Easy Travel in Japan
Nagoya works well as more than a stopover if you give it two days. Day one covers the castle-town history — Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace and Atsuta Shrine — bookended by miso katsu and hitsumabushi. Day two moves through Osu’s shopping arcade, the Tokugawa family’s art collection, and one of the city’s industrial museums, closing with tebasaki before heading onward. If your dates land in mid-to-late November, Korankei Gorge’s maple foliage is worth extending the trip for — it’s a genuine day trip from the city center, better added as a third day than squeezed into this itinerary.
The castle-town history that gives Nagoya its identity, from Tokugawa Ieyasu's fortress to one of Shinto's most important shrines.
1The Tokaido Shinkansen's fastest Nozomi service reaches Nagoya from Tokyo in around 100 minutes, with departures every few minutes through the morning — no need to book far ahead. Nagoya's central position between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka makes it an easy add-on rather than a detour if you're already crossing the country.
2A short subway ride from Nagoya Station brings you to the castle. The main keep is currently closed pending a wooden reconstruction, so focus your visit on the Honmaru Palace, rebuilt over a decade with reconstructed Shoin-style interiors and gilded sliding-door paintings — genuinely worth the visit on its own. Budget 90 minutes to two hours for the palace and grounds.
3Have lunch near the castle with miso katsu, a breaded pork cutlet topped with a thick sauce made from Hatcho miso. It's a filling, distinctly local start to a day of Nagoya meshi.
4A subway ride south brings you to Atsuta Shrine, one of Shinto's most important shrines, its approach winding through a forest of centuries-old camphor trees. Walk the grounds and, if time allows, visit the Treasure Hall for a closer look at the swords and ritual objects connected to the shrine's history.
5Close the day with hitsumabushi at one of the eel restaurants near Atsuta Shrine, where the dish originated. Eat it in the traditional three stages — plain, with condiments, then with broth poured over — rather than rushing through it as a normal rice bowl.
A temple-anchored shopping arcade, a family art collection, and the museums behind Nagoya's manufacturing reputation.
1Start day two at Osu Kannon, its bright red-and-gold main hall anchoring the surrounding Osu shopping arcade. Wander the covered streets — over 400 shops mixing traditional goods, street food, and vintage and anime culture — before the crowds build up later in the day.
2A short ride from Osu brings you to the Tokugawa Art Museum, home to items passed down through the Owari Tokugawa family, including nine National Treasures. Give the galleries and the adjoining Tokugawa-en garden about 90 minutes.
3Have a quick, light lunch of kishimen, Nagoya's local flat wheat noodle served in a light dashi broth — a faster meal than the day before's miso katsu, leaving more time for the afternoon's museums.
4Head to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, housed in the company's original 1911 textile-machinery factory, tracing its evolution from looms to automobiles. If trains interest you more than looms, the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park on the Aonami Line makes an equally good swap — the two sit in different directions from the city center, so pick one rather than trying to fit both in.
5Close the trip with tebasaki and a beer at an izakaya near the station, then catch a Nozomi service back to Tokyo, again around 100 minutes. If you're continuing on to Kyoto or Osaka instead, the same train line covers that in roughly 35 to 50 minutes — Nagoya's central position works just as well heading the other way.
A well-paced two days through Takayama: the historic government office, old town, and sake breweries on day one, then the riverside morning market, festival shrine, and Hida Folk Village on day two — everything you need for a proper visit to this Hida mountain town.
Japan's iconic peak and the lakeside towns around it — the closest, most reliable place to see Fuji up close, from a pagoda framed against the summit to spring-fed ponds and a mountain-facing amusement park. A friendly starting point for planning a visit.
A well-paced two days through Kanazawa: the garden, castle, and market on day one, then a ninja-tricked temple and the historic chaya and samurai quarters on day two — everything you need for a proper visit to this castle town, not just a rushed stopover.
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