Nagoya 3-Day Itinerary

Begin at Nagoya Castle, arriving early to beat tour groups. Walk the grounds and the reconstructed Honmaru Palace first, a meticulous wooden rebuild completed in 2018 using traditional joinery, before climbing the concrete main keep for its museum and the view over the moat and surrounding park. In cherry blossom season the moat-side walk is one of the city's best.

Take the subway south to Atsuta Shrine for the afternoon. This is one of Shinto's most sacred sites, said to house the Kusanagi sword, one of the three Imperial Regalia, and the atmosphere is markedly quieter and more contemplative than the castle — a forest of ancient camphor trees rather than a tourist set piece. Give it an unhurried hour.

For dinner, order hitsumabushi, Nagoya's signature grilled eel dish, at one of the specialty restaurants near Atsuta — the classic way to eat it is in three stages: plain first, then with condiments like nori and wasabi, then finished as a broth-doused ochazuke. It's a Nagoya institution and worth the wait if the restaurant has a queue.

Spend the morning in Osu, one of Nagoya's oldest districts. Osu Kannon temple, which holds Japan's oldest surviving manuscript of the Kojiki, sits at the centre of a warren of covered shopping arcades mixing kimono shops, vintage clothing, electronics, and manga retailers — good for a slow browse with no fixed plan. If your visit lands on the 18th or 28th, the monthly flea market adds another layer.

After lunch, head to the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park near Kinjo Pier. Walk alongside the retired maglev test train that once set a world speed record, try the driving simulators, and take in the large model railway diorama — a worthwhile stop even without a strong interest in trains.

Wind down the afternoon with a walk through Hisaya Odori Park, the green boulevard running beneath the Nagoya TV Tower in Sakae, Japan's first freestanding TV tower. As evening arrives, stay in Sakae for dinner and order tebasaki, Nagoya's double-fried, sweet-spicy chicken wings, at one of the neighbourhood's many izakayas — this is the city's defining bar food and best had with a beer among the after-work crowd.

Take the Meitetsu line about 30 minutes north to Inuyama, home to one of Japan's few surviving original (non-reconstructed) castle keeps, dating to the 16th century. The compact wooden interior, with its steep original staircases, gives a much more visceral sense of castle life than Nagoya's rebuilt concrete keep, and the hilltop position offers views over the Kiso River.

Walk down through Inuyama's preserved old town, a stretch of Edo-period merchant houses now housing small shops, teahouses, and snack stalls — it's compact enough to cover in an hour or two without rushing.

If time and interest allow, the Meiji Mura open-air architectural museum a short bus ride from Inuyama Station gathers over 60 relocated Meiji-era buildings, including part of Frank Lloyd Wright's original Imperial Hotel, across a large hillside park — a half-day commitment on its own if you want to see it properly.

Head back into Nagoya by early evening for a final dinner near the station — a bowl of kishimen, Nagoya's wide flat noodles in a light dashi broth, or a last plate of miso katsu, the city's breaded pork cutlet under a rich red miso sauce, make a fitting last regional meal before departure.