Nagoya

Getting Here and Around

International flights from major airlines arrive at Nagoya's Chubu International Airport, and frequent bullet trains make it easy to access Nagoya from Tokyo and Kyoto.

All Nagoya's stations have bilingual maps, and many trains have English announcements. The Higashiyama Line runs from the north down to JR Nagoya Station and then due east, cutting through the city center at Sakae. The Meijo Line runs in a loop, passing through the city center at downtown Sakae. A spur line, the Meito, connects Kanayama to Nagoya Port. The Tsurumai Line runs north-south through the city, then turns from the JR station to Sakae to cross the city center. A fourth line, the Sakura-dori, cuts through the city center from the JR station, paralleling the east-west section of the Higashiyama Line. The basic fare is ¥200. A one-day pass for Nagoya's subways costs ¥740, while a combination bus/subway pass is ¥850.

Taxis are parked at all major stations and hotels. Elsewhere it is still far easier to wave one down on the street than to call one of the Japanese-speaking reservation numbers. The initial fare is ¥500. A ride from Nagoya Station to Nagoya-jo costs about ¥1,200.

The JR trains are the easiest for jumping on and off, but they do not serve all destinations. Meitetsu and Kintetsu stations are lacking in English signage, though Meitetsu prints a handy English-language guide to their network with instructions on how to purchase tickets. You can pick up a copy at Meitetsu Nagoya Station or Chubu International Airport.

Nagoya's subway system is user-friendly, with signs and announcements in English, and accesses almost all places of interest in the city. One-day passes cost ¥740. If you are staying a few days, consider purchasing a Yurika discount ticket for multiple trips. Yurika tickets can also be used on city buses and some Meitetsu trains.

The golden Nagoya Sightseeing Route Bus, known to locals as the Me~guru, provides cheap tours of the city. The service runs on a loop from Nagoya Station, via Noritake Garden, Nagoya-jo, the Tokugawa Art Museum, and Sakae. A hop-on, hop-off ticket for the day costs ¥500, and offers discounts for certain attractions.

JR Nagoya Station is like a small city, with a variety of shops in, under, and around the station complex. The main Nagoya City Tourist Information Center is in the station's central corridor. English-speaking staff can supply sightseeing information, subway maps, and details of upcoming events. Smaller information centers are in three other parts of the city—Sakae, Kanayama, and Nagoya Port.