Nagoya

Nagoya (名古屋) is in Aichi prefecture, in the Chubu region of Honshu, one of the islands in Japan. Get inShinkansen to and from Nagoya Station is very convenient. In fact, many people only see Nagoya as they zoom through on their way between Osaka and Tokyo. For those planning to visit central Japan, Nagoya Airport may offer more convenience than Narita. Small and close to the city, Nagoya International has a recently built terminal and is far less busy. The new Chubu International Airport is scheduled to open in 2005. Get aroundNagoya is a big automotive industry center, and it shows. Trains and subways are less convenient than in Tokyo or Kansai, but more expensive. SeeNagoya Castle. Trumpeted as a famous landmark, but in truth recently rebuilt in concrete. You can safely give it a miss. Tokugawa Museum. Displaying some treasures of the Tokugawa family. Nagoya / Boston MFA, 1-1-1 Kanayama-cho, Naka-ku, Nagoya, convenient to the Kanayama train station, 052-684-0786. Closed Mondays, Tuesday through Friday 10am to 7pm, Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 10am to 5 pm. Like any world-class art museum, the MFA in Boston has far more in its archives than it can reasonably display. This sister institution is one way to make the most of the extensive collection. Student / Adult admission: 300/400 yen for the general collection, 900/1200 yen for special exhibits. http://www.nagoya-boston.or.jp/ Do Visit Higashiyama Park, which features a zoo, conservatory, monorail, roller coasters, “sky tower” and a great deal of open space. Buy Go to Osu Kannon for old style shopping arcades packed with mom-and-pop stores, 100 yen shops, traditional crafts, and used computers. There is a little bit of everything. Eat Nagoya is big on miso, a sauce made from fermented soybeans. You should not leave the city without trying misokatsu, fried pork cutlet with a rich, red miso sauce on it. Yamamotoya Sōhonke (山本屋総本家; 25-9 Meieki, B1F Horinouchi Bldg; on Sakura-dori not far from Exit 6 of the Nagoya subway station) is the home of another classic Nagoya miso dish, nikomi udon, consisting of thick, chewy, handmade udon noodles served in boiling hot miso sauce/stock. Fairly pricy at ¥1200 for a basic bowl and rather difficult to eat — diners are provided with bibs to protect themselves from soup spray — but the effort is worth it. (Article from/based on Wikitravel article and may be copied freely) |