25 Best Things to Do in Nagoya

by Lucy Dayman | TRAVEL

© 名古屋太郎 / Creative Commons, Nagoya Castle

Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city, but somewhat shy of tourists; it feels like a low-key local secret. Nestled nicely between Tokyo and Osaka, this middle child of a city shouldn't be underestimated as it has a lot to offer. From the city center to leafy outskirts, if you’re looking for what to do in Nagoya, here's a rundown of the city’s most exciting attractions.

1. Noritake Garden

There's an oasis in the middle of Nagoya: Noritake Garden, the award-winning shopping, culture, and art destination founded by the Noritake company, one of the most well-known and respected names in Japan's ceramics industry. The site was built on the company's former factory grounds (see map) and is an excellent overview of the brand as a whole. Here guests can get hands-on in the craft center, stroll the scenic garden and admire the exhibits at the Craft Center Noritake Museum.

2. Osu Shopping Street

With a history that spans over 400 years, Osu Shopping Street is more than just a place to splash a little cash, it's also a piece of Nagoya legend. It once flourished as a center for traditional entertainment and culture, and today remains a centerpiece of contemporary culture in Japan. With 1,200 businesses calling this area home, the street is filled with a variety of establishments, from temples and food stalls to clothing shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, and secret hidden surprises you'll just have to discover for yourself (see map).

3. Bansho-ji Temple

Located in the bustling Osu shopping street district, Bansho-ji is one of Nagoya's most iconic temples (see map). Lord Oda Nobuhide originally built Bansho-ji as a Soto Buddhist temple in the then village of Nagoya in 1540, but it was later rebuilt at its present location in 1610. Lined with lanterns and with two fox spirits (kitsune) guarding the entrance, it's hard to miss.

4. Hongan-ji Betsuin

Sitting not far from Bansho-ji Temple, just south of Osu Kannon Station (see map), Hongan-ji Betsuin is a modern-looking temple and is home to the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism. The temple's origins date back to 1500 CE when it was first founded in the Japanese cedar groves of Ise province. During the Edo period, it relocated to Nagoya, where it remains today. On the ground floor of the temple is where the ashes of those who have passed now lay. Here local monks perform prayer services for family members on request.

5. Banana Records

Near impossible to miss, standing tall in its verdant yellow glory, Banana Records is an excellent representative for Nagoya's passionate love affair for music. The double story store is home to an eclectic selection of records, both new and old, spanning various genres, from indie-pop and old school retro releases to the newest in techno, house, and hip hop. It's the perfect place to pick up a local record or two as souvenirs to take home (see map).

6. Shirotori Garden

This elegant, Japanese style garden is one of the best places to visit in Nagoya to relax and unwind. At 3.7 hectares, it's spacious enough to escape the manic energy of city life, but still easy to explore comprehensively within an hour or so. Shirotori Garden was designed in the likeness of the nature and the geography, and attractions of the surrounding area, with the main pond representing the waters of Ise Bay, the stream being the Kiso River, and the hill in the southwestern corner a representation of the powerful Mount Ontake (see map).

7. Tokugawa Art Museum

The Tokugawa Art Museum was constructed on the grounds of Owari's former feudal residence, and it's a worthy tribute to its legendary Edo-era leader. The exhibits include meticulously preserved Tokugawa treasures like samurai armor, swords, tea utensils, noh masks, poems, scrolls, costumes, and maps. Next to the museum sits Tokugawa-en Garden, an impressive garden well worth putting aside a few hours to explore (see map).

8. Oasis 21

Looking like a UFO that crash-landed in the middle of the city, Oasis 21 is a modern shopping center and entertainment district located in the middle of the city (see map). It's well worth visiting if you have a little time up your sleeves and want to admire some pretty unique architecture. But if you can, check it out at night so you can stroll along the illuminated the rooftop, aka Spaceship Aqua, and enjoy the night city views from 14 meters above the ground.

9. Midland Square Sky Promenade

Located just opposite Nagoya Station, the 47-story, 247 meter-high Midland Square Sky Promenade is the city's tallest building and also one of its most impressive. The building opened in 2007 as a shopping and entertainment complex (see map). The basement level and first four stories are home to shops, chic boutiques, restaurants, and cafes, while on the fifth level is the cinema. On the 41st and 42nd floor sits a collection of the city's most elegant sky restaurants while taking up residence on the top of the tower is Sky Promenade, a viewpoint offering unparalleled scenes of the city.

10. Nagoya City Science Museum

© Asturio Cantabrio / Creative Commons, Nagoya City Science Museum

Catching the light in all its metallic and spherical glory, the Nagoya City Science Museum is hard to miss, which is lucky as it's one of the best places in Nagoya for kids. Also home to one of the world's largest planetariums, the seven-floor museum houses a comprehensive collection of permanent exhibits, including plenty of interactive displays, spread across five floors with rotating temporary exhibitions taking up residence in the lower part of the museum (see map).

11. Sakae

Over in Nagoya's bustling downtown district of Sakae (map), there's always something happening, whether it's shopping, entertainment, festival events, or nightlife kicking off. If you spend some time in Nagoya, it's near impossible to miss this pocket of the city, and of course, you shouldn't, as it's home to many of Nagoya’s top attractions like Oasis 21 and Nagoya TV Tower, as well as a cluster of department stores including Sunshine Sakae, Matsuzakaya, Mitsukoshi / Lachic, and Nadya Park.

12. Osu Antique Market

Nick nacks, one-off gift ideas, crafts, and the oddball creations, Osu Antique Market is the dream destination for any avoid collector spending some time in Nagoya. The sprawling flea-style market, which runs fortnightly, on the 18th and 28th of each month, is held just outside Osu Kannon (see map), a popular Buddhist temple in the central city area, which is also well worth checking out.

13. Yanagibashi Fish Market

There's something about visiting a local market that offers insight into a city unlike any tourist-centric attraction ever could, which is probably why markets in japan are so popular. The same is the case here at Yanagibashi Fish Market, the Nagoya’s top food destination (see map). The market was first established in 1916 and has remained a centerpiece of Nagoya's culinary scene, and is also colloquially known as the "pantry of Hakata." Browse the offerings, meet the stallholders, grab a bite, and enjoy the local side of the city.

14. Eat iconic Nagoya breakfast set

Tokyo might be the Michelin star capital of the nation, but Nagoya is a city renowned for its breakfast sets. Many coffee shops in the area offer a breakfast known as a morning service, which features fresh bakery spreads and all you can eat buffets, most of which are yoshoku (Japanese versions of western food), making for a unique culinary experience. If you're in Nagoya, you can't not start your morning with one at least once.

15. Early Birds Breakfast

Sitting next door to the well-stocked and even more well-trafficked Circles bike shop, Early Birds Breakfast is a laid back cafe that combines contemporary, globally inspired Japanese style with laid back West Coast ambiance (see map). It's a popular location for Nagoya's trendy younger generation who come to enjoy hearty plates of Americana-style food like biscuits and gravy, and sandwiches overstuffed with local vegetables. It may not be the typical destination that comes to mind when thinking about dining in Japan, but that's a large part of its charm.

16. Legoland Japan

This colorful attraction opened in 2017 and has since established itself as one of the premier tourist destinations and a highly popular attraction for families with kids of all ages. Legoland Japan is split into seven themed areas, including a Miniland Japan, which features replica models of the country's most well-known destinations like Kyoto, Mount Fuji, and Tokyo; head to the rotating Observation Tower to get a bird's eye view of the area. Beyond mini-Japan, the six other areas are Factory, Bricktopia, Adventure, Lego City, Knight's Kingdom, and Pirate Shores. Just outside the park sits an aquarium, a Legoland Hotel, and a tidy collection of shops (see map).

17. Nagoya City Art Museum

Nestled in the leafy surrounds of Shirakawa Park in central Nagoya (see map), Nagoya City Art Museum is a spectacular piece of Japanese architecture designed by the legendary Kisho Kurokawa.

18. Nagoya Castle

One of the most spectacular castles in Japan, Nagoya Castle was built at the beginning of the Edo Period as one of the three branches of the ruling Tokugawa family. While most of the original structure was demolished air raids of 1945, the castle has been rebuilt, and today, it's an excellent place to visit to brush up on local history, with its true to original interior design and stunning classical art (see map).

19. Toyota Museum

© Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology

Nagoya is known as the home of Toyota, one of the world's biggest car manufacturers. The company's HQ is in a city also named Toyota (yes, the city was named after the brand, not the other way around) in the prefecture of Nagoya, and right by the HQ is the Toyota Kaikan Museum (see map). Here you can learn all about the manufacturing process, the science of creating a world-class car, and even sign up for a plant tour!

20. Port Area

© Bariston / Creative Commons, Nagoya Port Area

Sitting to the south of the city centre, Nagoya's Port area is in fact, Japan's largest port and is home to a wealth of attractions including a shopping mall, aquarium, amusement park, and museums. It's a great place to spend a day checking out the sights by the waterfront, and it's super easy to access from the center of the city (see map).

21. Nagashima Resort

Outside the city limits of Nagoya is where you'll find Nagashima Resort, a vibrant amusement park and much-loved vacation destination (see map). The resort is comprised of five facilities in total, each with their own unique appeal. There's the Nagashima Spaland amusement park home to roller coasters and other thrill rides, a water park, a hot spring complex, a scenic flower park named Nabana no Sato, and an outlet shopping mall. An ideal place for a fun day-trip just outside of the city, it's one of Nagoya's most tourist-centric hotspots.

22. Sanage Onsen

Nestled on the foothills of Mount Sanage in Aichi Kogen Quasi-National Park, Sanage Onsen is a relaxing retreat not far from the city center (see map). Founded in 1554, it's also home to the prefecture's largest natural radon hot spring. The water here is pumped from 1,200 meters underground and is said to have healing medicinal qualities. In the area, you'll mainly find ryokan style inns and onsen bath facilities perfect for day-tripping or an overnight escape.

23. Korankei

© Tomio344456 / Creative Commons, Korankei

This lush valley just outside the city (see map) is stunning all year long but is especially so in autumn when the overgrown foliage on the 4000-something maple trees that flank the Tomoe River turns the valley into a fiery landscape of leaves red, orange, and yellow. Annually in November, the area is also host to a popular koyo or autumn leaves viewing festival known as momiji matsuri, which includes live performances, tea events food, and plenty of other attractions.

24. Day trip to Arimatsu

If you're looking to escape city life and soak up the laid-back natural surrounds of regional Nagoya, then be sure to visit Arimatsu, a scenic old town home to some of the area's most legendary tie-dye textile producers (see map). Guests wanting to get a little more hands-on can also sign up for guided tours and admire the artisans toiling away in their workshops.

25. Day trip to Inuyama Castle

This impressive piece of architecture is one of the nation's 12 remaining original castles. Of the 12 that still remain, there are only five that boasts National Treasure status, and Inuyama Castle is one of them. The castle was constructed in 1537 and remains relatively intact, standing tall and proud, looking out over the Kiso River (see map). If you want to admire Nagoya from a whole new angle, or just get a taste of the area's proud history, this is a spot that can't be overlooked.