Nagoya Hotels

Nagoya Hotels

Nagoya is a sprawling urban wonderland set in the southwestern Chubu region of Japan’s main island Honshu. This eclectic coastal city blends ancient heritage sites with modern architectural masterpieces, traditional gardens with contemporary art galleries, old-world markets and snazzy shopping districts. Foodies can get a kick out of Nagoya’s local speciality street cuisine, late-night party-goers can go wild in the neon-washed clubs, and culture-vultures will find plenty of theatres and performance festivals.

Things to see

First on your list of must-see city sights should be the Nagoya Castle, a towering, stacked fortification of whitewashed turrets and wide stone walls that dates back to the early 17th century. The Castle overlooks the sweeping green Ninomaru garden grounds, which are stippled with pagodas and lily ponds. After, continue your cultural tour with a trip to the magical Atsuta Shrine, an ancient Shinto religious site and complex encased by leafy green trees. As the afternoon rolls around, head to Nagoya Station. The twin silver-washed cylindrical towers, ascending from the main concourse, make this central transport hub one of Nagoya’s contemporary architectural highlights. One of the towers houses a flashy department store, perfect for splurging shoppers. Later, art-fiends can check out international artworks that spans five centuries at the Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Art. If you’re travelling with the kids, take them to see the stars at the City Science Museum’s planetarium.

Hotels in Nagoya

Hotels in Nagoya range from inexpensive 1 star hostels to indulgent 4 star getaways. If you’re travelling alone on a budget, or as a group of backpackers, check out the 1 star hotels in Nagoya, which provide simple and stress-free shared rooms at low prices. Nagoya’s 2 star hotels are similar, but here you’ll enjoy a bit more space and convenient 24-hour desk openings. Three star hotels such as WATERGATE Ichinomiya, are Nagoya’s most common accommodation, offering free WiFi, private rooms, and in-house restaurants. If you treat yourself to one of the more expensive 4 star Nagoya hotels, expect stylish bar lounges and divine deep-soaking tubs. Mitsui Garden Hotel Nagoya Premier is one of the best 4-star hotels.

Where to stay

If you want to be in the heart of Nagoya’s non-stop city action, stay centrally, near Nagoya Station. Here, you’ll enjoy easy access to the city’s top sights, with excellent transport links throughout the rest of the city. Nagoya Station also boasts a bounty of eateries, selling local Kishimen noodles and sweet Tebasaki chicken. Nightlife-lovers should stay in Nagoya’s electrifying Sakae neighbourhood, which sings with karaoke bars, clubs, and theatres. During the daytime, Sakae is a great shopping hotspot too. Families after a quieter area should look to the leafy residential streets of the Higashi Ward.

How to get to Nagoya

Nagoya is easily reached by plane, with an international airport - referred to as Chubu Centrair International Airport - based just 48 kilometres from the city centre. This airport serves direct year-round flights from top international destinations, such as Beijing, Hong Kong, and Seoul. In Europe, you can fly direct from Frankfurt and Helsinki. Once you arrive, hop on the easily navigable Meitetsu Airport Line. This regular and reliable train will whizz you to Nagoya Station in a mere 28 minutes. Once there, you can get almost anywhere by subway - but taxi cabs are a convenient and affordable option, too.