JP · Aichi Prefecture · 35.18°N 136.90°E

nagoya

Nagoya Castle's golden shachi, miso katsu, eel on rice and a day out at Ghibli Park.

Best time
Late March to early April for cherry blossoms around the castle, and October and November for mild weather. Summers are very hot and humid.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly into Chubu Centrair (about 6.5 hours from KL, usually with a connection), or fly to Tokyo or Osaka and take the Tokaido Shinkansen: about 1 hour 40 minutes from Tokyo, or under an hour from Shin-Osaka.
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JP · Aichi Prefecturenagoya35.18°N 136.90°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Nagoya Castle's golden shachi, miso katsu, eel on rice and a day out at Ghibli Park.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingNagoyaJP, Aichi Prefecture
KLnagoya
≈ 5,082 km from KL, as the crow flies
大天守と小天守

Photo: Bariston · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Japan's fourth-biggest city sits between Tokyo and Osaka on the shinkansen line, so it's easy to add to a bigger trip. It's an industrial city rather than a pretty one, but it has its own strong food culture, a famous castle and Ghibli Park just outside town.

Makan

  1. HitsumabushiGrilled eel on rice eaten three ways: plain, with condiments, then with dashi poured over.Map ↗
  2. Miso katsuPork cutlet in a thick, sweet red miso sauce. Yabaton is the old name everyone knows.Map ↗
  3. TebasakiPeppery, sticky fried chicken wings, best with a cold drink.Map ↗
  4. Morning serviceOrder a coffee at a café in the morning and many add toast and an egg at no extra cost. Try ogura toast with red bean.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Nagoya CastleFamous for the golden shachi on its roof. The rebuilt Hommaru Palace is the highlight while the main keep is closed for a long rebuild.Map ↗
  2. Ghibli ParkSets and buildings from Studio Ghibli films, spread across a big park in Nagakute, east of the city.Map ↗
  3. Atsuta ShrineOne of Japan's most important shrines, set in a quiet forest in the south of the city.Map ↗
  4. OsuA busy shopping arcade around Osu Kannon temple, with cheap eats, vintage shops and electronics.Map ↗
  5. SCMAGLEV and Railway ParkJR Central's train museum, with shinkansen and maglev trains, good with kids.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Ghibli Park tickets are sold by date and only in advance, so book well ahead.
  • Inuyama Castle, one of Japan's few original castles, is an easy half-day trip by Meitetsu train.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.