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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Nagoya
名古屋
Use Nagoya as a rail stop between Tokyo and Kyoto, not a base: one night, or a day-trip for the castle and Atsuta Shrine.
Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city and a Shinkansen junction, 1 h 40 min from Tokyo and 35 min from Kyoto. Its sights are spread out and the city rewards food more than sightseeing. Most trips use it for a single night or a Toyota/Ghibli-park side trip.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 名古屋
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week
- Stay
- 1 night
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 ¥7,000–11,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥11,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ 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 (many cafés add free toast before 11:00) | ¥400–700 |
| Noodle soup (kishimen or ramen) | ¥800–1,300 |
| Beer: draught in an izakaya / can at a konbini | ¥500–750 / ¥250–350 |
| 5 km taxi | ¥2,200–2,700 |
| Subway ride | ¥210–340 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
| Castle, shrine museum or art museum entry | ¥500–1,600 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- Meitetsu limited express to Nagoya station, about 30 min
Typical fares
- Centrair → Nagoya Station, Meitetsu
- about ¥1,450 with the μ-ticket seat, about 30 min (check)
- Taxi Nagoya Station → Sakae
- ¥1,500–2,000
- Shinkansen Nagoya → Kyoto
- about ¥5,000–6,000 reserved, 35 min (check)
Get around
Subway (Higashiyama and Meijo lines) covers the centre; buy a one-day subway ticket if you visit three or more sights. Shinkansen and Meitetsu/JR lines connect the region.
See and do
Known for
- Nagoya Castle
- Atsuta Shrine
- Hitsumabushi and miso katsu
- Toyota museums
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Inuyama Castle | Meitetsu from Meitetsu Nagoya, about 30 min, then a 15-min walk | About 1 h |
| Ghibli Park | Higashiyama subway line to Fujigaoka, then the Linimo line | About 1–1.25 h |
| Ise Grand Shrine | Kintetsu limited express to Ise-shi, about 1 h 20 min, then bus between the outer and inner shrines | 1.5–2 h |
| Takayama | JR limited express Hida, about 2 h 30 min | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Nagoya Station area
- Shinkansen and metro access; best for one night with bags.
- Sakae
- Shopping and nightlife; 5 min by Higashiyama metro line from the station.
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
- Last trains run around midnight; taxis queue at the station.
- The castle keep is closed for rebuilding at times: check the official site.
- Ghibli Park entry is by dated, timed ticket only: book on the official site weeks ahead; no ticket, no entry.
One of Japan's safer big cities. The real risks are summer heat, bicycles on the pavements and Sakae or Nishiki bars with no posted prices: ask the total before you sit.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nagoya yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Nagoya Castle
- Atsuta Shrine
- Hitsumabushi and miso katsu
- Toyota museums
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nagoya official travel guide: www.nagoya-info.jp/en/
- Wikivoyage — Nagoya: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Nagoya
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Nagoya名古屋
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
The US has a consulate in Nagoya (check the address); most other countries: consulates-general in Osaka, embassies in Tokyo.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/nagoya). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.