Why Nagoya?
Nagoya is the 3rd largest city of Japan after Tokyo and Osaka.
Nagoya is the centre of Aichi prefecture, full of history. It is the place that gave birth to the three men who shaped Japan: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Fast forward a couple of hundred years and another son of Aichi would start a company that has been shaping our lives for the last century. The name Kiichiro Toyoda may sound familiar to you. If we replace one letter in his last name with a letter 'T', we get Toyota. That's right, Aichi is the home prefecture of the world-famous Toyota company.
Situated between Tokyo and Kyoto, you can see how Nagoya and the whole of Aichi can be seen as marriage of history and modernity! Study Japanese here and you will not only learn the language but feel Japan's spirit.
people
kilometers from Tokyo
Lego™ bricks in Nagoya Legoland™
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Love Exploring?
Nagoya and surrounding areas have a massive number of things to do and places to see. The list below is by no means exhaustive, but it may inspire you to discover more.
- Nagoya Castle - Nagoya City
- Atsuta Shrine - Nagoya City
- Tokugawa Museum - Nagoya City
- Toyota Museums and Tours - Nagoya City and Toyota City
- Legoland - Nagoya City
- Nagoya TV Tower – Nagoya City
- Tsuruma park, a wonderful place during Sakura season – Nagoya City
- Kiso valley to the north of the city
- Tokugawa-en Garden
- Cape Irago
- Yotsuya Senmaida (Thousand Rice Fields) - Shinshiro City
Suppose by some miracle you are tired of being in Aichi and want a break for a weekend. In that case, Kyoto is 40 minutes away by bullet train and Osaka only 1 hour away as well, so you can have a weekend away and still be back at school on Monday for your lessons.
Own work, trademark of Akira Toriyama, Shūeisha, Shōnen Jump
Love Anime?
If you are like us, you must know about Dragonball! But did you know that Akira Toriyama, the guy who created the series, was born in Kiyosu City, only 20 minutes away by train from central Nagoya. He still lives in his home studio, so you can actually go and check it out. He is known for being very private, so please don't disturb him.
Love Food?
There is so much to try, so we recommend pacing yourself.
Some of the most famous delicacies of Aichi may include:
- Unagi or grilled eel
- Haccho Miso (a special miso paste of Aichi)
- Chikuwa (fish paste tubes)
- Tebasaki or simply, chicken wings
- Uiro sweets
Nagoya Meishi or Nagoya Food is famous all around Japan for being incredibly flavorsome and delicious.
People of Aichi Prefecture love mornings, so if you order just a morning coffee at a cafe, you might get a full-blown breakfast with it.
Love Festivals?
Festivals, events and performances run through the year, and each has a distinct flavor and atmosphere. Koto Garden Wisteria festival of Heikan City or the Tokoname Floats Festival in Spring, Toyohashi Gion Festival and The Star Festival in summer are just the tip of the iceberg. No matter when you are in Nagoya, a fantastic event is always just around the corner.
Seasons of The Year
Japan, as you know, is a land of seasons and Aichi has quite a bit to offer when it comes the diversity of the seasons. The whole year is full of festivals, events, places show you their one side of them during Spring and something entirely different during Autumn.
Koto Garden Wisteria festival of Heikan City or the Tokoname Floats Festival in Spring. Toyohashi Gion Festival and Start Festival during Summer. Korankei Momiji festival in Toyota city and the Fire Festival in Toyohashi City. Winter`s Toba fire festival or the Chinese New Year Festival in Nagoya. There is almost too much to choose from.
What are you waiting for?
Samurais or cars, anime events or cosplay, castles made of stone and wood or castles made of Lego bricks, whatever you think Japan is, it is here. Aichi may be a place you have not heard of, but it is going to be a place you will never forget.
Useful resources
- Everything about Aichi Prefecture: Aichi Now
- A nice video introducing Nagoya: Japan-guide.com
- Another nice site about Nagoya: Japan-guide.com - website
- Super Useful Guide: Visit Nagoya City Guide