You don’t typically see Nagoya on a first-timer’s Japan itinerary. Case in point: it took me six trips before I finally made it to Japan’s fourth-largest city. An industrial hub and home to manufacturing giants like Toyota, Nagoya has earned a bit of a reputation as a “boring” city for tourists.
I put that to the test during our two-night stay – admittedly, our main reason for visiting was a day trip to hike the ancient Nakasendo Trail – but we still carved out a full day to explore Nagoya and uncover the gems of this less-touristed city.
Here’s how to spend one day (or more) in Nagoya.
Getting to Nagoya
Getting to Nagoya is straightforward, especially if you’re coming from Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto (like we did). The city is a main stop on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, making it a convenient base for a couple of nights as part of your Japan itinerary.
Nagoya also has its own international airport, making it accessible for those flying in directly.
Where to Stay
Since our main goal in Nagoya was to use it as a base for a Nakasendo day trip, we chose accommodation within walking distance of Nagoya Station. We found options to be plentiful and excellent value – particularly compared to Tokyo and Kyoto.
We stayed at Via Inn Nagoya Station Tsubaki-cho, just a short walk from Nagoya Station. The hotel was clean, comfortable, and conveniently located. Here are some other recommendations:
Accommodation Near Nagoya Station
Budget – nine hours Nagoya Station: this modern and sleek capsule hotel is close to the station with clean and quiet capsules. Bonus: Glitch Coffee operates out of the ground floor of the hotel (one of my favourite specialty coffee stores in Japan).
Mid-Range – Via Inn Nagoya Station Tsubaki-cho: Via Inn is one of my favourite chain hotels in Japan – they offer excellent value for money accommodation, and their Nagoya hotel is no exception, in a convenient location, just a short walk from the station.
Luxury – Nikko Style Nagoya: this modern, trendy hotel features spacious rooms (a rarity in Japan!), a live DJ on weekends, bicycle rentals and specialty coffee.
Accommodation Near Sakae (Downtown Nagoya)
Alternatively, consider staying in the Sakae district in downtown Nagoya. This area is ideal for shopping, dining, and nightlife, with easy subway access to Nagoya Station.
Budget – Hotel Mystays Nagoya Nishiki: Near the iconic Oasis21 complex, this value-for-money budget chain hotel is an easy walk from Sakae Station.
Mid-Range – ACCESS by LOISIR HOTEL Nagoya: this boutique hotel offers a comfortable stay in the hub of Sakae, with free bicycle rentals to help explore downtown Nagoya.
Luxury – The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Nagoya: offering rooms with sweeping views of the mountains surrounding the city, this luxury hotel is centrally located above Sakae Station.
Getting Around
The main modes of transport in Nagoya are the subway and bus. For our itinerary, we found the subway stations weren’t as plentiful as in other cities so we opted for a taxi – a rarity for us in Japan – since we were short on time and wanted to minimise walking after hiking the Nakasendo Trail the day before!
You can also use your IC card (such as Suica or PASMO) on public transport in Nagoya, which makes getting around seamless.
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1 Day Nagoya Itinerary
Itinerary Map
We started our day with a specialty coffee from Glitch, near Nagoya Station. Catch the subway, taxi or walk to Nagoya Castle.
Nagoya Castle
- Open: 9 am – 4.30 pm
- Admission: 500 Yen
I’ll be honest – Nagoya Castle isn’t the most thrilling castle I’ve visited in Japan. The castle keep is currently closed for extensive renovations, so there’s no grand central tower to explore.
However, the Honmaru Palace, a designated national treasure, is still open. Here, you’ll find beautifully replicated gold leaf paintings and reconstructed Edo-period architecture. It’s a fascinating glimpse into history – just temper your expectations if you’re hoping for a full castle experience.
Kinshachi Yokocho Food Street
For lunch, we wandered over to Kinshachi Yokocho, a traditional Edo-period street lined with eateries serving local Nagoya cuisine. Here, we tried Nagoya’s signature dish, Hitsumabushi, at Hitsumabushi Bincho – grilled eel over rice, enjoyed in three different ways.
The restaurant provided an English instruction card, so we knew exactly how to savour this iconic dish:
- On its own, to appreciate the grilled flavour as-is
- Mixed with condiments of wasabi and green onions
- Add seasoning, seaweed and finish with a pour of savoury dashi broth in the bowl
Other local specialities like miso katsu, kishimen noodles, and Nagoya-style chicken wings are also available here, making it a convenient and tasty lunch stop.
Osu Kannon Temple and Shopping Street
Next, we jumped in a taxi for the short 10-minute ride to Osu Kannon Temple. You can get there by subway, but after a long morning of walking, our tired legs appreciated the lift.
As luck would have it, a flea market was set up outside the temple during our visit, with stalls selling vintage and quirky treasures. Turns out the market is held on the 18th and 28th of every month, so it’s worth checking if your visit aligns.
The temple itself is a Buddhist site featuring a wooden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, carved by Kobo Daishi – the founder of Shingon Buddhism in Japan (we learnt more about this during our Temple Stay in Koyasan on our last trip to Japan).
Near the temple is the entrance to Osu Shopping Street, a bustling arcade of shops and cafes, a more relaxed version of Osaka’s Dotonbori.
One of our favourite finds was Komehyo, offering a beautiful selection of yukatas and kimonos at very reasonable prices. I picked up a cotton yukata to use as a dressing gown at home – it’s hands-down one of my favourite souvenirs from Japan!
Sakae
From Osu, you can take the subway (15 minutes) or stroll through the streets (20–25 minutes) to reach Sakae, downtown Nagoya’s vibrant hub. Highlights include the Eiffel Tower-esque Nagoya TV Tower, the futuristic Oasis 21 complex, and plenty of shops and eateries. Make sure to stick around after dark to see the Oasis 21 oval roof beautifully lit up, and don’t miss the rooftop public space with its views of the city.
While in Sakae, you could also visit the Nagoya City Science Museum, home to one of the world’s largest planetariums inside a giant silver globe. We skipped it, as the planetarium shows are in Japanese, though the visual displays and science exhibits might still appeal to some.
For dinner, there are plenty of options in Sakae, or if you’re staying near Nagoya Station like we were, we enjoyed a bowl of ramen at Ryan Meieki Ramen, just a short walk from our hotel.
And that wraps up a full day in Nagoya – a perfect introduction to discovering the highlights of this underrated city.
Where to Eat
- Ryan Meieki Ramen: It’s Dane’s life mission to find the best bowl of ramen in each city we visit, and Ryan Ramen was his pick for a quick but satisfying dinner in Nagoya.
- Cafe Maru: We made a quick detour to a cafe Dane had found serving these amazing-looking Japanese puddings. It was a delicious treat! It’s a little bit out of the way, but you could visit on the way to Nagoya Castle.
- Atsuta Houraiken Matsuzakaya: One of Nagoya’s famous restaurants serving hitsumabushi (grilled eel with rice). There are multiple branches around the city.
- Kinshachi Yokocho: a small open-air street of eateries near Nagoya Castle serving local specialities
- Komeda’s Coffee: We often visit one of the many Komeda Coffee branches throughout Japan, but we had to make sure to visit in Nagoya, where it was first established. It’s best known for its morning service, where for the price of one coffee, you receive a free breakfast set of thick, fluffy toast with bean paste and an egg. Watch my video of the experience here.
- Ramuchii: One of Nagoya’s well-known spots to try miso katsu – fried pork cutlet dripping in red miso sauce served with cabbage and rice
Is 1 Day Enough?
Honestly, I felt one day was sufficient to see the highlights of Nagoya. You could comfortably spend two days, or longer if you wanted to visit Legoland or explore Studio Ghibli Park.
For more things to do in Nagoya, consider:
- Visiting the Toyota Museum
- Ride rollercoasters at Legoland
- Explore the magical Ghibli Park (make sure to purchase tickets in advance, it’s very popular)
- Take a day trip and hike the Nakasendo Trail
Final Thoughts
And that wraps up the perfect one-day Nagoya itinerary. While our main reason for visiting was to use the city as a base for our Nakasendo Trail day trip, I genuinely enjoyed spending time exploring this understated city and sampling its many delicious local specialities.
Nagoya may not always be on a first-timer’s radar, but its local ambience, interesting sights and unique cuisine make it a surprisingly rewarding stop.
Be sure to check out my other travel guides and itineraries to make the most of your time in Japan. Happy adventuring!
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