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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Inuyama
犬山
Go as a day trip from Nagoya: castle, Urakuen and Meiji Mura in one day, 30–35 min and about ¥540 each way.
Inuyama is a small city on the Kiso River, 30–35 minutes from Nagoya on the Meitetsu line. It holds one of Japan's few original castle keeps, a national-treasure tea house, and two large open-air museums. Most travellers see it as a day trip; one night is enough if you want the castle at opening and Meiji Mura without rushing.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 犬山
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), late Feb (Monkey Centre closed)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥16,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥400–700 |
| Noodle soup | ¥800–1,300 |
| Inuyama Castle entry | ¥550 adults, ¥110 children |
| Urakuen entry | ¥1,000; ¥1,300 combined with the castle |
| Meiji Mura entry | ¥1,600; ¥2,200 with rides |
| Little World entry | ¥1,600 adults |
| Japan Monkey Centre entry | ¥1,500 adults, ¥800 children |
| Meitetsu Nagoya → Inuyama | about ¥540 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- Meitetsu μSKY trains run to Shin-Unuma; for Inuyama change at Meitetsu Nagoya, total about 1 h 30 min
Typical fares
- Meitetsu Nagoya → Inuyama
- about ¥540, 30–35 min
- Bus Inuyama Station → Meiji Mura
- about ¥480 one way, 20 min
- Bus Inuyama Station → Little World
- about ¥480 one way, 20 min
Get around
The centre is walkable: station to castle about 20 min, castle to Urakuen about 5 min. Buses from stop 1 east of the station serve Meiji Mura (about 20 min) and Little World (about 20 min); a bus also runs to Japan Monkey Park. Taxis wait at the station.
See and do
Known for
- Inuyama Castle, an original keep and national treasure
- Urakuen and the Joan tea house
- Meiji Mura open-air architecture museum
- Japan Monkey Centre and Monkey Park
- Cormorant fishing (ukai) on the Kiso River in summer
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nagoya | Meitetsu Inuyama line from Inuyama to Meitetsu Nagoya | About 40 min |
| Gifu | Meitetsu to Shin-Unuma, then JR Takayama line to Gifu | About 1 h |
| Seto | Meitetsu via Nagoya, then the Aichi Loop line | About 1 h 30 min |
| Tokoname | Meitetsu via Nagoya, then the Tokoname line | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Inuyama Station area
- Meitetsu terminal; walk to the castle about 20 min. Few restaurants nearby.
- Inuyama-yuen / riverside
- East of the castle, 5 min walk to Urakuen; quieter, closer to the river walk.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Very few restaurants around the station; eat near the castle or at the museums.
- Meiji Mura and Little World are a bus ride out of town: check the last return bus before you go in.
- The Japan Monkey Centre closes for the rest of February.
- Castle stairs are steep and original: no lifts, and queues form on holidays.
Very safe. The real risks are steep castle stairs, summer heat, and the last bus back from Meiji Mura or Little World: check the timetable before you go in.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Inuyama yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Inuyama Castle, an original keep and national treasure
- Urakuen and the Joan tea house
- Meiji Mura open-air architecture museum
- Japan Monkey Centre and Monkey Park
- Cormorant fishing (ukai) on the Kiso River in summer
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Inuyama tourist association: inuyama.gr.jp/
- Little World: www.littleworld.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Inuyama, revision 5237563 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237563
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Inuyama犬山
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
No embassies in Inuyama; most are in Tokyo, with consulates-general in Nagoya and Osaka (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/inuyama). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.