Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture have Japan’s greatest concentration of automobile, fine ceramics, aerospace, and other high-tech industries. Many excellent companies that are also top-ranked globally are active in this region.
Because of this, small and medium-sized companies with superior technical capabilities to provide broad-based support to those global giants are also located here.
The main industries and companies in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture are: automobile with Toyota Motor Corporation, fine ceramics with Noritake Company, aircraft and space industry with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and clock and machine tools with Mori Seiki Company.
Take a look at the list of the best industry and technology-related Museums in and around Nagoya, where you can learn more about the different industries and companies located here.
Article Contents
Nagoya, the Optimal Place for Industry and Technology, Business, and Logistics.
Nagoya is the hub of Japanese manufacturing industries, producing over 40% of major manufacturing, in categories such as automobiles, automobile parts, machine tools, and aircraft parts. Nagoya exerts its role as a strong leader in the Japanese economy.
With a strong economy, Nagoya attracts many domestic and international investors making it one of the most dynamic regions of Japan.
Nagoya is connected to the world by the Central Japan International Airport as well as Nagoya Port, with convenient access to many areas of Japan. This fact makes Nagoya a gateway to Asia and to the world.
Nagoya Is the Home of the Automobile Industry in Japan.
Toyota was the first Japanese car manufacturer. The company was founded in Nagoya and even today it is the leading industrial force in the region.
At multiple museums you can learn about the history of Toyota and the automobile industry of Japan in general.
If you are into cars, these museums are must-visit!
1. Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology is a technology museum that displays textile looms, the history of cars, and high-tech robots.
You can enjoy the museum by downloading an audio guide to your phone or joining a guided tour, held in English at 14:00 and 15:15. Either tour takes about 45 minutes and prior reservation is not required.
To find out more about the museum in detail read our dedicated article here.
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology (トヨタ産業技術記念館)
Entry Fee: Adult 500 yen, child 300 yen (under 11 200 yen)
Opening Hours: 9:30 – 17:00; close Mondays.
Phone: (+81) 052-551-6115
Address: 4-1-35 Noritakeshinmachi, Nishi Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 451-0051
Website | Google Maps
2. Toyota Automobile Museum
Toyota Automobile Museum exhibits a huge automobile collection of Japanese, European, and American automobiles from the late 1800s to the 1960s. You can see the history of the automobile with interactions between Japanese and international car manufacturers and its evolution over time.
Toyota Automobile Museum offers guided tours and private tours in English and Japanese (you need to make an advance reservation via the Internet or by phone). Check out this page for more information.
Toyota Automobile Museum (トヨタ博物館)
Entry Fee: Adult 1,200 yen, child 600 yen (under 11 400 yen)
Opening Hours: 9:30 – 17:00; close Mondays.
Phone: (+81) 0561-63-5151
Address: 4 1-100, Yokomichi, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1118
Website | Google Maps
3. Toyota Kaikan Museum
In the Kaikan Museum, you can get to know the history of the Toyota company. The museum displays Toyota’s new models and technologies to the public and periodically holds robot shows.
Before Corona visitors could visit the Toyota plant on a tour, this is unfortunately still not possible. Check this website for the latest information.
Toyota Kaikan Museum (トヨタ会館)
Entry Fee: Free
Opening Hours: 9:30 – 17:00; closed Sundays
Phone: (+81) 0565-29-3345
Address: 1 Toyotacho, Toyota, Aichi 471-0826
Website | Google Maps
The Aircraft Industry in Nagoya Is Top of Its Class.
Nagoya is the aerospace industrial center of Japan. The history of the region’s aerospace industry goes back nearly 100 years and there are more than 150 aerospace-related corporations in Nagoya.
4. Aichi Museum of Flight
The museum exhibits some remarkable aircrafts such as the Japan-manufactured commercial airliner YS-11, or the collection of famous 1/25 scale models of different types of small single-engine aircrafts and jetliners.
If you are a fan of aircrafts this is a must-visit museum!
Aichi Museum of Flight (あいち航空ミュージアム)
Entry Fee: Adult 1,000 yen, child 800 yen (under 11, 500 yen)
Opening Hours: 9:30 – 17:00; close Tuesdays.
Phone: (+81) 0568-39-0283
Address: 1, Hayashizaki Toyoba, Toyoyama, Nishikasugai District, Aichi 480-0202
Website | Google Maps
Other Local Industries Not to Be Missed in Nagoya.
Aside from the automobile and aircraft industries, Nagoya is home to other industries as well. You can learn more about railways, ceramics, and office machinery.
5. SCMAGLEV and Railway Park
SCMAGLEV and Railway Park focusing on the Central Japan Railways’ (JR Central) history. You can see the evolution of the train from ancient train cars to high-speed railway technology.
Read this article to find out more about this fascinating train museum.
SCMAGLEV and Railway Park (リニア・鉄道館)
Entry Fee: Adult 1,000 yen, child 500 yen (under 3 free)
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 17:30; close Mondays.
Phone: (+81) 052-389-6100
Address: 3-2-2 Kinjofuto, Minato Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 455-0848
Website | Google Maps
6. Craft Center and Noritake Museum – Noritake Garden
Noritake is a well-established Japanese Porcelain Manufacturer. The buildings used to be an ancient factory of the former Noritake, and a few red kilns still remain and form part of the landscape of the Noritake Garden.
In the Craft Center Noritake Museum, you can take a look at the many ceramics products produced by Noritake throughout history.
The Craft Center and Noritake Museum also offer a chance to try out painting ceramics by yourself with the China Painting Workshop.
Other facilities of Noritake are the Noritake Craft Center, a shop and a restaurant-cafe.
Craft Center and Noritake Museum – Noritake Garden (ノリタケの森)
Entry Fee: Adult 500 yen, child free
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 18:00; close on Mondays.
Phone: (+81) 052-561-7114
Address: 3-1-36 Noritakeshinmachi, Nishi Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 451-8501
Website | Google Maps
7. Brother Museum
By the motto “Superior Quality and Diligent Service”, Brother Industries is one of the world’s top industries and leader in electronic office machine manufacturing. Brother Industries’ products include printers, desktop computers, industrial sewing machines, label printers, and other computer-related electronics.
In this museum you can explore the past and present of Brother Industries with the products created and developed over the past 100 years.
Brother Museum (ブラザー ミュージアム)
Entry Fee: Free
Opening Hours: on weekdays by reservation only; close Saturdays and Sundays.
Phone: (+81) 052-824-2227
Address: 5-15 Shioiricho, Mizuho Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 467-0851
Website | Google Maps
8. Planetarium of the Nagoya City Science Museum
Built by Brother Industries, the Nagoya City Science Museum features the world’s largest planetarium. It has exhibitions about many fields of science with interactive learning opportunities for children of all ages, to increase their interest and deepen their knowledge of the universe.
The Planetarium dome was built to replicate an actual starry sky as accurately as possible and with a diameter of 35 meters, it is the world’s largest and highest-quality dome.
*The presentation is in Japanese only.
Nagoya City Science Museum (名古屋市科学館)
Entry Fee: Adults Museum and Planetarium 800 yen, Museum only 400 yen, child Museum and Planetarium 500 yen, Museum only 200 yen
Opening Hours: 9:30 – 17:00; close Mondays.
Phone: (+81) 052-2014-486
Address: Art and Science Forest and Shirakawa Park, Sakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0008
Website | Google Maps
Get to know more about Nagoya Local Food with our Specialties of Nagoya Food Tour.
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Also, check out this other post about the must-visit history and culture-related museums in Nagoya.
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