Between Tokyo and Osaka Lies a City Worth Exploring
Nagoya. Even the name sounds like it’s trying not to stand out. Tucked between Tokyo and Osaka, it’s long been labelled Japan’s beige middle child, a city to pass through, not to. Most travel blogs will tell you to skip it, that there’s nothing there, that it’s just a convenient train stop. But I’m here to tell you that’s lazy thinking because Nagoya is far from boring, you just need to give it a chance.
When I visited in April with two friends (both, confusingly, called Josh), we arrived early ahead of the F1 weekend at Suzuka. With a full day to spare, we figured we’d explore Nagoya on foot, see what we could find. The plan? There wasn’t one. And that was entirely the point.
If you go to Nagoya expecting the mega-polished sheen of Tokyo or the romantic postcards of Kyoto, you might feel a little underwhelmed at first. But that’s the beauty of it. You don’t need a strict itinerary here. In fact, Nagoya rewards those who show up without a plan. When you’ve ‘run out’ of things to do, that’s when things start to get interesting. That’s when you find the good stuff.
It’s a city where the traditional brushes up right next to the modern in the most casually charming ways. Walk just ten minutes from Nagoya Station and you’ll likely spot an old wooden izakaya with a slightly sun-faded sign, the doorway half-hidden in shadow, right next to a multicoloured, hyper-stylised seafood restaurant blasting jazz from a speaker you can’t quite locate. That contrast? It’s everywhere. And once you start noticing it, you can’t help but love it.
One of the easiest wins is heading up to the Mirai Tower in the Sakae district, a relic from the 1950s TV boom that still stands tall today. From the viewing platform, you get a sense of the city’s scale that's gridded, spacious, and peaceful in a way Tokyo never quite is. You’ll spot Nagoya Castle in the distance too, which is well worth a visit. The castle itself is impressive, but the real surprise is the surrounding gardens. We wandered them in near-solitude, with the sound of nature being at the forefront. If you're lucky, you might even get the place mostly to yourself.
Nagoya also has its fair share of pop culture pull. The Pokémon Centre inside the shopping district is a must if you’re into that sort of thing, or even if you’re not. (You might find yourself getting slightly too excited over a plush Luxray. It happens.) Add to that a handful of quirky arcades, and you’re never short of something light-hearted to dive into.
Now let’s talk food. This city doesn’t mess about when it comes to eating well. The local hero is the miso katsu sandwich. Deep-fried pork cutlet drenched in a rich, slightly sweet miso sauce, often served between thick slices of white bread. It's not elegant, but it is phenomenal. There’s also hitsumabushi (grilled eel in sauce and served over rice), tebasaki (crispy chicken wings made without batter), and kishimen (flat wheat noodles served in a variety of ways), if you want to explore more of the local specialities.
When the sun sets, Nagoya still has plenty of surprises. We ended our night at Round One, a multi-storey entertainment complex that includes bowling, arcades, darts, batting cages, karaoke, and basically anything else fun. It’s the kind of place that feels chaotic in all the best ways. Perfect for a group night out or even just a way to shake off the travel fatigue.
And that was just one day. The reality is, Nagoya has plenty to offer. Museums, parks, temples, shopping streets, underground malls, and food which could have kept me entertained for another few days at least. If you’re willing to go beyond the surface, you’ll find yourself wanting more time here. And even if you do run out of ‘things to do’, it makes for a brilliant base. From Nagoya, you can branch out to places like Suzuka (F1 fans, take note), or Yokkaichi or Kuwana, those blink-and-you-miss-it towns we sped past on the train that looked like they were hiding something special, or perhaps Ise-Shima National Park for hikes and sea views. Head east towards Hamamatsu or Shizuoka, or up towards Lake Biwa if you're craving lakeside serenity.
Nagoya won’t throw itself at your feet. It doesn’t scream for your attention. But if you give it the time, it’ll quietly surprise you. It’ll show you what travel is really about—not just hitting hotspots and chasing the most photographed shrine, but stumbling across your own version of what makes a city memorable.
So no, Nagoya isn’t boring. Not unless you are.
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I travelled through Japan in April 2025, capturing moments from city streets to serene gardens. You can explore the full photographic story in my Japan gallery.