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[Within 2hrs by Car] 12 Outing Areas where You can Go on a Day Trip from Nagoya!
Table of Contents
It Prospered as a Castle Town of Inuyama Castle
"Inuyama City, Aichi"
Inuyama City is located at the northern tip of Aichi Prefecture. In the Edo period, it prospered as a castle town of Inuyama Castle. It is easily accessible by train from Nagoya Station, and is gaining popularity as a day trip spot in the Tokai area.
Museum Meiji Mura
"Meiji Mura" is an open-air museum where famous buildings from the Taisho period to the early Showa period are relocated and preserved, mainly from the Meiji period. The buildings lined up in the village make you feel as if you have slipped back in time to the Meiji era.
You can experience the Meiji era while having fun, such as the stylish costume store, retro gourmet food, and the experience of riding a steam locomotive!
[Meiji Mura]
Address: 1 Uchiyama, Inuyama City Aza, Aichi Prefecture
Business hours: Please check on the official website
Closed: Please check the official website
Inuyama Little World
The Little World Museum of Man is a theme park with buildings from 23 countries and regions around the world. Ethnic cultures such as clothing, food, and housing from around the world are introduced.
You may have a strong image of gourmet events and ethnic costume experiences, but that is not all. The attraction of Little World is the high quality of its buildings inside the park. Every building has been faithfully reproduced by transporting columns and stone walls from the local area, using local materials, and conducting interviews in the area.
You can enjoy the feeling of actually visiting the country.
[The Little World Museum of Man]
Address: 90-48 Imai Narusawa, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0568-62-5611
http://www.littleworld.jp/
National Treasure Inuyama Castle
Speaking of Inuyama, there is the "National Treasure Inuyama Castle".
Inuyama Castle was built in 1541, the year Hideyoshi Toyotomi was born, by Nobunaga Oda's uncle, Nobuyasu Oda, and is the oldest existing wooden castle tower in Japan. Currently, only five castles, Matsumoto Castle, Himeji Castle, Hikone Castle, Matsue Castle, and Inuyama Castle, are designated as national treasures.
It is also known as the only privately owned castle in Japan.
[National Treasure Inuyama Castle]
Address: 65-2 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama City
Phone number: 0568-61-1711
Castle and Town Museum
The "Castle and Town Museum" introduces the history and culture of Inuyama, focusing on the Edo period when samurai and townspeople culture flourished. Inuyama is one of the few towns in Japan that still has castles and castle towns in the same layout as the Edo period.
The museum also exhibits many old documents and arts and crafts that belonged to Inuyama Castle and the Naruse family, the former lords of Inuyama Castle.
[Castle and Town Museum]
Address: 8 Kitakoken, Inuyama, Inuyama City
Phone number: 0568-62-4802
Donden-kan
"The Inuyama Festival," designated by the national government as an important intangible folk cultural property, is held every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of April.
At the "Donden-kan", 4 of the actual Yama = Dashi (festival car) used in the Inuyama Festival are on display. In order to experience the atmosphere of the festival, the day of the festival will be shortened to 6 minutes, and the lights and sounds will be produced. The 8m high Yama is very impressive! !
In addition, various exhibits related to the Inuyama Festival, such as festival costumes and models, are introduced.
[Donden-kan]
Address: 62 Higashikoken, Inuyama, Inuyama City
Phone number: 0568-65-1728
Sanko Inari Shrine
Sanko Inari Shrine has been revered as the guardian of Inuyama Castle by the Naruse family, who have served as the lords of Inuyama Castle for generations since the Edo period. Located directly below Inuyama Castle, this shrine is well-known in the local area of Inuyama.
According to legend, the shrine was built in 1586 on Sankouji Mountain within Inuyama Castle, and was moved to its current location in October 1964.
The Sanko Inari Shrine is also famous for the "heart ema" (votive tablet) at the Himeki Shrine, a shrine on the grounds of the Sanko Inari Shrine!
[Sanko Inari Shrine]
Address: 41-1 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0568-61-0702
Haritsuna Shrine
Next to Sanko Inari Shrine is Haritsuna Shrine.
Haritsuna Shrine is said to be blessed with good fortune for safe delivery and prolonged life, since Nobuyasu Oda, uncle of Nobunaga Oda and builder of Inuyama Castle, dedicated a pair of hand-carved guardian dogs to the shrine to pray for safe delivery, prolonged life, and longevity. It is said that it is good to pray for safe delivery on the day of the dog.
Haritsuna Shrine's annual festival, the Inuyama Festival, is famous for its gorgeous "yama" floats, which is one of the spring traditions of Inuyama.
Click here for the Inuyama outing special article
You can Meet Rich Nature!
"Minokamo City, Gifu"
Minokamo City in the southern part of Gifu Prefecture has a history of prospering as a post town on the Nakasendo, one of the five highways of the Edo period. The Kiso River flows through the town, which is blessed with nature. It's an hour by car from Nagoya, so access is excellent, so it's perfect for outings!
PANZA Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park
The adventure park "PANZA Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park" was born in April 2019 in "Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park (former: Nihon Showamura)". The largest zipline in the Chukyo area with a total length of 333m "Mega Zip®︎", the maximum height of 9m, the 3-level adventure "Aerial", and the "Sky Jam®︎" where even small children can play.
This is an adventure park where families of all ages can enjoy to the fullest in the nature-rich mountains.
[PANZA Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park]
Address: 2292-1 Yamanoue-cho, Minokamo City, Gifu Prefecture
Business hours 9:00-17:00 (Last reception 16:30)
Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays (open if it falls on a holiday)
*Open during summer vacation from 8/1 to 8/23
https://panza.co.jp/gifuseiryu/
Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park
Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park is a free admission park that has changed from Japan Showamura in 2018. In the park, which recreates the scenery of the satoyama (rural landscape) in the 1950s, there are nostalgic buildings lined up, and there are flower fields and tea fields that show various colors according to the four seasons.
In the park, you can also enjoy sightseeing at the farmer's restaurant Yamabiko Shokudo, where you can enjoy meals made with ingredients from Gifu Prefecture, and the Onsaikan, which has a large selection of souvenirs. Fun playground equipment such as go-karts and turf slides, and lots of fun such as petting and feeding animals!
[Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park]
Business hours: 9:00-17:00
Admission fee: Free
https://satoyama-park.gifu.jp/
Monteur “Minokamo Factory Tour”
Founded in 1954 (Showa 29), "Monteur" is a Western confectionery manufacturer that manufactures and sells chilled desserts. There are three manufacturing factories across the country, one of which is the Minokamo Factory, where you can tour the factory and also have a direct sales store where you can purchase almost all Monteur products.
[Monteur Minokamo Factory Direct Sales Store]
Address: 1-5-1 Hachiyadai, Minokamo City, Gifu Prefecture
Phone number: 048-994-3710 (9:00-17:00, excluding weekends and holidays) | 03-5784-2737 (Factory tour reception dial 9:00-17:00)
Business hours: 10:00-17:00
Closed: January 1st and 2nd*From February 26, 2020 (Wednesday), factory tours will be suspended for the time being to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. If you are considering a factory tour, please check the following site for the reopening time. The direct sales store is open for business.
https://www.monteur.co.jp/contactus/2335
Much-talked-about Shops Open One After Another!
"Toyohashi City, Aichi"
Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, is the central city of the Higashi Mikawa region. It is an area rich in nature where agriculture is thriving and a lot of vegetables and fruits are produced. In Toyohashi, popular shops such as coffee stands, curry shops, and tart shops are opening one after another.
Mumei coffee stand
"Mumei coffeestand" opened in a corner of the Mizukami Building, which has a retro atmosphere that is familiar to Toyohashi citizens.
It is a coffee stand specializing in to-go. Opened on May 18, 2019, it has spread through word of mouth mainly on SNS and has become very popular, especially among young women.
[Mumei coffee stand]
Address: 1-A Otoyo Shopping Street, 3-118 Ekimae Odori, Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone: None
Cardamon
About 2 minutes on foot from JR/Meitetsu "Toyohashi" station. The simple appearance based on white creates an atmosphere that makes you feel like a fashionable select shop.
This is "Cardamon", which opened in July 2018 as a curry specialty store. As a shop where you can enjoy sweets along with curry, many fans gather from outside the city.
[Cardamon]
Address: 1-59 Ekimae Odori, Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone: 0532-35-6155
http://www.goodplace.co.jp/pg218.html
Ichigo-ya-Ichie
“Supermarket” is indispensable in our lives. Ichigo-ya-ichie is a local supermarket in Toyohashi City, is attracting attention from all over the country, saying, "This supermarket is interesting!"
Although it is a small supermarket, it provides us with an exciting space, such as a cafe space that is very popular with children and a deli that sells out in the early afternoon.
[Ichigo-ya-ichie]
Address: 67-3 Sakaida, Shimojicho, Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone: 0532-52-9657
Michi no Eki Toyohashi
Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi opened in May 2019. As Toyohashi City's first roadside station, it has become a very popular spot, and the number of visitors exceeded 1 million in about five months after opening! Toyohashi's specialty products and food are lined up.
Michi no Eki Toyohashi consists of two facilities: "Tomate," a restaurant and specialty store that uses plenty of local ingredients, and "Aguri Park Shokusai-mura," which offers a wide variety of seasonal agricultural products. Visitors can experience the charm of Toyohashi by coming here.
[Michi-no-eki Toyohashi]
Address: 113-2 Ichinosawa, Nanane-cho, Toyohashi
Phone: 0532-21-3500
Click here for articles on Toyohashi outings
A Remote Island that can be Reached in about an Hour from Nagoya
"Himaka-jima"
Himaka-jima is a remote island that can be reached in about an hour from Nagoya.
The circumference of the island is about 5.5km. It is a small remote island that can be circumnavigated in about two hours on foot. The octopus and puffer fish are the local specialties, and it is popularly known as the “Octopus (tako= happiness) Island, Puffer Fish (fugu = fortune) Island”. With its delicious seafood and the soothing view, you can enjoy island time to your heart's content, forgetting everyday life.
Heidi's Swing
The popular spot "Heidi's swing" is located about 5 to 10 minutes on foot from Sunrise Beach.
When you start rowing towards the sea in front of you, you will feel as if you are melting into the sea and the sky. It is also known as the "lover's swing," and it is said that couples riding together will be happy.
Dolphin Watching
Back to Nishiko. At "Sunset Beach" in Nishiko, "Dolphin Watching" was held during the summer.
You can meet dolphins up close by crossing over to the aquarium set up on the sea.
Enjoy Island Specialities
At Suzuen Honpo in Nishiko Port, they sell senbei crackers that are carefully hand-baked by craftsmen, using lobster and octopus caught by fishermen on Himaka-jima.
The island bar "daitome" is also recommended!
You can enjoy island gourmet dishes such as grilled skewers of octopus caught on the island and grilled large clams with delicious sake.
In fact, Himaka-jima is not only famous for octopus, but also conger eel. It is in season from the rainy season to summer.
Click here for Himaka-jima outing special article
Town of Vinegar and Sake "Handa City, Aichi"
The Chita Peninsula, where Handa City is located, has been one of the leading sake brewing regions in Japan since the Edo period (1603-1868). In addition to sake, miso, soy sauce, vinegar, and other brewed products also flourish here. Handa was the birthplace of a groundbreaking innovation to create vinegar from sake lees. It also triggered the Edo-mae-zushi (Edo style sushi) boom.
MIM Mizkan Museum
Speaking of Handa City, there is a company "Mizkan" famous for its "vinegar".
Let's go to "Mizkan Museum MIM" which was completely renewed in November 2015. This is a hands-on museum where you can enjoy learning about the history of vinegar making at Mizkan and the appeal of food culture.
[MIM Mizkan Museum] *Advance reservations required for tours
Address: 2-6 Nakamuracho Handa City Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0569-24-5111
Sushi Kaiseki Masago Main Store
"Hayazushi" is the prototype of nigiri sushi. Actually, there are only 3 restaurants in Handa City where you can taste Hayazushi!
At "Sushi Kaiseki Masago Main Store", we recommend the "Bishu Hayazushi Gozen", which comes with 3 pieces of tuna, shrimp, and conger eel, tempura, grilled fish, red miso soup, and a small bowl!
[Sushi Kaiseki Masago Main Store (Masago Honten)]
Address: 2-15-3 Handa City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0569-21-0547
Handa Red Brick Building
The "Handa Red Brick Building" is a brewery that produced "Kabuto Beer," a beer that was only produced for about half a century and is known as the "phantom beer." Until now, it was only open to the public a few times a year, but in 2015 it was renovated as a tourist facility.
[Handa Red Brick Building]
Address: 8 Enokishitacho, Handa City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0569-24-5111
https://handa-akarenga-tatemono.jp/
Click here for articles on soldering outings
A City Full of Charm with History, Brewing, Agriculture, and Fishing
"Hekinan City, Aichi"
Hekinan has prospered as a shipping town since ancient times, and many temples were built there. A city rich in history, with more temples than convenience stores. It is also known as a brewing town, and is home to the birthplace of white soy sauce and Japan's oldest mirin brewery, "Kokonoe Mirin".
Furthermore, it is also a town where agriculture and fishery are thriving. Carrots, onions, and figs are specialty products of Hekinan. At Ohama fishing port, sardines, whitebait, and clams are landed.
History, brewing, agriculture, and fisheries are all attractive towns!
Akashi Park
Akashi Park is a place where you can enjoy rides such as go-karts, merry-go-rounds, and cycle monorails, as well as a 30-meter-high Ferris wheel that overlooks Kinuura Port.
The attraction of Akashi Park is that you can enjoy each rides for 100 yen!
There is also a book of 11 tickets. It's a park, so there's no entrance fee, which is a nice point. *Children under the age of 3 are free (excluding battery cars, melody pets, and mini golf)
[Akashi Park]
Address: 6-11 Akashicho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-48-1722
Hekinan Seaside Aquarium
"Hekinan Seaside Aquarium" reopened in March 2019.
About 260 types of fish, mainly from the coast of Japan, are on display, including fish that can be seen in the local area such as Ise Bay, Mikawa Bay, and Yahagi River. Since opening in 1982, the aquarium has been popular with locals and families.
[Hekinan Seaside Aquarium]
Address: 2-3 Hamacho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-48-3761
Aoi Park
Aoi Park is an experience park with the theme of "agriculture, food and health", with an experience farm, a farmer's market, an appreciation greenhouse, a restaurant, and even a herb bath.
At the farm, you can experience picking strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and carrots in spring, watermelons and melons in summer, sweet potatoes and burdocks in autumn, and radish, green onions, and cabbage in winter.
[Aoi Park]
Address: 3-15-3 Eguchicho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-43-0511
Farmer's Restaurant Hana no Ya
Buffet restaurant "Farmer's Restaurant Hana no Ya" where you can taste plenty of local produce for local consumption.
As the name "Farmer's Restaurant" suggests, the vegetables are harvested from their own garden. Fresh vegetables, mainly organic vegetables, are delivered every morning from our own garden and local farmers. The carefully prepared dishes will not only satisfy your stomach, but also your heart.
[Farmer's Restaurant Hana no Ya]
Address: 6-70 Kawaguchicho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-41-8544
Handmade ham and sausage studio Schweinheim
Next to "Farmer's Restaurant Hana no Ya" is "Handmade Ham and Sausage Studio Schweinheim".
The founder, Kazuko Shimojima, originally ran a pig farm with her family. She opened Schwein Heim in 1989 with the idea of "using the pork to make real ham and sausages." Each one is carefully handcrafted using the authentic recipe that she studied in Germany alone.
[Handmade Ham and Sausage Studio Schweinheim]
Address: 6-70 Kawaguchicho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-41-9153
Kokonoe Mirin
Hekinan City is also known as a brewing town.
Founded in 1772, Kokonoe Mirin continues to make mirin using traditional manufacturing methods.
At the head office in Hekinan City, there are guided tours that allow you to step inside the mirin storehouse, the Kokonoe Mirin Jidaikan where you can learn about the history, the restaurant & cafe K-an where you can enjoy meals and cafes, and a direct sales store where you can shop. "Ishikawa Hachiroji Shoten" is attached.
[Kokonoe Mirin]
Click here for the guided tour
https://kokonoe.co.jp/kengaku
TEL: 0566-41-0708[Ishikawa Hachiroji Shoten]
https://kokonoe.co.jp/directstore[Restaurant & Cafe K-an]
https://kokonoe.co.jp/k-an
Yakiimo Maru Jun
Yakiimo Marujun is a roasted sweet potato specialty shop.
It is a specialty shop of roasted sweet potatoes, which is rare in Japan, and you can enjoy the most delicious sweet potatoes of the season, including sticky and sweet Anno sweet potatoes from Tanegashima.
There are many types of sweet potatoes, but they can be broadly divided into two types: sticky and soft flaky. The price of baked sweet potatoes is determined by weight, with sticky sweet potatoes ranging from 180 to 280 yen per 100g, and soft flaky sweet potatoes ranging from 150 to 300 yen per 100g.
[Yakiimo Marujun]
Address: 2-70 Tsurumicho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-46-1311
Bishamonten Myofukuji Temple
Hekinan has prospered as a shipping town since ancient times, and many temples were built there. A city rich in history, with more temples than convenience stores.
Myofukuji Temple is said to have been built 1,200 years ago in the first year of Ninju (851). Said to have been made by Shotoku Taishi (Prince Shotoku), this temple enshrines one of Japan's three Bishamon (guardian god of Buddhism) statues. The shrine is crowded with pilgrims on the 3rd of every month due to its prosperous business and miracles of family safety.
[Bishamonten Myofukuji Temple]
Address: 2-61 Shikicho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-41-0200
Nanmenzan Kaitokuji Temple
At "Kaitokuji", you can see the "Ohama Daibutsu", which is a nationally designated important cultural property that shines in gold.
The 277.7cm tall seated statue of Amida Nyorai enshrined in the main hall is a Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property, and is a Buddha that crossed the sea from Ise due to the abolition of Buddhism in the early Meiji period. It is surprising that such a big Buddha has crossed the sea.
[Nanmenzan Kaitokuji Temple]
Address: 1-60 Otowacho, Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone number: 0566-41-4126
Click here for articles on outings in Hekinan
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