[Nagoya Travel] Unknown Spots! Hidden Tourist Spots Special Feature
In this article, we will introduce some of the lesser-known spots in Nagoya. Recommended for those who say, "I've been to all the main spots in Nagoya before, so I want to go to a new place!" "I want to go to a hidden spot that everyone doesn't know about!" Let's set our sights on little-known spots instead of the norm and open-up the latest craze!
Have You Heard of Nagoya?
Nagoya is said to be the most prosperous city in the Tokai region, and is often named as the economic and cultural center of the Tokai and Chubu regions. Geographically, it is located between Tokyo and Osaka, so it has good access to both eastern Japan and western Japan. As well as land routes such as railroads and bullet trains, it also has sea and air routes. This wide variety of transportation networks means it has excellent access!
Access from Tokyo to Nagoya
There are four main ways to access Nagoya Station from Tokyo Station using public transportation: airplanes, bullet trains, limited express trains, and high-speed buses, so let’s compare them here!
Transportation method |
Station |
Required Time |
Price |
Wi-Fi |
Feature |
Plane |
Tokyo Station → Shinagawa Station → Haneda Airport → Central Japan International Airport → Nagoya Station |
Approx. 3 hours |
From 11280 yen |
△ |
・Many transfers |
Shinkansen |
Tokyo Station→Nagoya Station |
ppro. 1.5 hours |
From 10560 yen |
〇 |
・No transfer |
Express Train |
Tokyo Station → Numazu Station → Hamamatsu Station → Toyohashi Station → Nagoya Station |
Approx. 6 hours |
From 6310 yen |
× |
・Many transfers |
Express Bus (Tomei Limited Express New Star) |
Tokyo Station→Nagoya Station |
Approx. 7 hours |
From 2500 yen |
〇(Wi-Fi in all cars) |
・No transfers |
There are small variations in time and fare, but the values are roughly as shown above. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so you need to choose accordingly, but I recommend the Shinkansen and the high-speed bus! Although the fare for traveling on the Shinkansen is high, it is possible to travel in a short time without changing trains, so it is recommended for people who want to stay in Nagoya for a long time without spending time traveling. On the other hand, the high-speed bus takes a long time to travel, but it can save a lot of money, so it is recommended for people who want to keep the trip reasonably priced or who are comfortable moving in the middle of the night! If you are interested in highway buses, you can easily make a reservation from “Japan Bus Online“, so please check it out! Please refer to these and choose the means of transportation that suits your needs!
Transportation in Nagoya city
The city of Nagoya was described above as “excellent access”, but since there are various means of transportation, I will introduce them here! The main public transport options are the tourist route bus Meguru, railroads, subways, city buses and tourist taxis.
In particular, Meguru is a sightseeing bus, so you can easily access the standard sightseeing spots! However, I think that people who go to a little-known spot instead of a standard spot often use local transportation such as city buses, subways, and railroads, just like locals. Therefore, we recommend a one-day pass exclusively for subways and buses, which is 870 yen for adults. Bus-only one-day tickets and subway-only one-day tickets are also sold for 620 yen and 760 yen, respectively!
Introducing hidden spots around Nagoya!
From here, we will introduce 4 hidden spots around Nagoya! The list includes locations outside of Nagoya City, but all of them can be reached about an hour away from Nagoya Station, so you can easily go there! We will focus on leisure and photogenic facilities where you can enjoy yourself, instead of the historic buildings and museums that are standard in Nagoya!
LEGOLAND Japan Resort
(OFFICIAL HP https://www.legoland.jp/ )
As the name suggests, the famous toy Lego block outdoor theme park opened in Nagoya in 2017. “LEGOLAND Japan Resort” is a general term for three facilities, which refers to the theme park “LEGOLAND Japan”, the experience-based aquarium “Sea Life Nagoya”, and the accommodation facility “LEGOLAND Japan Hotel”. Originally designed for children, adults can of course enter the facility, and even adults can enjoy the attractions and aquariums in LEGOLAND Japan! The colorful Lego block world view is very unusual and photogenic, so there is no doubt that you will be able to take a lot of Instagram-worthy photos! Furthermore, if you stay at the Legoland Japan Hotel, you can spend a whole day in the world of Lego blocks! Please go on a trip that tickles your child’s heart with your family and friends!
LEGOLAND JAPAN RESORT(レゴランド・ジャパン・リゾート) | |
Official Site | https://www.legoland.jp/ |
Address | 2-2-1 Kinjo Wharf, Minato-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 455-8605 |
Access | About 30 minutes from Nagoya Station |
Contact | 0570-05-8605 (Reception hours 9: 00-17: 00) |
Business hours and Time | Irregular holidays, 10: 00-Closed hours vary from day to day |
Price |
LEGOLAND + Sea Life set 1day ticket |
Himakajima
Himakajima, read as “Himakajima” is the closest remote island to Nagoya, and can be reached in about an hour from Nagoya Station. There are several ways to get there, but you can combine a train, car and ferry for around 2000 yen each way! Himakajima is as small as 5.5km around, and you can walk around in about 2 hours, but there are also tour buses on the island. As you can see in the picture, this island is famous for octopus, and you can see octopus illustrations all over the city. If you’re a foodie, you can try not only octopus but also fresh seafood, why not grab a taste!
The beautiful sea is another symbol of Himakajima. At Sunrise Beach on the east side of the island, you can enjoy the beautiful beaches like Okinawa and the tranquility of remote islands. And there is a swing called “Heidi’s swing”, and the picture of rowing toward the sea is perfect for the sky and the sea, which is sure to look good on Instagram! Sunset Beach on the west side is more lively than on the east side, and in the summer there is a limited dolphin watching, where you can see dolphins play in front of you! As you can see, even though it’s not a very famous, small island, it’s packed with fun elements, so is a great spot to visit!
日間賀島 | |
Official Site | https://www.himaka.net/(Himakajima Tourism Association Official Website) |
Address | Himakajima, Minamichita-cho, Chita-gun, Aichi 470-3504 |
Access | 1 hour to 1 and a half hours from Nagoya Station |
Takeshima
Takeshima is a small remote island in Aichi prefecture like Himakajima, but unlike Himakajima, you can access it by land via a bridge, so you can go without taking a ferry. Although Takeshima is only about 400 meters away from the mainland, the island’s botanical system is very different, and the entire island is designated as a national natural monument! It is also called “Matching Island”, and the Yaotomi Shrine in the center of the island is one of the seven major Benzaiten in Japan. There are 5 shrines on the island, so it must be fun to visit not only Yaotomi Shrine but also shrines! Takeshima is a small island, so if you follow the rocks, you can go around in about 30 minutes. It’s a great way to soothe your soul as you follow the rocky path and feel the magnificent nature right in front of you!
Takeshima (Gamagori City) | |
Official Site | https://www.gamagori.jp/(Gamagori City Tourism Association Official Website) |
Address | Inside the Navi Terrace in front of the ticket gate of Gamagori Station, 1-3 Motomachi, Gamagori City, Aichi Prefecture 443-0043 |
Access | 1 hour from Nagoya Station |
Contact | TEL.0533-68-2526 |
Takeshima Aquarium | |
Official Site | https://www.city.gamagori.lg.jp/site/takesui/ |
Address | 1-6 Takeshima-cho, Gamagori-shi, Aichi 443-0031 |
Access | 5 minutes from Takeshima |
Contact | 0533-68-2059(Reception Hours 9:00-17:00) |
Business Hours | Closed on Tuesdays, 9: 00-17: 00 (Ticket sales, admission until 16:30) |
Price | Adults 500 yen, elementary and junior high school students 200 yen |
In addition to Takeshima, there are other hidden spots in the area around Takeshima. One of them is “Takeshima Aquarium”, which is the 4th smallest aquarium in Japan, and it is a strange aquarium that is shabby but fun. There are no fish that stand out, so it might be a quick visit, but the admission fee is reasonable at 500 yen, and it seems that the number of visitors has been steadily increasing recently. The number of exhibits of deep-sea creatures is the largest in Japan, and there is a kind of capybara show, so you can enjoy it differently from other aquariums in various ways!
(Photo; https://www.instagram.com/p/BtkQ9GHgnve/?utm_medium=copy_link boling7097さん)
(Photo; https://www.instagram.com/p/B82w3yngtsE/?utm_medium=copy_link isnivy_lb6sさん)
(Photo; https://www.instagram.com/p/BtkQ9GHgnve/?utm_medium=copy_link boling7097さん)
The second little-known spot around Takeshima is “Takeshima Fantasyland”! Takeshima Fantasyland is a theme park with exhibits made of shells and LEDs. The first half is a fantastic space like the attached photograph, and in the second half you can admire the exhibition in a museum-like austere atmosphere, and enjoy the differences. Please visit when sightseeing in Takeshima!
Takeshima Fantasy Land | |
Official Site | http://www.fantasykan.jp/ |
Address | 28-14 Takeshima-cho, Gamagori-shi, Aichi 443-0031 |
Access | 5 minutes from Takeshima |
Contact | 0533-66-3888(Reception Hours 9:00-17:00) |
Business Hours | Closed on Wednesday、9:00-17:00 |
Price | Adults 1000 yen, children 500 yen |
Sanage Adventure Field
(Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CF9uticg7Xk/?utm_medium=copy_link hir0aki_tさん)
(Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/BggOHbKDAcD/?utm_medium=share_sheet lc44skさん)
Sanage Adventure Field is a comprehensive outdoor facility where you can fully enjoy the charm of four-wheel drive vehicles either by riding or driving the vehicle yourself. You can actually experience off-road driving and run the prepared technical course of Japan’s top class. There are three main ways to use this: bring and drive your own car, drive a rental car, or have an instructor drive you for sightseeing. When in a rental car, you can rent and drive the latest Toyota SUVs and minivans! You can choose from three courses depending on your skill, some of which take you into large puddles and up rugged cliff-like slopes, it’s a thrill! In addition to the four-wheel drive course, Sanage Adventure Field has various outdoor facilities such as four-wheel drive training facilities, barbecue areas, day campsites, and athletics, so you can enjoy it all day long without getting bored.
Sanage Adventure Field | |
Official Site | https://lc-saf.co.jp/ |
Address | 16-1 Mukaiyama, Ibocho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture 470-0374 |
Access | 1 hour to 1.5 hours from |
Contact | 0565-46-5551 |
Business Hours | Closed on Thursdays, 9: 00-17: 00 (rental and sightseeing until 16:00) |
Conclusion
In this article, we featured some hidden spots around Nagoya, enjoyable from the perspective of active university students. How was it? Some of them are outside Nagoya city and a little far from Nagoya station, but all of them are experiences that can only be done around Nagoya, so why not check them out!