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Annika Hotta
Dragon boat racing on a river with half the players in focus and half blurred.
Planning to visit Nagoya for the 2026 Asian Games? This is a complete guide that covers everything you need to know, including venues, ticket information, transportation, accommodation tips, and the best things to do in Nagoya between competitions. From September 19th to October 4th, 2026, Nagoya and the wider Aichi region will welcome thousands of...
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The lantern-lit entry to a Bon Odori festival at night, with all participants dressed up in floral yukata.
Every summer, millions of people across Japan return to their hometowns, gather with family, visit ancestral graves, and dance beneath glowing lanterns. Trains fill up, highways become congested, and cities take on a quieter atmosphere as one of the country’s most meaningful holidays begins. Known as Obon, this centuries-old Buddhist tradition is a time to...
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Five bowls of kakigori. Clockwise from middle: matcha with vanilla ice cream on top, vanilla with red bean paste on top, pistachio with pistachio ice cream on top, strawberry or raspberry, and ramune soda, all sitting on a blue, red, and white kakigori banner.
Summer in Nagoya is hot and humid, but local food culture has plenty of ways to make the season more enjoyable. From refreshing cold noodles and shaved ice to grilled eel traditionally eaten for summer stamina, the city offers dishes closely connected to Japan’s hottest months. So, what do people eat in Nagoya during summer?...
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Kendo swordsmen kneeling and putting their helmets on in a line.
Nagoya is often associated with castles, miso cuisine, and samurai history, but it is also one of Japan’s best destinations for sports, both modern and traditional. From cheering alongside thousands of fans at a professional sumo tournament to learning the precise movements of a samurai sword, there are countless ways to experience Japanese sports culture...
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Summer in Nagoya brings vibrant festivals, seasonal events, and plenty of sunshine. But when temperatures begin to soar, one of the best things you can do is venture beyond the city and discover the cooler, more relaxed destinations that surround Nagoya. Thanks to its central location, Nagoya is the perfect base for exploring mountain towns,...
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Toyohashi Fireworks Festival
Some festivals in Japan end with fireworks. Not the Toyohashi Gion Festival; this one starts with people holding them. And not the safe, distant kind launched from a riverbank, we’re talking about bamboo tubes packed with gunpowder, cradled under one arm while columns of fire explode into the night sky. It sounds slightly unhinged. It...
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Three guests and our CEO, Elly, smiling and toasting with sake cups on our Nagoya Sake Tasting Night Tour. Four green sake bottles and several plates of sashimi are scattered across the table.
When planning a trip to Japan, most travelers immediately think of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Yet sitting right between them is a city that many visitors pass through without ever exploring. That city is Nagoya. As Japan’s fourth-largest city, Nagoya offers a little bit of everything that makes traveling in Japan exciting: incredible local food,...
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Three women reading their paper fortunes at a Japanese shrine.
When people plan a trip to Japan, the usual route often looks the same: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka. Somewhere in between, many travelers pass through Nagoya without ever leaving the station. That’s a mistake. Nagoya is Japan’s fourth-largest city, yet it remains one of the country’s most underrated destinations. It has the food, history, nightlife, culture,...
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Two orange koi fish swimming in a rainy pond.
Rainy season in Japan gets a bad reputation. People hear the word “rain” and immediately imagine canceled plans, gray skies, and spending days stuck indoors. But the rainy season in Nagoya can be one of the most underrated times to visit Japan. From early June to mid-July, the city slows down in the best possible...
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Chayagasaka Park Hydrandreas
When most people think of flower season in Japan, cherry blossoms are the first thing that comes to mind. But summer in Nagoya is wildly underrated for flowers. From dreamy hydrangea walkways and elegant lotus ponds to sunflower fields that look straight out of a postcard, the city and surrounding areas burst into color from...
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☀️ Best Summer Tours

A water wheel and steps on the Nakasendo.

Magome to Tsumago Hiking Tour from Nagoya

Gujo Hachiman Day Tour from Nagoya: Japan’s Hidden Water Town