anime scenes.
- Nagoya City Art MuseumMuseumHoused in a striking modern building designed by Kisho Kurokawa.
- Noritake Garden GalleryMuseumExhibitions of art on the site of a former ceramics factory.
- Nagoya-jōSightNagoya's showpiece castle, reconstructed in 1959 using steel and concrete.
- Honmaru PalaceAttractionRestored 17th-century palace with 31 tatami-floored rooms.
- Ninomaru-teienSightBeautiful garden surrounding the castle watchtowers, gates, and moat.
- MisenRestaurantServes the local specialty of spicy “Taiwan” ramen near Nagoya station.
- Atsuta Horaiken HontenRestaurantServing hitsumabushi (eel over rice) since 1873.
- Yabaton HontenRestaurantFamed for miso-katsu slathered in a savory miso-based sauce.
- Yamamotoya Sōhonke HonkeRestaurantOriginal branch for soupy miso-nikomi udon, a Nagoya specialty.
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry & TechnologyMuseumLearn how Toyota was founded and see demonstrations of car assembly.
- SCMAGLEV & Railway ParkMuseumScramble aboard world's fastest trains and try bullet train simulators.
- Nagoya City Science MuseumMuseumFeatures the world's largest planetarium and a deep-freeze lab.
- SakaeNeighborhoodNagoya's pulsating, neon-lit strip of bars, clubs, and izakaya.
- Central Park mallSightUnderground shopping and casual dining with a different mood.
- NishikiNeighborhoodPopular nightlife district with narrow alleyways and old-style izakaya.
- Chubu Electric Power Mirai TowerSightFirst radio tower of its type in Japan, dating to 1954.
- Midland SquareSightNagoya's tallest building with Japan's tallest open-air observation deck.