Sights in Nagoya
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Atsuta-jingū
Built in the third century, this beautiful temple is one of Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines. Inside are more than 4000 objects, including koshinpoh (sacred garments), swords, Bugaku (ancient court dance) masks, documents, furniture and household articles. Even if you've been before, it's worth going again: new objects are put on display every month.
The Shrine is said to house the kusanagi-no-tsurugi (sacred sword - literally, the 'grass-cutting sword'), one of the sanshu no jingi, three regalia that were, according to legend, handed down to the imperial family by the goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami.
The other two sacred items are the curved jewels at the imperial palace in…
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Nagoya castle
Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered Nagoya castle to be built for his ninth son on the site of an older castle, from 1610 to 1614. Although it was destroyed in WWII and replaced in 1959 with a ferroconcrete replica, it's worth a visit for the fine museum inside featuring armour, treasures and histories of the Oda, Toyotomi and Tokugawa families. A lift will save you climbing stairs. Note the 3m-long replicas of the famous shachi-hoko, gilded dolphin-like sea creatures, at either end of the roof (and in every souvenir shop).
Within the castle grounds, the garden, Ninomaru-en (二の丸園), has a teahouse in an attractive setting. It's particularly lovely during the cherry-blossom season, and…
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Tokugawa Art Museum
A must for anyone with even a passing interest in Japanese culture and history, this museum has a 10,000-plus piece collection that includes national treasures and important cultural properties that once belonged to the shōgunal family: furnishings, arms and armour, tea-ceremony implements, calligraphy, painted scrolls, masks and costumes from the Nō theatre, and lacquerware. A priceless 12th-century scroll depicting The Tale of Genji is locked away except for a short stint in late November; the rest of the year, visitors must remain content with a video.
The museum is three minutes' walk from the Tokugawaen-Shindeki bus stop, east of Nagoya-jō. Several buses serve the …
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Noritake Garden
Take a stroll around the tree-planted grounds of the original factory of one of Japan's best-known porcelain makers. The craft centre offers a peek at the production process and a museum of old Noritake pieces, plus a chance to glaze your own dish. The Noritake Gallery has changing exhibitions of paintings, sculpture and ceramic works. Signage is in English throughout the grounds.
Naturally, there are shopping opportunities including the Box outlet store, which offers a 40% discount on discontinued items.
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Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
Japan may be synonymous with cars these days, but Toyota, now the world's largest auto maker, started in another very Japanese industry: weaving. A short walk northwest of Noritake Garden, this museum is on the site of the company's original Nagoya weaving plant (1911). It's filled with displays and demonstrations of metal processing and textile machinery, and hands-on experiences on principles of force, electronics and such, but the rubber meets the road in the 7900-sq-metre automotive pavilion.
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Nagoya Port Area
Redeveloped to attract tourists, the cargo port now boasts several attractions. The hi-tech Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium is one of Japan's largest and it's generally a hit with kids. The Port Building offers good views of the harbour and Ise Bay from 53m up and also contains a Maritime Museum on the 3rd floor and the Fuji Antarctic Exploration Ship outside. Attractions are signposted in English.
Allow 30 minutes to reach Nagoya Port from Nagoya Station by train.
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International Design Centre Nagoya
A short walk from Sakae, the futuristic, swooping skyscraper Nadya Park houses this museum. It's a secular shrine to the deities of conceptualisation, form and function, from Art Deco to the present, from the Electrolux to Isamu Noguchi, from Arne Jacobsen to the Mini Cooper. Signage is in English.
Also in Nadya Park is the Loft department store, which design-shoppers will find equally alluring. Nadya Park is about five minutes' walk from Yaba-chō station.
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Ōsu Kannon temple
The much-visited Ōsu Kannon temple traces its roots back to 1333. The temple was considered so auspicious that Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered that it be moved here around 1610. Although the current buildings are 20th-century reconstructions, it still retains a traditional atmosphere. It's not uncommon to hear chanting piped in throughout the temple grounds.
Ōsu is equally famous for the vibrant shopping district that draws bargain hunters.
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Port Building
Redeveloped to attract tourists, the cargo port now boasts several attractions, including the Port Building offers good views of the harbour and Ise Bay from 53m up and also contains a Maritime Museum on the 3rd floor and the Fuji Antarctic Exploration Ship outside. Attractions are signposted in English.
Allow 30 minutes to reach Nagoya Port from Nagoya Station by train.
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Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts
This excellent museum is a collaborative effort between Japanese backers and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Rotating exhibits showcase both Japanese and non-Japanese masterpieces, with good English signage.
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Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
Redeveloped to attract tourists, the cargo port now boasts several attractions, including the hi-tech Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium is one of Japan's largest and it's generally a hit with kids.
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Ran no Yakata Orchid Gardens
These gardens contain over 250 species of orchid, presented inside a greenhouse and a walled garden, with a path leading through the flowering plants. There are indoor and outdoor cafés.
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