Why Nagoya?
Nagoya is the 3rd largest city of Japan after Tokyo and Osaka.
Nagoya is the heart of Aichi prefecture, full of history, nature, and culture. Home of the three men who shaped Japan – Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu – and Toyota itself, Nagoya has grown into a cultural hub that boasts amazing music, art, and food. There are countless ways to spend time here, in the metropolitan center or just outside the city in smaller towns surrounded by nature, but with very few tourists it is a wonderful place to immerse yourself in Japanese learning.
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™
wards
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
- Nagoya City Science Museum (feat. the world’s largest planetarium!)-Nagoya City
- Sky Promenade - Open-air, 360-degree panoramic view of Nagoya City - Nagoya City
- Atsuta Shrine - Nagoya City
- Tokugawa Museum - Nagoya City
- Toyota Museums and Tours - Nagoya City and Toyota City
- Nagashima Spa Land - Amusement park and outlet mall in Kuwana City - Mie Prefecture
- Tsuruma Park, famous for cherry blossom trees in spring - Nagoya City
- Legoland - Nagoya City
- Nagoya TV Tower – Nagoya City
- Moricoro Park (houses Ghibli Park) - Nagakute City (very close to Nagoya)
- Kiso Valley and River - Inuyama City
- Utsumi Beach - Chita Preninsula
- Tokugawa-en Garden
- Cape Irago
- Yotsuya Senmaida (Thousand Rice Fields) - Shinshiro City
It’s also super easy to travel to other parts of the country from Nagoya! You can take the bullet train to Osaka or Kyoto in under an hour, or to Tokyo in two hours. Centrair Airport in Nagoya is also convenient for travel to the further north or south, or even to surrounding countries!
Own work, trademark of Akira Toriyama, Shūeisha, Shōnen Jump
Love Anime?
Nagoya is a great place to explore your love of anime! Beyond the multitude of anime-related shops lining the streets of the shopping area in Osu Kannon, the world’s biggest cosplay event is also held in Nagoya each summer. At the World Cosplay Summit, finalists from all over the world are flown into Nagoya to show off their cosplay skills. Even outside of that weekend, many cosplayers can also be seen in Tsurumai Park each weekend for photoshoots. Living in Nagoya, you’d be right in the middle of all the action!
Love Food?
Aichi and Nagoya are built on a solid foundation of delicious foods! No matter your taste, there are tons of great things to try.
Some of the most famous foods here include:
- Tebasaki or chicken wings: Boldly flavored, sauced, and fried, you can find just about every variety in Nagoya! The city also has a Tebasaki Summit each year where you can try them all!
- Unagi or grilled eel
- Red miso: A strong miso variety used in dishes like misokatsu (fried pork topped with red miso sauce)
- Ogura toasg:Toast topped with butter and azuki, or sweet red bean paste
- Taiwan mazesoba:A brothless soba noodle dish originating in Nagoya but inspired by the flavors of Taiwan. It’s salty, spicy, and uniquely Nagoya!
Nagoyans also love their coffee, and “モーニング,” or “morning” set meals, are very popular here. When you order at a local cafe in the morning, you can generally get complimentary toast or a similar treat to go with it.
Love Festivals?
Nagoya and its surrounding cities have tons of them. Within Nagoya, there are festivals almost every weekend in Hisaya-Odori Park. Some examples are the ramen festival, Tebasaki Summit, idol group competitions, and wonderful cultural festivals like the Thai, Brazilian, and Taiwanese ones held by those who have emigrated here. Outside of Nagoya, each nearby city has its own special gifts to offer year-round. From the Float Festival (Tokoname City) and Star Festival (Anjo City) in spring, to the spectacular Tenno Festival and Wisteria Festival (Tsushima City) in summer, and autumn leaves abound at Nagoya Castle and Korankei Valley, a fantastic event is always just around the corner. Even in the dead of winter, you can head to the Toba Fire Festival to keep warm, or venture to see the Instagram-famous illumination at Nabana no Sato! Freezing has never been so fun.
What are you waiting for?
Whether you’re interested in music or art, nature or cities, samurais or cars, anime events or cosplay, or truly anything else – Nagoya has got you covered. Maybe you’ve heard Aichi isn’t the most exciting place, but if you give it a chance and see everything it actually has to offer, we think you’ll find that it is truly a place you’d be proud to call home (even if just for a year).
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