Lonely PlanetAug 20
The 13 best things to do in Nagoya, Japan
Restaurants, nightlife, family attractions, cultural sites and more.
One of Japan’s most sacred Shintō shrines, founded over 1900 years ago.
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.