City Guides

If you’re looking to experience Japan beyond the bustling cities, consider taking a side trip to Gero Onsen. Located just a 2-hour train ride from Nagoya, Gero Onsen is a charming onsen town nestled in the heart of the Japanese Alps. A Brief History of Gero Onsen Manhole cover with the white heron Gero Onsen...Read More

Arimatsu, located just about 20 minutes by train from Nagoya Station, is a town well known for being the home of the traditional technique of Arimatsu-Narumi Shibori, a technique of fabric dyeing that has been skillfully crafted over the last 400 years. Edo Period traditional black wooden houses along the Tokaido Road During the Edo...Read More

Hida Takayama is a beautiful city located in the heart of Japan’s Gifu Prefecture. It is often referred to as “Little Kyoto” due to its Edo-era architecture and breathtaking restorations of many of its historic temples, making it a beloved destination among domestic and international tourists alike. We (Nagoya is not boring co-founders Elly and...Read More

Traveling with kids adds an extra challenge to all travel plans. You need to find activities that are interesting to your kiddies because many probably won’t want to see the same attractions that adults do. This post is filled with the top things to do in and around Nagoya with your family. It is filled...Read More

There are 2 sides to Gamagori, a coastal city 40 minutes away from Nagoya. On the one hand, it’s a popular seaside and hot spring resort where people come to relax and enjoy the smell of ocean air, the water scenery, rocky beaches, nature hikes, and fresh seafood. On the other hand, it also has...Read More

Okazaki is a peaceful city with a rich history that can be seen in its castle, temples, and historical sites. It is a city that prides itself as being the birthplace of one of the most famous men in Japanese history Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was a major player in the unification of Japan and the...Read More

Nagoya Port is one of the largest ports in Japan and is located in the south part of the city of Nagoya. It holds first place in volume handled between all the ports in Japan with 196 million tons of cargo and is the country’s largest car exporter. Along with its impressive trade success, it...Read More

Kiyosu with its castle is just minutes from Nagoya Station, and yet it is one of those places generally never mentioned in guidebooks or travel magazines. In fact, I know many people in Nagoya who have never heard of Kiyosu Castle, and even I (Elly) heard about it for the first time after living in...Read More

The Buddha’s ashes, an old villa, and modern delicacies. All of these can be found in Kakuozan, a contemporary and artistic district of Nagoya city. This area extends half a kilometer from Kakuozan Station all the way to Nittaiji temple, which enshrines some ashes of the Buddha (yes, the actual Buddha!) bestowed by the king...Read More

Japan is home to 430 inhabited islands and almost 7,000 total islands!Located a short distance from Nagoya is Sakushima, a crab-shaped island home to amazing seafood and a number of modern art installations that you are able to touch, sit on and crawl all over. Sakushima, also known as “the island of the winds”, is...Read More