4th stop : Nagoya which will be the transition to the real destination of this trip: The Nakasendo trail ! This step was more chill and more of a break day before the rest of the trip.
I arrived in the evening from Osaka (where I couldn’t find my bus stop T^T) and visited the city the next day. I stayed 2 nights in an hostel : Guesthouse Yoruyonaka close to Osu kannon temple. (They have a ladies only bedroom).
The hostel was really charming and cosy and you had everything you could need from the washing machine to the kitchen. They also have a bar which serves some meals downstairs.
Content :
Nagoya
Erected on the Nakono plateau, Nagoya started growing after the construction of its castle by Ieyasu Tokugawa in the 17th century. It now counts around 2 million inhabitants and is one of the most populated cities in Japan.
Details:
- Inhabitants: 2 330 376h
- Specialities: Miso Katsu, Hitsumaboshi (eel dish), tebasaki, miso nikomi udon, ogura toast, etc
- Main places: Nagoya-jo, Osu Kannon, Endoji, Sakae, Atsuta-jingu, Togan-ji, Tokugawaen and museum, Toyota Museum, Ghibli Park, Legoland
What to do/ see?
As a huge fan of japanese castles and shrines, I started my day by going to Osu Kannon on my way to the castle. Osu Kannon’s temple is beautiful and if you’re lucky there might be a flea market. As I passed through the shrine’s grounds I got to look to some nice items, from jewellery to everyday life’s old items.
Then I crossed Osu’s covered alley which was desert as it was too early in the morning. I took the subway to the castle (you still have to walk a bit to reach it) and visited the Honmaru palace and the gardens. You, currently, can’t visit the dungeon as it is not considered earthquakes-resistant and is being renovated/reconstructed. However, you can admire the nice view with the blooming sakura and the castle in the back. On top of the castle you can see golden figures (golden Shachihoko (gold dolphins)) that, if you pay attention, you may see around the city as it is a symbol of Nagoya.
While buying your tickets at the gate, you can choose the set which will allow you to enter the castle and the Tokugawa gardens.
From the castle, take a sightseeing bus to the Tokugawaen and art museum. You need to buy another ticket to be able to enter the museum, they have student discounts (800yen for 1600yen for adults)! The museum retraces the life of the Tokugawa clan and recreates some scenes/places from the honmaru palace with a lot of artefacts, from art to everyday life artifacts.
The gardens are the best part in my opinion as it has so many different sights and was so peaceful (not many tourists). You can find a restaurant with a view over the park and a souvenir shop at the entrance of the park.
After lunch, I went to Endo-ji, old covered alley with small sanctuaries and a Kabuki Cafe, too bad for me it was closed. Most shops were closed actually but it might be better in the evening. However it was nice to walk around, see the shrines and old buildings.
That was the end of my visits, after that I looked for special pikachus at the pokemon center which is tricky to access due to renovations and a 4p.m. snack!
Anyways, you can also take a day to go to Legoland or Ghibli park. Tickets for ghibli park are sold on the 10th of the month, 2 months before your visit. Most of the time, regular passes are still available a few weeks before but the premium pass is the one that will allow you to visit more facilities and is sold out quite fast.
There are also lots of hidden gems around the city, several temples and shrines where you might not have too many tourists. Otherwise a day trip to Korankei valley (especially in automn) seems great. There is also Seki, the city of blades where you can see the making of and buy knives.
How to get there ?
From Osaka:
- Train: 50min, Shinkansen, around 6000-7000 yen, from Shin-Osaka
- Train: 2h20, Kintetsu line, around 4500yen, from Namba
- Bus: 3 hours, highway bus, around 2600yen, from Osaka Station JR Kosoku BT
From Nakatsugawa:
- Train: 1h15, Chuo line, 1340yen
- Train: 55~min, JR Shinano, 3070yen
Nagoya was a nice city to visit even though I think that a 2-3 days stay would have been better to really discover the city. But, I couldn’t wait to go to Magome-juku (next stop of the journey)!
Travel & Cake 
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