Japan’s fourth largest city, Nagoya, is positioned in the middle of the archipelago, and characterized by offering easy access to anywhere in the country.
Due to its location midway between Tokyo and Osaka, people can easily travel back and forth to the major cities of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, as well as popular tourist destinations such as Shirakawa-go and Hida Takayama in Gifu Prefecture, and Ise Shrine (Ise Jingu) in Mie Prefecture. Since ancient times, Nagoya has thrived as a transportation hub and developed as a city of monozukuri (making of things) in a diversity of fields, with manufacturing at the core.
Nagoya Station is a major train station on the JR Tokaido main line and Tokai Shinkansen line. Privately-owned Nagoya Railroad has an extensive network covering Aichi Prefecture and the southern part of Gifu prefecture, with Meitetsu Nagoya Station playing a central role as the hub of its operations. Kinki Nippon Railway also allows access to Osaka Nanba Station and the Ise region (Mie Prefecture) from Nagoya Station.
Six subway routes run through Nagoya; namely, Higashiyama line, Meijo line, Meiko line, Tsurumai line, Sakura-dori line, and Kamiida line. The high number of trains in operation on these routes makes changing lines a smooth process and provides a convenient mode of transportation for sightseeing in the city. There’s even a day pass available at great value for money.
Me-guru is a bus service operating from Tuesday to Sunday* as an effective way of getting around the key sightseeing spots of Nagoya. Day passes are available for purchase onboard.
* When Monday falls on a public holiday the following weekday is a non-operational day.
Nagoya offers a unique culinary experience in addition to an abundance of landmarks that simply can’t be missed, including a castle and historical buildings. This site introduces some of the highlights.