Nagoya, Ise-Shima, and the Kii Peninsula

We’ve compiled the best of the best in Nagoya, Ise-Shima, and the Kii Peninsula - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Arimatsu-Narumi Tie-Dyeing Museum

    Midori-ku

    Traditional shibori (tie-dyed cotton) has been produced in this area for more than 400 years. Here you can learn about the history of the dyeing technique and see demonstrations of the production process. The museum sells samples of the cloth, which features striking white designs on the deepest indigo, as well as clothing, tablecloths, and other items. You can also try making your own tie-dyed souvenirs at one of the regular workshops, which require a reservation and have an extra cost. Arimatsu Station is 25 minutes south of Nagoya on the Meitetsu Nagoya Line.

    3008 Arimatsu, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 458-0924, Japan
    052-621–0111

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: ¥300; workshops from ¥1,800
  • 2. Atsuta Shrine

    Atsuta-ku

    A shrine has stood at the site of Atsuta Jingu for 1,700 years. After Ise, this is the country's most important Shinto shrine. The Treasure House 宝物館; Homotsukan) is reputed to house one of the emperor's three imperial regalia—the Grass-Mowing Sword (Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi)—and although it is never on public display, there are many other worthy artifacts to see. Nestled among 1,000-year-old trees, making it easy to spot from the train, the shrine is an oasis of tradition in the midst of modern industrialism. Dozens of major festivals and religious events are held here each year. From Meitetsu Nagoya Station take the Meitetsu Nagoya Line south to Jingumae Station. The shrine is across the road from the West Exit.

    1--1--1 Jingu, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 456-8585, Japan
    052-671–4151

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Shrine free, Treasure House ¥500, Treasure House closed last Wed. and Thurs. each month
  • 3. Legoland Japan Resort

    Minato-ku

    When Legoland Japan opened in the Nagoya port area in 2017 it gave the region something to rival the Universal Studios Japan amusement park in Osaka and Disney Resorts just outside Tokyo. Aimed at kids aged 2 to 12 (and their families), the park brings together more than 40 rides spread across seven zones, including the medieval-themed Knights Kingdom and its Dragon roller coaster and water fights in the Pirate Shores zone. As you might expect from Lego, there are also plenty of models to check out—10,000 in all using a total of 17 million Lego bricks.

    2--2--1 Kinjo Futa, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 455-8605, Japan
    050-5840–0505

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: ¥4,600 for a day pass
    View Tours and Activities
  • 4. Nagoya Castle

    Nishi-ku

    The main keep of this Nagoya landmark, a 1950s ferro-concrete reconstruction of the 1612 original, was closed in May 2018 to be pulled down and replaced by a fully wooden reconstruction by December 2022. Or that was the plan. As of March 2022, the old keep is still standing, but nobody can enter. However, the castle ground's are still more than worth a visit for the painstakingly rebuilt Honmaru Palace, which was unveiled in 2018. Made mostly of hinoki (Japanese cypress), it is richly decorated with elaborate wall and screen-door paintings, intricate wood carvings, decorative metal fittings, and fine lacquering. It's a modern-day masterpiece of traditional Japanese crafting. Check out the ceilings as you get deeper into the palace, as their design becomes increasingly more complex to reflect the higher status of those allowed into the inner sanctums. Nagoya Castle's east gate is one block north of the Shiyakusho 市役所; City Hall) subway station. If you get hungry while there, just across from the castle's east entrance is a new cluster of a dozen or so restaurants and cafes, collectively called Kinshachi Yokocho.

    1--1 Honmaru, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 451-8551, Japan
    052-231–1700

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: ¥500
  • 5. Nagoya City Science Museum

    Naka-ku

    Given a major makeover in 2011, the seven-story Nagoya City Science Museum is packed with fun, hands-on attractions designed to teach kids of all ages about science. The highlights are a planetarium—Japan's biggest—and several visually impressive "labs" where you can experience a tornado, learn about electricity, or feel the Arctic cold.

    2--17--1 Sakae, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 460-0008, Japan
    052-201–4486

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Museum only ¥400, museum and planetarium ¥800, Closed Mon. and 3rd Fri.
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  • 6. Noritake Garden

    Nishi-ku

    Delicate colors and intricate hand-painted designs characterize the china of Noritake, one of the world's largest manufacturers of porcelain. Its garden complex includes a craft center—effectively a mini-factory where workers demonstrate the 15-step manufacturing process from modeling to glazing to hand painting. You can even paint a design and transfer it to a piece of china, or decorate a porcelain dinosaur. China-painting workshops run from 10 to 4, but the cost does not include the price of shipping your piece once it has been fired (only plates can be shipped overseas). The upper floors house a small museum displaying "Old Noritake" works with art nouveau and art deco influences. A free Welcome Center shows the diverse industrial applications of ceramics, from circuit boards to racing helmets. There's the odd bargain to be found in the outlet section of the company shop. Noritake Garden is a 15-minute walk north of JR Nagoya Station or five minutes from exit 2 of the Kamejima subway station, and can easily be combined with a trip to the nearby Toyota Commemorative Museum.

    3--1--36 Noritake-Shinmachi, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 451-8501, Japan
    052-561–7114

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Garden free; ¥500 Craft Center; ¥800 including Toyota Commemorative Museum; ¥2,000 to ¥3,500 china-painting workshops, Closed Mon.
  • 7. Tokugawa Art Museum

    Higashi-ku

    The seldom-displayed 12th-century hand scrolls of The Tale of Genji, widely recognized as the world's first novel, are housed here. Even when the scrolls are not available, beautiful relics of the lifestyle of the aristocratic samurai class—including swords and armor, tea-ceremony artifacts, Noh masks, clothing, and furnishings—fascinate visitors. If you're visiting specifically to see the scrolls, check out the Hosa Library rooms, which house an incredible collection of other ancient scrolls and texts (some 110,000 in all), some dating to the 8th century. If you've got time, it's worth paying an additional ¥150 for entry to the adjacent Tokugawaen 徳川園, an attractive Japanese garden modeled in the Edo style. Tokugawa Art Museum is a 10-minute walk south of exit 3 of Ozone Station, which is on the Meijo subway line and the JR Chuo Line. It's also served by the Me-guru bus, which gives a ¥200 discount on admission for bus pass holders.

    1017 Tokugawa-cho, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 461-0023, Japan
    052-935–6262

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: ¥1,400, Closed Mon., and late Dec.–Jan. 3
  • 8. Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology

    Nishi-ku

    Housed in the distinctive brick buildings of the company's original factory, this museum is dedicated to the rise of Nagoya's most famous company. Toyota's textile-industry origins are explored in the first of two immense halls, with an amazing selection of looms illustrating the evolution of spinning and weaving technologies over the last 200 years. The second, even larger hall focuses on the company's move into auto manufacturing, with exhibits including the Model AA, Toyota's first mass-production automobile. In the Technoland zone, kids can try out a wind tunnel, play with water and air jets, operate a virtual weaving machine, and test out mini electric cars. The museum is a 20-minute walk north of JR Nagoya Station or three minutes from JR Sako Station.

    4--1--35 Noritake-Shinmachi, Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 451-0051, Japan
    052-551–6115

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: ¥500; ¥800 includes Noritake Garden, Closed Mon.

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