I’ve had enough of Nagoya! I need to get out!

Just kidding, just kidding. Of course, I still love Nagoya my adoptive home very much.

But sometimes you just need a change of scenery right? You want to experience something new!

That’s where this post comes in. It is a list of the most amazing day trips from Nagoya.

Some of the places are so amazing that I actually recommend you stay for a night or two to really get to know them, more like a weekend trip or a side trip from Nagoya.

The places to visit near Nagoya have so much to offer and are very versatile, cities, towns, and nature are all a possibility.

Not to mention immersion in Japanese culture and the delicious Japanese cuisine.

But first…

Now, let me introduce to you: the best day trips from Nagoya you really shouldn’t miss!

Day Trip from Nagoya to Shirakawago

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Shirakawago is a completely different world to Nagoya. A tranquil village in the Japanese Alps that has remained unchanged over the years (except for the masses of tourists arriving there every day). It is one of the most popular side trips from Nagoya.

The thatched-roofed houses are especially beautiful in winter when the whole village is covered in a thick blanket of snow but every other time of the year is also worth a visit.

Just stroll around the village with its gardens, rice fields and countless little streams crisscrossing your path.

Learn about the life of the farmers who have been living here for hundreds of years at one of the old farmhouses and have some freshly made Soba for lunch at one of the many restaurants.

Don’t forget to see the village from the observation point on top of the nearby hill. You can reach it via a little hike from the village below.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Gujo Hachiman

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Gujo Hachiman is a little known town not far from Nagoya. In Japan, it is famous for its Bon Dance which takes place every year in summer for more than a month. It is a perfect one day trip from Nagoya city.

One of the highlights of Gujo Hachiman is the food sample making workshop at Sample Kobo. If you ever wondered where all the food samples in front of Japanese restaurants come from, its actually Gujo Hachiman.

On a full day trip from Nagoya, you can visit Gujo Hachiman castle, explore the beautiful town center with its many alleyways and streams and try some delicious food such as freshly caught Ayu fish, Hida Beef Sushi and a variety of sweets.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Ise

Image via Wikimedia Commons by Kanchi1979

Ise is home to the most important Shinto shrine in Japan, the Ise Jingu or Ise Grand Shrine.

Ise Jingu consists of two shrines, the inner shrine (called Naiku) enshrining the most important goddess in Shinto, the sun goddess Amaterasu, and outer shrine (Geku).

Many Japanese visit Ise during the new year’s season at the beginning of January to do Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year. They wish for good fortune and that their dreams come true. During that time it is incredibly busy but also an unforgettable experience to be part of.

The surrounding Ise town also has a lot to offer.

Most of the charming houses leading to the inner shrine house little shops, restaurants and food stalls and it is my recommendation that you arrive hungrily and try some of the delicious treats that can only be found here.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Gero Onsen

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If you enjoy Onsen, the Japanese hot springs, then a day trip to Gero Onsen will be perfect for you. This little Onsen town in Gifu Prefecture has a lot of charm and some of the best Onsen water in all of Japan.

There are three public baths in Gero as well as countless baths in the Ryokan of the town. If you purchase a Yomeguri Tegata pass for 1300 yen you can visit 3 Onsen facilities of the more than 20 participating Ryokan.

While you can visit Gero Onsen as a one day trip, arriving in the morning and leaving in the evening, I recommend you spend the night at one of the cozy Ryokan. Stay in a tatami mat room with fluffy futon beds and have some delicious Japanese dinner dressed in a Yukata after a relaxing bath.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Inuyama

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Inuyama is home to Japan’s tinies original castle.

There are now only 7 original castles left in Japan and Inuyama might just be the cutest.

Situated on top of a hill overlooking the Kiso River Inuyama Castle is a great day trip from Nagoya.

This makes Inuyama one of the most popular trips from Nagoya.

If you visit Inuyama in the summer months you can become witness to one of Japan’s fascinating traditions, cormorant fishing, called Ukai, on the Kiso River. This 1300-year-old traditional fishing technique using cormorants to catch Ayu fish is unique and amazing to watch.

For a once in a lifetime kind of day trip to Inuyama I recommend renting a beautiful Kimono for the day.

You can book your experience on klook.com for around 35 US dollars.

Choose your favorite Kimono design and fully immerse yourself in the Japanese culture.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Nishio

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If you love Matcha, Nishio is the place to go in Japan.

The city has one of the highest production amounts in the country. On a day trip to Nishio from Nagoya, you can experience the whole production process, from the plant to the finished Matcha tea.

Pick your own tea leaves, do a factory tour, grind tea leaves into powder, and whisk together your very own Matcha tea which you can enjoy with a Japanese sweet.

Other attractions in Nishio include the old castle grounds, multiple tea houses, and the Miso factory where you can tour the warehouse and make your own Miso balls for Miso soup.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Iga

Iga has gained in popularity in recent years because of its Ninja past. It’s a fun place to visit for the whole family during a Nagoya day trip.

The people of Iga have embraced the Ninja and made it their main tourist attraction, very successfully I might add.

At the Iga Ninja Museum, you can learn about the real Ninja. What they wore, how they trained and what exactly their job was.

You can also visit a Ninja house with many secret doors, lookouts, and tunnels.

The highlight is the Ninja show where you can learn about fighting styles and weapons the Ninja used.

Also make sure to stop by Murai Bankoen Cafe to visit the Ninja Cat, an adorable cat in a red Ninja costume.

Take pictures and have some delicious desserts.

Don’t forget to have a chat with the owner, he is a really nice guy!

Day Trip from Nagoya to Takayama

-> Go directly to the Takayama Travel Guide

Takayama is an absolute treasure and an amazing place for a side trip from Nagoya.

This little town deep in the Japanese alps has a lot of charm. The little streets are lined with old wooden houses, many of which are shops and restaurants.

You might want to pay a visit to Takayama Jinya the old government building where you can learn how the regions of Japan used to be governed under the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Don’t miss the morning market along the Miyagawa River. Here you can watch the locals do their grocery shopping. For sale are mainly fruits and vegetables but lately also cute souvenirs and snacks for the tourists.

There are a lot of Sake breweries in Takayama and if you show some interest you can learn a lot about Sake here (you can also taste countless different kinds until you find the one you like or are totally drunk).

The region around Takayama is famous for Hida Beef.

You might have heard about Kobe Beef before for being one of the best meats in the world, Hida Beef is not far behind and truly delicious.

You can try it at many restaurants in Takayama.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Tokoname

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Tokoname is nowadays most famous for being home to the Central Japan International Airport.

But it used to be a famous pottery town, the biggest producer of ceramics in the Edo Period (1608 – 1868) and one of the six big kiln towns of Japan.

Nowadays visitors can learn and admire this history on one of two Pottery Paths. Walking trails leading through Tokoname.

While you are in town don’t forget to try your own hand on a little bit of pottery during a pottery class.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Hamamatsu

Image via Wikimedia Commons by Plattard

The main draw of Hamamatsu is probably Hamamatsu Castle, a beautiful castle located in a park with hundreds of cherry trees, perfect for a visit during the cherry blossom season in April.

Hamamatsu is not a very touristy place and a very off-beat Nagoya side trip. It is a very authentic Japanese city.

You might also want to check the Musical Instrument Museum. Hamamatsu is home to some of Japan’s finest musical instrument manufacturers such as Yamaha and Kawai and the museum houses an impressive collection of musical instruments.

Skiing Day Trips from Nagoya

If you visit Nagoya in winter and you want to enjoy some winter sports head to Gifu Prefecture just north of Aichi.

You will find multiple ski resorts here but the best place to head from Nagoya for a day trip is Mount Dainichi which has two connected ski resorts: Dynaland and Takasu Snow Park

Dynaland with its 20 courses is the biggest ski resort in central Japan. It is located on the eastern slope of Mount Dainichi in Gifu Prefecture.

The ski resort has a well-balanced mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses which can be accessed by the 5 lifts of the resort. It’s a great ski resort near Nagoya.

Takasu Snow Park on the other side of Mount Dainichi shares a ski pass with Dynaland. If you wanted to you could ski on both resorts on the same day.

Takasu is smaller than Dynaland with only 13 courses and 3 lifts. It also offers courses for beginners, intermediates, and advanced skiers and snowboarders.

Another ski resort in the area around Gifu on Takasu Mountain is Hirugano Kogen.

This ski resort is easily accessible from Nagoya and is fairly small but it is great for families.

A ski school is available.

Aside from skiing and snowboarding, you can also enjoy snow rafting, snowshoes, and air boarding.

For a great deal including lift ticket and complete rental of gear including clothing, goggles, ski or snowboard book on klook.com.

Nabana no Sato Winter Illumination (Nagashima Resort)

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Just south of Nagoya is Nagashima Island.

On the island, you can find Nagashima Resort, which includes an excellent amusement park, an outlet shopping mall, and Japanese hot springs.

One island over you will find the recently opened Legoland Japan (get the 1 day Legoland pass on klook.com and skip the line at admission).

Also part of Nagashima Resort is Nabana no Sato, a flower garden with a winter illumination dwarfing all other illuminations in Japan.

Not only is it the most beautiful it is also one of the largest and longest (starting in October and ending in May each year).

Day Trips from Nagoya to the Kiso Valley – Magome & Tsumago

The Kiso Valley in Nagano Prefecture is on the Naksendo, the former street connecting Kyoto and Tokyo.

On its way, little post towns were founded so the travelers could rest their weary feet at night and to find a hot meal.

Two of these post towns are called Magome and Tsumago which have been preserved to look as they did during the Edo Period.

They are beautiful to explore and close enough together for a day hike from one town to the other.

The trail leads along the old road and in beautiful nature which makes for one of the nicest Nagoya side trips.

Day Trip from Nagoya to Okazaki

Okazaki is a castle town south of Nagoya. Famous as the birthplace of famous warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu and for its Hatcho Miso.

When visiting Okazaki Castle you will learn how important Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Shogun of the Tokugawa period still is for the people in Okazaki. There are also museums dedicated to him and his legacy.

If you are a foodie you should check out the Hatcho Miso factories. Miso is fermented soybean paste, a central ingredient in Japanese cooking. The Hatcho Miso from Okazaki is a special kind of Miso very popular in the region and used in many dishes such as Miso Nikomi Udon and Miso Katsu.

At the Miso factory, you can learn about the production process and sample the special Hatcho Miso.

Gamagori

As a foreigner, the only thing you might have heard about Gamagori is ‘Henn na Hotel’. A strange hotel operated completely by robots, velociraptor robot reception staff check you in to your room, a cute little robot assistant is available in your room. It is really a weird experience. By the way ‘Henn na Hotel’ literally means ‘Strange Hotel’, what an applicable name to choose for this hotel.

Henn na Hotel is actually part of Laguna ten Bosch an amusement park that looks like a Dutch village. It has a ferries wheel, and multiple rides but also a big pool area for use in the summer.

If you are looking for an unforgettable New Year’s party you might want to consider heading to Laguna ten Bosch. Their countdown show includes performances of a famous boy band, fireworks and much more. In the wintertime, it is also the place of an impressive winter illumination. (For more things to do in and around Nagoya in winter, click here).

You can buy your ticket not only to Laguna ten Bosch in general but also to the New Year’s event on klook.com.

Day Trips from Nagoya Map

On the below map you can see where all the day trip destinations are located in relation to Nagoya.

Day Trips from Nagoya by Car

While there is usually a convenient way to do your day trips from Nagoya by public transport it might make sense for convenience or if you are a group of people to rent a car in Nagoya for your day trip.

You can do this through rentalcars.com.

Just be aware that as a driver in Japan you need to have an international driver’s license which you can only get in your own country before arriving in Japan.

And don’t forget to also book an insurance policy for your rental.

Day Trips from Nagoya with a JR Pass

Some of the trains on your day trips from Nagoya can be free if you hold a Japan Rail Pass, the convenient tourist pass for JR trains.

You can do the following Nagoya day trips using a JR Pass:

• Ise
• Gero Onsen
• Takayama
• Hamamatsu
• Magome
• Okazaki

Be advised that it only makes sense to buy a JR Pass if you are planning to use many (long distance) trains in a short period of time, or else it might just be cheaper to buy your train tickets separately.

If you want to find out more about the Japan Rail Pass you can read all about it here.

If you want to buy a pass conveniently from home visit JRailPass.com. They deliver your voucher within a couple of days worldwide, even if you are already in Japan.

Final Thoughts

These day trips from Nagoya sound amazing, right?

If you are still looking for more information on Nagoya check the Nagoya Travel Guide for all the information you need when visiting Nagoya.

Did you know that the Kansai region, where Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Kobe are located are also just an hour away by Shinkansen bullet train?

If you have a JR Pass these cities might also be great for Nagoya side trips, especially Nara and Kobe, because you can explore both of these cities in one day.

For Osaka and Kyoto, you might want to spend a couple of nights there to really get to know them.

If you enjoyed this post and want to read it again in the future, for example when you are finally planning your trip to Japan in detail, pin it to your ‘Japan Travel’ board!

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