Nagoya Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Nagoya Castle is right in the heart of Nagoya, and is very famous for its golden shachihoko (a mythical creature with a tiger's head and carp's body) figures on the roof. Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first shogun who established the Edo shougunate, built it in 1521. The main part of the castle was rebuilt after the war, and now you can climb to the top to feel like being a shogun to govern the country.

Atsuta Jingu Shrine is the second highest rank shrine of Japan, founded in the 8th century. It occupies a big area with huge woods in the metropolitan atomosphere of Nagoya, and there are always many people coming for all kinds of prayers. The woods are full of sacred and reverent feelings, and makes you feel something divine inside yourself, too.

The Chubu Electric MIRAI TOWER (formerly but still referred to as the Nagoya TV Tower (名古屋テレビ塔, Nagoya Terebi-tō)) is a TV tower in Nagoya, central Japan. It is a landmark of Nagoya.

Nagoya City Science Museum has the largest planetarium in the world, and you can enjoy being an astronaut cruising the real universe.

Nagoya City Art Museum (Nagoya-shi Bijutsukan), opened in 1987 and home to a permanent collection that includes the work of Surrealist artists from around the globe, including Sean Scully, Kansuke Yamamoto, and Alexander Calder, as well as temporary exhibits. Finally, the Nagoya Museum of Fine Arts (Nagoya Bosuton Bijutsukan), sister museum to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts and notable for bringing items from the latter's collection of Impressionist and other artworks to Japan, is also worth a visit.

Tokugawa Garden is a Japanese garden, with numerous highlights around a pond in it's center. It was the mainstream style of major daimyo gardens during the Edo period.

The Tokugawa Art Museum (徳川美術館, Tokugawa Bijutsukan) is a private art museum, located on the former Ōzone Shimoyashiki compound in Nagoya, central Japan. Its collection contains more than 12,000 items, including swords, armor, Noh costumes and masks, lacquer furniture, Chinese and Japanese ceramics, calligraphy, and paintings from the Chinese Song and Yuan dynasties (960-1368).

Established in June 1994, 100 years after the birth of Toyota Motor’s founder, Toyoda Kiichiro, the museum will celebrate its 30th anniversary in June 2024. We hope to take on new missions especially now in this world facing an uncertain future brought upon by matters such as the COVID pandemic. At the same time, we will not forget to respect the origins of our museum. This includes the entire museum releasing the message that “technological innovations and development of industries will build our future, with the museum serving as a place of learning about the history of making things(“monozukuri”) and then aiming for our future goal of playing our part in developing a sustainable society. Even though this is a grand mission, we believe it is one that we must fulfil, as a museum in the birthplace of the Toyota Group.

Among the top brands of prestigious tableware, Noritake is one of the more famous and treasured names in the ceramics industry. Started in 1904, the traditional Japanese craftsmanship of Noritake combined with western aesthetics created a range of high quality, elegant formal and casual dinnerware aimed at the European market.

Osu once flourished as Nagoya's No. 1 entertainment quarter, and is a place where you will find extensive shopping arcades. The area developed after the war as a place of electrical and second-hand clothing stores, and now the district is a proud center for nerd, idol and other sub-cultures, securing its enduring popularity. Besides anime merchandise, shoppers can also pick up all manner of other interesting items that individual storekeepers have in stock. It's a fun place to go even if you just stroll around. Located directly east of Osu Kannon Temple, the covered arcades run parallel and perpendicular to one another, featuring over 1,200 stores selling anything from the kitsch to computers, cameras to trendy (even tacky) fashions, antiques, new and used kimono and clothing, restaurants and cafes, variety and souvenir stores, and pretty much everything in-between. Many of the shops offer Duty Free services for tourists too.

The White Bird Gardens, Shirotori Garden is a tranquil, traditional Japanese style garden covering some 3.7 hectares, and gives the visitor a taste of old Japan. Changes in scenery according to the tidal flows, sunlight on the waters and seasons mean that the gardens and their delightful architecture provide different views every visit.

Midland Square owes part of its name to the region in which it resides: the Chubu, or central/middle, region. And it acts as a symbol for the region, rising 47 floors and 247 meters and 47 floors from the ground with six basement floors. It is conveniently located just outside of JR Nagoya Station and its height allows it the title of the tallest building in the Chubu region and even the seventh tallest in Japan (as of 2015).

Shikemichi is a town of merchants located on the west bank of Horikawa River that goes through the castle town of Nagoya. This town was built in 1610, when the whole town of Kiyosu moved to the site with the construction of Nagoya Castle. "Shikemichi" means an about 7 meter-wide street, and the name is derived from the fact that the street's width was expanded for fire protection and for the commercial activities after an inferno occurred in 1700. Storehouses are built on the stone walls and traditional townhouses stand in a row. The landscape as we know it today was completed in the Genbun era (around 1740). It was designated as a townscape preservation area of Nagoya in 1986.

The enshrined deities of Wakamiya Hachimansha Shrine are Emperor Nintoku, Emperor Ojin and Takeuchinosukune, a legendary person who served in Japan's first imperial government. Tokugawa Ieyasu designated the shrine to be the main tutelary deity of Nagoya in 1610. In addition to its regular festivals, the Wakamiya Festival held on May 15-16 every year; the harikuyo festival, a memorial service for dull and broken needles; and other festivals and events are held.

Located in the heart of Nagoya’s Sakae district, this museum offers a captivating journey into the world of Japanese swords. Up to 200 swords, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, are on display, allowing visitors to admire their craftsmanship and beauty up close. The museum also features around 50 sets of impressive samurai armor and 150 ukiyo-e prints on permanent display. With cutting-edge interactive exhibits, it’s an engaging destination for both adults and children. A visit here is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of the samurai and experience the rich history and artistry unique to Nagoya.