Aichi is nestled along the southern coast of Japan’s main island and is quick and easy to get to from Tokyo. Just hop into a Shinkansen bullet train bound for Nagoya, the capital city.
April, May, and October will be the most pleasantly warm and not as terribly humid as summer. Out of the winter months, November has the most tolerable weather and will be the best time to spot fall foliage. Be sure to avoid the first week of May, Golden Week, as that is an extremely popular time for travel! If you go in the summertime, there are no lack of beaches. Take a trip to Himakajima Island for relaxing on some beautiful sand and to eat fresh octopus and blowfish. You can purchase a vacation package from Nagoya Railroad that’ll include a bus from Kōwa Station to the harbor and a short high-speed boat ride to the island.
A fantastic place for history buffs, Aichi is full of castles. Inuyama Castle is one of the 12 original castles still standing in Japan (most have been reconstructed after being partly or completely destroyed). It’s a short walk away from Inuyama Station, and ¥550 for entry or a mere ¥1300 for combined entry to the Urakuen garden and a teahouse designated as a national treasure. There’s also Nagoya Castle close to the city center.
The nearby Meiji Mura open-air museum has preserved historical buildings from the Meiji period onward, including a reconstructed lobby from the Imperial Hotel that was built in Tokyo in 1923 and torn down in 1967, designed by American innovator Frank Lloyd Wright. Over 60 renowned Japanese buildings have been moved or reconstructed there. It’s a short 20-minute bus ride from Inuyama Station. It’s a very unique museum unlike most in Japan, so definitely try to check it out!
The Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium is a fun outing for the family! Closed Mondays and open 9:30-17:30 the rest of the week, tickets will run ¥2,000 for adults and ¥500-1,000 for children depending on age group. To get there from Nagoya Station, take the Higashiyama subway line to Sakae station, transfer to the Meijo line heading for Kanayama and bound for Nagoyako, and get off at the last stop. They have shows involving orcas, Beluga whales, and dolphins among their other sea animals.
Legoland Japan is also in Nagoya! Tickets range from ¥5,300-¥6,900 for this brand-new (opened in April 2017) amusement park. To get there, take a 25-minute ride on the Aonami Line to the last station, Kinjofuto, from Nagoya Station. See miniaturized Lego versions of famous Japanese landmarks at the ‘Miniland’ section of the park.
Get an amazing view of the city by heading up the famous Nagoya TV Tower for a mere ¥700. Head up there near sunset to get both day and night views. Take either the Higashiyama Subway Line to Sakae Station or the Sakuradori Line to Hisayaodori Station.
There’s a Giant Buddha measuring at almost 19 meters tall in Tokai City’s Shurakuen Park. It’s a beautiful sight in all seasons, but especially autumn and spring. To get there, head to Shurakuen Station on the Meitetsu Tokoname Line from Nagoya Station.
Experience some real Japanese culture with a baseball game! The sport may have come from the USA, but Japanese fans are incredible, with synchronized cheers. The Chunichi Dragons play at the Nagoya Dome and the baseball season is from April to September. Tickets can be bought at the stadium on game day as long as they’re not playing the incredibly popular Yomiuri Giants or Hanshin Tigers, or bought in advance online.
Laguna Ten Bosch is a fun little day trip. It’s a shopping center, small amusement park, and spa all rolled into one! Come here for a day of relaxing and fun. Take the Tokaido Line from Nagoya Station to Gamagori Station, where free shuttle buses will take you to Laguna Ten Bosch. Plan on coming on a clear day as some activities may be closed on rainy days. If you happen to come in the winter, they do ‘Illumination’, magnificent light displays, from early November until late March.
Fans of Japanese cars should definitely visit the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. Aichi is where Toyota’s headquarters are located. This is a great place for families as there’s a lot of interactive activities. ¥500 entry for adults. Take the Higashiyama Line from Nagoya Station to Kamejima Station, then take exit no. 2.
For the art lovers, the Tokugawa art museum is a special collection containing more than 12,000 items of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan, who ruled as shogun during the end of Japan’s samurai era. Head here in November to see scrolls from the 1100s so fragile they’re only displayed one week a year. Take the JR Chuo Line from Nagoya Station to Ozone Station.
As for food, Aichi prefecture is most known for miso- especially red miso! It’s not just for soup. Don’t leave before trying some miso-katsu, fried pork cutlets topped with hatcho miso instead of the usual tonkatsu sauce. There’s also udon with red miso, or hitsumabushi, chopped teriyaki eel over rice. For dessert, get some goheimochi, grilled rice cakes on skewers with a miso glaze for a not-so-sweet treat.
Aichi is not the biggest area for foreign tourists in Japan, which makes it a treasure trove of unusual spots off the beaten path! You can make an entire trip out of what it has to offer.