Nagoya city is largest city in the Chubu region and the 4th most populous area in Japan making it a metropolis to explore along with it being home to extensive heritage places of interest. Nagoya is a city that personifies Japan's overall ideology as a nation: progressive, but always harbouring strong respect for tradition. With museums aplenty, restaurants galore and a series of reconstructed buildings to feast your eyes upon, this is an area of Asia that has a little bit of everything.
One of the must tries when visiting Nagoya is the Misonikomi dish, noodles in a Miso Broth. Some say that the origin of Nagoya's miso-nikomi noodle is the hoto noodle dish of the Yamanashi Prefecture, dating back from the warring states period where warlords brought back the hoto noodles, used as battle food. The clear based soup is created from a stock of dried bonito, shiitake mushroom and kombo kelp and seasoned with thick soy sauce and sweet sake. What makes this dish truly special is the use of haccho-miso, a salty red paste made only from beans without using koji rice malt. Another distinction is the serving style: one serving is boiled in a small earthen pot and is served piping-hot often with the addition of chicken, egg, green onion, shiitake mushrooms or mochi rice cakes. There are many restaurants in Nagoya that specialise in the Misonikomi, see some recommendations.
Nagoya is a city that personifies Japan's overall ideology as a nation: progressive, but always harbouring strong respect for tradition. With museums aplenty, restaurants galore and a series of reconstructed buildings to feast your eyes upon, this is an area of Asia that has a little bit of everything.
Direct flights from Singapore to Nagoya take 6 hours 45 minutes and depart daily with Singapore airlines. From Tokyo the journey on the JR Tokaido Shinkansen is 100 minutes and 50 minutes from Osaka. Once in the city the easiest way to get around is via the Meguru loop bus for tourists, taking you to many of the city's most popular visitor attractions.
Inuyama is a city in Aichi Prefecture, near Nagoya. It is most famous for its small but beautiful castle, which is one of Japan's oldest wooden castles in its original state, dating from 1537. As with most castles in Japan there is a small entrance fee of 500 yen, approx SG$6 . Meiji Mura is one of Japan's open air museums with over sixty buildings from the Meiji period (1868-1912). The collection of replicated buildings from this era preserve the periods architectural and cultural heritage in Japan.
On arrival at Nagoya International Airport make your way to Nagoya Station. The fastest way to reach Inuyama is by Meitetsu train from, express trains (Kyuko) take about 30 mins and are the cheapest at approx 550 yen.
This beautifully preserved old town is commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama, popular with those wishing to add an element of rural Japan into their visit. Host of the spring and autumn Takayama Festival, considered to be one of Japan's top festivals , this picturesque town is a must visit whilst in the Chubu region. As well as exploring the old town take a visit to the Hida Folk Village where there are over 30 traditional houses to explore. The carefully preserved houses, built during the Edo Period (1603-1867) were relocated from their original locations to the museum in 1971. Visit in the morning when the indoor fireplaces are lit everyday giving the houses even more of an authentic glow.
From Nagoya take the JR Hida limited express train departs hourly taking 150 minutes. The trip is included in the Japan Rail Pass or 6000 yen as a single ticket . Local trains
If travelling from Tokyo to Nagoya to connect to Takayama be sure to take the Hikari train as opposed to Nozomi trains which are not covered.
The fourth most populated area in Japan with over 2.24 million residents, Nagoya remains one of the country's most prominent cities and has continued to grow in reputation since being rebuilt after World War II. Home to a series of neck-craning skyscrapers and marvellous modern architecture, this busy Japanese city is modern in appearance but rich in cultural history. As one of the biggest and most advanced centres for manufacturing in the entire world, Nagoya has a reputation for having two eyes set firmly on the future, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest it remains equally keen to hold on to Japanese traditions despite an insatiable hunger for progression.
Nagoya Castle and Osu Kannon Temple continue to stand as two of the most beautiful structures in the country, whilst the serene Atsuta Shrine is widely regarded as one of Shinto's most important shrines. There are also a multitude of museums to explore, such as the Tokugawa Art Museum, which celebrates some of the finest creative works in Japanese history, and the spectacular Science Museum - a jaw-dropping silver globe structure which houses one of the world's largest planetariums deep inside its regions. Nagashima Resort sits just outside the city and is a popular theme park for family days out, with hot springs, roller coasters, and shopping centres located within the vicinity.
Bustling with businessmen by day, the city centre comes alive in the night-time, offering a wide range of cafes, bars and restaurants to visit. Perhaps the best-known sight in the entire city, however, remains the Twin Towers of Nagoya Station - the two awesome cylinder buildings that stretch into the sky above the train terminal. A fast-paced, lively city with plenty to see and do, Nagoya ought to be high on the bucket list for anyone travelling around Japan.
There are several key sights you ought to take in if you visit the city of Nagoya. The first is one you will struggle to miss: the main train station. Often referred to as a "town within a city", this complex is recognisable by its two colossal cylindrical twin towers that stand side by side, containing shops, gardens, spas, cafes, bars, restaurants and even a hotel inside.
The second must-see sight is the city castle. This ancient building suffered severe damage during the Second World War, but the government has pumped funding into its reconstruction to turn it into one of the most famous tourist locations in this region of Japan. Beautiful, bold and striking, the castle area is made up of several turrets, gates and gardens, all of which are something terrific for the eyes to behold.
The City Science Museum is another venue that's well worth a visit. This museum is home to the largest planetarium in the world, and whilst it looks tremendous from the outside with its big silver globe structure, further fascination lies in wait behind the main doors - with seven stories of laboratories and exhibits to explore.
If it's natural beauty that you seek, you can find it at Atsuta Shrine. Enshrining the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, this ancient Japanese site also has a spot nearby that serves up delicious bowls of kishimen noodles - a delicacy enjoyed by the locals.
Those with an unquenchable thirst for shopping will find themselves completely satisfied with the range of stores present in and around the city. Many of the very best department stores can be found inside the main train station itself, although there are also a wide array of more authentic Japanese shops located across the city, especially in Sakae and Fushimi which are particularly popular areas with the younger crowd.
If you fancy letting your hair down with a few drinks in the evening, the nightlife here won't disappoint. There's My Bar and Steps for getting groovy on the dancefloor, and if you fancy a bite to keep your energy levels up there's the The Red Rock Aussie Bar & Grill. Just outside the city is also Nagashima Resort - a spectacular entertainment centre with rides, shops, shows and restaurants that offers a fun-filled day out for all the family.