Nagoya is a superb base for exploring central Japan, with fast trains fanning out to castles, craft towns and museums across Aichi and beyond. If you have extra days, these day trips add real variety to a city stay.

Inuyama and Its Castle

Inuyama is home to one of Japan’s oldest original wooden castles, perched above the Kiso River. The old castle town below has preserved streets, sake breweries and the open-air Meiji-Mura museum nearby, where historic buildings from across Japan have been relocated and rebuilt.

Toyota and the Industrial Heritage

Nagoya is the heart of Japan’s car industry, and the Toyota Commemorative Museum and the SCMaglev and Railway Park near the city tell that story brilliantly, with interactive exhibits that appeal to all ages. They make an easy, rainy-day-proof outing.

Getting Around

Most day trips run on the Meitetsu and JR lines from Nagoya Station, with travel times of well under an hour. A rechargeable IC card makes hopping between them simple, and many sights are walkable from their stations.

These excursions round out a Nagoya trip with history and hands-on fun. Use our hub and hotel guides to plan where to base yourself.

More Nagoya Travel Guides

• Nagoya Castle: The City’s Golden Landmark
• Atsuta Shrine: Nagoya’s Sacred Forest
• Sakae: Nagoya’s Downtown and Nightlife

See our Nagoya Travel Guide for the full overview. Planning the whole trip? Visit The Complete Nagoya Guide for every guide and hotel in one place.