[Nagoya] Departing From Chubu Centrair International Airport! A One-Day Recommended Itinerary to Explore the Best of Nagoya Cuisine Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Reservation Guide-

Update-date: Oct 18 2023

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

[Nagoya] Departing From Chubu Centrair International Airport! A One-Day Recommended Itinerary to Explore the Best of Nagoya Cuisine

The Nagoya area is known for its rich history of food culture, boasting original culinary inventions such as hitsumabushi (eel and rice dish) and Ogura toast (toast with sweet red bean paste), making it a popular culinary destination even among the Japanese! The Nagoya Station vicinity is a mere 30 minutes by train from Chubu Centrair International Airport, and is extremely convenient for its access to popular sightseeing spots. This is an introduction that should be helpful even for those who may be entirely unfamiliar with Nagoya through a suggested sightseeing itinerary. Please be sure to check it out if you're planning a trip to Nagoya.

See full listings of Japanese Cuisine restaurants found in and around Nagoya.

How to Get to Nagoya Station from Chubu Centrair International Airport!

It takes around 30 minutes by direct train line to get from the gateway of the Chubu area, Chubu Centrair International Airport, to the famous Nagoya Station. You can also choose from other options such as the local, express, and high-speed trains, as well as the μ-SKY (μ = Greek letter for MU) with entirely reserved seating, depending on the travel time that best suits your schedule. Although the reserved seats offered on the μ-SKY cost an additional express fee, it is recommended as the fastest possible option at 30 minutes. Note that this suggested itinerary, which has been planned to let you enjoy the best of Nagaya cuisine, assumes that you arrive in the city early in the morning.

Upon Arriving, the First Thing To Try is the Nagoya Specialty, Morning Service!

When in Nagoya, the first thing you absolutely have to try is the Morning Service at cafes. Experience an aspect of food culture unique to Nagoya in which you receive complimentary toast and an egg when ordering a coffee or other drink during breakfast. Though the contents can differ depending on the branch, being able to fill your stomach for the cost of a single cup of coffee is quite the bargain. Even amongst cafes, "Bera Coffee Sakae Branch" is a prominent cafe with a storied history offering the Morning Service. The Service at Bera includes a slice of buttered brown sugar toast and a boiled egg with the order of any drink. Be sure to enjoy the complimentary dishes with the [Vienna Coffee], a specialty drink served since the time of the cafe's founding.

Bera Coffee Sakae Branch

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, National Holidays, Days before National Holidays] 7:30 am - 6:30 pm (L.O. 6:00 pm) *Morning service 7:30 am - 11:00 am, Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 450 JPY / [Lunch] 900 JPY Specialty Vienna Coffee, as well as other various drinks
Address: 1F, Chuo Hirokoji Bldg., 3-21-18, Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Map
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And, how about enjoying Nagoya's most famous dish after arriving?

Maruya Honten Chubu Centrair International Airport Branch is located on the 4th floor of Chubu Centrair International Airport. Its specialty is Nagoya's famous "Hitsumabushi," which features a secret sauce with a proud history of 180 years and carefully selected, fresh eel. The sauce is based on traditional cedar barrel-aged soy sauce, and the restaurant takes meticulous care in selecting high-quality rice and water, making homemade pickles, and serving deep-steamed tea from a specialized tea garden.
After getting off your flight, why not enjoy this exquisite eel dish that not only delights your taste buds but also offers fatigue recovery effects in a relaxing atmosphere?

Maruya Honten Chubu Centrair International Airport Branch

Open: 10:00 am - 9:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Access: It's located on Renga Dori on the 4th floor of Chubu Centrair International Airport
Address: 4F, Renga Dori, Chubu Centrair International Airport, 1-1, Centrair, Tokoname-shi, Aichi Map
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Entertaining Even For Adults! Explore the Nagoya City Science Museum

After breakfast, let's move to the into the city for a little sightseeing. Among the various available sightseeing options, the Nagoya City Science Museum is highly recommended. The museum is located just a 10-minute walk from "Bera Coffee Sakae Branch." The impressive dome-shaped structure that first enters your periphery is in fact a planetarium. A stunning, starry panorama can be viewed in the giant dome, which is a whopping 35 meters in diameter. As for the other facilities, the "Arctic Laboratory" provides a simulation of an arctic environment,while the "Tornado Laboratory" offers an opportunity to see a larger-than-life tornado up close! It's sure to be an enjoyable experience not only for children, but for adults as well.

Nagoya Science Museum

Open: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm *Last entry 4:30 pm.
Closed: Monday (the museum will be open if a Monday falls on a holiday, in which case the museum will be closed on the next weekday), the 3rd Friday of every month (if the 3rd Friday falls on a holiday, the museum will be open on that day, but closed on the 4th Friday of the month), the beginning and end of the year (12/31 thru 1/3)
Average price: Admission Fee
Exhibit and planetarium: Adults 800 JPY, Children (under middle school) free
Exhibit only: Adults 400 JPY, Children (under middle school) free
Address: Geijutsu to Kagaku no Mori / Shirakawa Park, 2-17-1, Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi (Map)
Source: Official Homepage

Lunch (1) Nagoya Specialty! Hitsumabushi

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After you're finished visiting the museum, how about some lunch! If you're having trouble deciding on what to eat, you can't go wrong with the Nagoya specialty hitsumabushi. The dish is made by cutting eel into fine slices, laying them on top of rice, then drizzling on sauce. Unagi-ka Shibafuku-ya is a restaurant specializing in eel cuisine, and their original, homemade sauce gives their dishes a profound, savory flavor. The carefully grilled eel has crispy skin and a feathery, light texture on the inside that you won't be able to stop eating. After eating around half, you have the choice to also eat it as ochazuke (by pouring green tea or broth on rice). Please be sure to pay the restaurant a visit!

Unagi-ka Shibafuku-ya

Open: [Monday, Wednesday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,500 JPY
Access: 6-minute walk from exit No.2 of Kokusai Center Station on Nagoya Municipal Subway Sakuradori Line
Address: 1-23-10 Nagono, Nishi-ku, Nagoya city, Aichi (Map)
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Lunch (2) Trying the Local Cuisine! Ankake Spaghetti

For those who can still find some room in their stomachs, there's the Ankake (thick sauce) Spaghetti, a Nagoya specialty homestyle dish where extra thick spaghetti is covered in a thick, red sauce with a touch of spice. Be sure to stop by the Spaghetti House Yokoi KITTE Nagoya Branch. The rich-flavored meat sauce at the famous 50-year old establishment is absolutely exquisite.

Spaghetti House Yokoi KITTE Nagoya Branch

Open: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
[Weekdays] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed: January 1
Average price: [Dinner] 1,200 JPY / [Lunch] 950 JPY
Address: B1F, JP Tower Nagoya, 1-1-1, Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Map
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Nagoya Castle

After you've eaten your belly full, roll on over to the centerpiece of Nagoya's attractions, Nagoya Castle! The castle has been designated not only as one of Japan's 100 most famous castles, but also as a Special Historic Site, and the majestic visage of the looming building is quite a sight to behold. The castle is famous for the golden shachihoko (an animal in Japanese folklore with the head of a tiger and the body of a carp) perched on the keep of the castle. Presently, construction work is being being conducted on the keep with a targeted completion date in 2020.

Special Historic Site Nagoya Castle

Open: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
*Entry into the Honmaru Goten Palace and Seinan Sumiyagura (Southwest Corner Tower) ends at 4:00 pm.
*Open hours are extended to 5:30 pm until August 31, 2019 (entry into the castle building ends at 5:00 pm)
Closed: 12/29-12/31, 1/1 (4 days)
Average price: Adults 500 JPY, children (under middle school) enter for free
Address: 1-1, Honmaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi (Map)
Source: Official Homepage

Located Right By Nagoya Castle! Stroll Along Kinshachi Yokocho

After Nagoya Castle, take a stroll along Kinshachi Yokocho just next door. The street, which just recently opened in March of 2018, is lined by an array of restaurants and gift shops featuring Nagoya's specialties. The area offers two different areas: the Yoshinao Zone for traditional Nagoya specialties, and the Muneharu Zone, which incorporates modern cultural elements. The Muneharu Zone is open as late as 10:00 pm, so you can shop and peruse at your leisure.

Kinshachi Yokocho

Open: [Main Gate Area / Yoshinao Zone] 10:30 am - 6:30 pm *Open hours until 9/30
[West Gate Area / Muneharu Zone] [Weekdays] 11:00 am - 10:00 pm [Saturday/Sunday/Holidays] 10:30 am - 10:00 pm *Shops are open until 9:00 pm

Address: 1-2, Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi (Map)
Source: Official Homepage

Founded in 1879! Grab a Souvenir From a Longstanding Japanese Confectionary Shop

Last but certainly not least is Aoyanagi Souhonke, a highly distinguished Japanese confectionery shop in Nagoya. Please consider finding your souvenir at the KITTE Nagoya Branch, located in JP Tower Nagoya and directly connected to Nagoya Station. The shop carries everything from Nagoya specialties such as Uiro (a traditional Japanese steamed cake made of rice flour and sugar) and manju (a Japanese confection of flour and rice powder stuffed with filling), to other creative and beautiful treats, all of which are just as delicious as they are visually appealing. The cute facial expression of the [Frog in a Milk Bath] (390 JPY) has made it an especially popular treat. It is also recommended to order some coffee, which you can then enjoy along with your sweets in the cafe space located right inside of the store.

Aoyanagi Souhonke KITTE Nagoya Branch

Open: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm *Dine in 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Closed: January 1
Address: 1F, JP Tower Nagoya, 1-1-1, Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Map
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For Getting Around the Inner City in Nagoya, Look No Further Than Me~guru!

All of the locations introduced here can be easily accessed by the Nagoya sightseeing bus, Me~guru. The bus operates primarily in the attraction-rich Nagoya Station vicinity, Nagoya castle area, and Sakae Area. Me~guru also offers a budget-friendly all-day pass, so please be sure to take advantage this option to get around easily when visiting Nagoya.

Nagoya Sightseeing Route Bus Me~guru

Closed: Monday (will be in operation if a Monday falls on a holiday, but then not be in operation on the next weekday) and the beginning and end of the year (12/29 - 1/3)
Average price: 210 JPY per ride for adults, 100 JPY for children
Me~guru 1-Day Ticket 500 JPY for adults, 250 JPY for children
Source: Official Homepage

Nagoya is chock-full of delicious eateries offering such an assortment of local specialties that you'd be hard pressed to try them all in a single day. Make use of the hugely convenient public transportation options, from buses to taxis, to capitalize on your time in Nagoya!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.