4 days in nagoya (and a day trip to takayama + shirakawa-go)

4 days in nagoya (and a day trip to takayama + shirakawa-go)

Today we’re traveling from Tokyo to Nagoya Leaving some luggage for 2 weeks at a storage facility We’re back here in Tokyo Station! But this time we’re on a trip to Nagoya! We have time for lunch before our train arrives Wow a tempura soft boiled egg Hello from Nagoya! We are here for 3-ish days We are meeting a bunch of our friends from Hong Kong We are doing just like a group friends trip We took the Shinkansen from Tokyo this morning It took about 2 hours to get to Nagoya And we have just checked into our hotel I’m going to give you a quick room tour now! On my right is the doorway which leads straight into the bathroom As you can see! We have the sink on the right And then right across is the toilet in its own individual room On the left we have our modern standing shower Separating the bedroom from the bathroom is this sliding door Come on in! We have this massive bed here! For sure tonight I’m going to lose a blanket And be really cold because Sam will pull it from me And then we have this beautiful view of the parking lot And a bit of the radio tower over there And then behind you is the working desk With a nice coffee station down there And then we also can hang a few clothes And open our massive suitcase right above the fridge And that’s it! It’s a baking 36°C here in Nagoya And our friends haven’t all arrived yet So we’re gonna go scooter to a kissaten And get a much needed coffee and some cake! I was introduced to this cafe by the fashion brand ‘Niko And’ They have a kissaten clothing line with their logos on it Yo back in time! Woah! That’s a lot of cakes! A local breakfast cafe With iconic plush red leather seats It feels like you’ve traveled back in time My bad it’s actually 39°C Look at the butterfly palmier! Eating a chocolate sundae makes me feel so nostalgic A cake display of all the Bon Bon souvenirs On our way back to the hotel, We noticed an eel restaurant and made a reservation for dinner tonight Wandered to the mall next to our hotel Is this a cat bus lunch box? Pleasantly surprised that this mall has a Ghibli store! Look at this Howl’s Moving Castle vinyl! It’s our first sunset in Nagoya! Look at those heavenly rays We’ll go meet our friends for dinner When in Nagoya, you must try eel! Victor ordered the deluxe set that has double amount of eel When the trip actually leaves the group chat You can eat the eel 3 ways By itself, with dashi stock or with a raw egg The good thing about Nagoya is that a lot of restaurants have space for large groups So it’s (relatively) easier to book than in Tokyo Heading over to a bar Natalie found *It’s a video, guys* A minimalist white bar With very friendly bartenders The tiny dolphin and cat yuzu 😮 We are now on the way to get some breakfast And Sam is our tour guide with the umbrella Nagoya is famous for their (cheap) breakfast culture Aka their ‘morning set’ Making our way to Nagoya Castle The underground reminds me of ‘Perfect Days’ The architecture feels more ‘vintage’ here Today we’re heading to Nagoya Castle Unfortunately you can’t go inside Nagoya Castle So we can only walk around it (but it’s blazing hot haha) Catching a quick break inside the souvenir store People are lining up for a free photo souvenir So we decide to take a group photo together haha Photographer art directing us “Come on let’s put some ENERGY” It’s so tiny 😂 When the trip leaves the group chat After touring the castle grounds, We ended up at Honmaru Palace Made out of cypress only using traditional techniques, The Honmaru Palace was recently restored Where you can see extravagant gold mural panels We’re baking so it’s time to find shelter and some lunch! An Edo style street lined with restaurants right next to Nagoya Castle Another must-try while in Nagoya: Miso katsu! Since we’re a group of 8, we cabbed to our next location: A cafe that’s on the top of my Nagoya ‘to do’ list 🥰 Kissa Zoumeshi is run by a miso shop owner Who opened this retro style cafe serving coffee and sweets I love the elephant logo Which you can see all over their desserts and souvenirs We got seated in a spacious tatami room My heart is exploding with joy 😂 Can you tell we were all very impressed 😂 They’re so perfect they look like capsule toys 😂 The best custard pudding I’ve had on my trip so far I’m sorry 🐘🙏🏻 A sprawling garden, museum and shop dedicated to Japanese ceramic brand, Noritake Some of us went to the museum and the others explored the shop They have a collaboration with Studio Ghibli Where you can buy porcelain inspired by Totoro I think the cups would make a great souvenir or gift Next door at the mall is this photogenic bookstore The ceiling is mirrored so the bookshelf appears infinite We’re heading to the toy capsule shop to kill time before dinner Is this his dream watch? It’s his dream watch now! Omg! Omgomgomgomg Omg this is so cute (She’s buying it for her boyfriend) The Coca Cola gashapon collection was just released today: Got the ones we wanted! I want classic Hello Kitty 🙏🏻 Ok I won’t bore you with my new toy capsule hobby 😂 Let’s get to our dinner reservation: We pre-ordered the ‘mabushi beef course’ Honestly we were unlucky that day because of rude service We wanted to order extra cold noodles but she took the menu away and said “no” But the sight of the Hida beef soothed us 😂 (Another) server grills the beef over charcoal Over it. Afterwards, the beef goes back to the kitchen and is sliced and served (We ended up ordering the cold noodles with another server 😏) Everyone agreed apart from the service the beef is melt-in-your-mouth and delicious! Grabbing breakfast for tomorrow at Family Mart Because we’re going on a mini road trip! The “Uber” has arrived 😂 Today we have a very ambitious plan: We are heading north to Takayama and Shirakawa-go It would be better to do an overnight trip But next time! But we’re making a quick photo spot on the way up Our first stop coming up! Big Buddha! Also known as the “Sunglasses Giant Buddha” Use these traffic lights as the ‘shades’ for the big Buddha The photo spot is behind a cemetery The train comes very often so it’s easy to get a photo During the spring, you can also get cherry blossoms in frame Back on track I recommend doing the Buddha pitstop if you really want the photo (Since it is a little bit of a detour) Or drive directly to Takayama to see the Miyagawa Morning Market (it closes at 12pm!) Mandatory pit stop while in Japan Am I Switzerland? I have never been to Switzerland 😂 Inside they sell local produce like cheese, biscuits And even pudding! Q: Can a pitstop be aesthetic? Japan: Yes One of us got the pudding 😂 We’re here! Got to find parking now This is a quaint but popular street with Edo period houses There are many snack and souvenir shops! I did not expect to see a Miffy shop right at the beginning of the road AND it has limited edition Miffy in Takayama theme! I have to buy this for my friend 🙂‍↕️ This dog is living its best life For lunch we will just “sweep” the street for snacks Our first stop: Hida beef sushi! There are 3 kinds to choose from: Watch this: This is way too cute The shrimp cracker plate is to reduce waste Enjoy your sushi And then eat the shrimp cracker ‘plate’ “Cheers.” There are many little shops selling handmade gifts Or this retro toy store Selling Ghibli Uno! A newly opened Snoopy Cha-Ya (but there’s no cafe) It looks like a fancy shop showcasing museum-quality pieces Aw these are so cute! These chopstick rests! In pink, green, black! Snoopy cast iron teapots The items feel very premium compared to the Yufuin one Snoopy holding dango 🥹 A great place to get a gift for a Snoopy fan! We’ve reached the end of the shopping street Stopping by this lacquerware shop where Nat is buying a spoon Ended up at Miyagawa River This was the highlight of Takayama for me! Just watching people relax by the river and the picturesque bridges We totally missed the Miyagawa morning market but this is where it’s located The summer aesthetic is 🔥🔥🔥 Kids with their inflatables heading down to the river Time for a little quick coffee break! A friendly and cozy cafe With only 10 seats inside If you order a cake and coffee, they’ll give you a Sudoku to complete If you get it right, you get a prize! They’re measuring the water Nat successfully completed the game and won a postcard But as we were eating cheesecake, I saw someone with pudding, and the barista said it’s part of their ‘secret menu’ So you know I had to order it 😂 The morning crowds have gone and the streets are empty Takayama I wish we could stay longer! But now we’re off to Shirakawa-go Which is a 45 minute drive from Takayama The Shiroyama Observatory Deck is closed on Wednesday So we aren’t able to view the village from above this trip I’ve always wanted to go here during the winter time when it’s covered in snow So I will treat this as a ‘teaser’ for a future visit Shirakawa-go is known for the ‘gassho-zukuri’ houses These houses can withstand thick winter snow Thanks to the sloped roof that resembles hands clasped in prayer 🙏🏻 But since it’s summer, let’s enjoy the garden and the flowers Ps. Do not come on a Wednesday when the observatory is closed (like us 😂) Also it closes at 3:30pm so go there first This looks straight out of an anime It feels like we stepped into a fairytale Gifu is also known for making paper lanterns Isamu Noguchi traveled to Gifu when he designed his Akari lamps The parking lot at Shirakawa-go closes at 5pm so we have to leave Honestly I’ve never had such a rushed tour before 😂🫣 I’m sorry, I hope to give a more in-depth tour next time :S Also there are many towns like Gujo Hachiman I want to visit next time And just like that, we’re back in Nagoya Before returning the car, we popped into a wine shop Nat and I both purchased a peach wine I can’t believe I just discovered this 100円 shop Got ’em! These are pouches just for gashapon (toy capsules) A soba restaurant Natalie found for dinner This morning we’re having breakfast at Ralph’s Coffee Just around the corner from our hotel Cute Nagoya tumbler! I have a lot of their mugs already 🫣 Souvenirs to commemorate the Olympics Ps. Their chocolate cake is 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼 If it was cooler, I would sit outside on their patio Where you can get a nice view of the Mirai Tower Pouring their special bear latte There’s enough space to fit large groups like us Some of us ordered coffee and desserts to share This time the bear is going to a black tie event 😂 The water ceiling above makes a cool reflection below We’ve all turned into gashapon addicts 😂 We decided to roll friendship mirrors Ok back on schedule haha But first Bel and her mom are trying their first Famichiki A long shopping arcade that’s good to hide from the sun There wasn’t much that we wanted to buy here though But it’s on the way to the temple so it’s convenient After ‘Can Do’, I discovered a new dollar store I like 😂 They sell a lot of arts and crafts materials too! There’s a massive archive of designer bags here at Komehyo A crepe and fresh fruit juice shop We like how the juice has no added sugars to it Taking a quick break here Then we stumbled upon this onigiri shop next door: A shop selling a variety of rice balls with interesting flavours They are quite small making it a perfect snack Osu Temple is located right at the end of the shopping corridor Warning: if you have a bird phobia (like one of our friends) There are a lot of aggressive pigeons waiting to be fed (A pigeon whacked me with its wing while trying to get food) So we just stood on the periphery and left 😂 Our friend spotted this vintage/thrift shop right across the temple and went in They sell a lot of retro clothes and knick knacks Ended up at this mall with a sunflower installation But the shops inside weren’t great But we mainly came here to have Japanese fluffy pancakes The pancakes were fluffy but didn’t have much flavour There are many malls right at Nagoya Station Spending the rest of the afternoon shopping This is the view from Uniqlo! It’s our last group hangout and dinner together The great thing about restaurants in Nagoya is that they can host large parties They serve shabu shabu and sukiyaki Victor and I opted for a pork and beef option and shared them Wrapped up the night at this bar (But no photos inside) Trying a slice of cake that’s always sold out at the Harbs in Tokyo Some of my friends didn’t like how much fruit was inside but I enjoyed it! (It’s more “healthy” just kidding) 3 days just flew by After the group split up, some of us took a cab to Nagoya station Trying to find a coin locker… but they’re all full We ended up placing it in Takashimaya storage service Hands free for our last 2 spots! ¥1,000 entrance fee This 2 storey observation deck has floor to ceiling glass walls It’s roof-less so it’s semi outdoor You can get 360° views of Nagoya from above On the lower level is a BBQ restaurant From Bali to Japan 🫶🏼 You can also spot Nagoya Castle from here! As well as the Shinkansen It’s quite empty during the day Getting some siphon coffee before our train ride to Onomichi! This coffee shop was a must for me Because you can enjoy a coffee with bonsai The bar seats have an additional ¥100 charge The “normal” tables are next to the window Where there’s a small shop full of bonsai trees, coffee tools and books They have a very detailed menu While waiting for our order, we browsed the store He’s telling me how to shoot the coffee with the shadows of the tree 😂 Barista: “This is a nice view” Very nice view He added a Totoro to the bonsai as a prop 😂 Just a heads up: they’re closed from Tuesday to Thursday To match their nature theme, the pudding is disguised as a planter Look at these fruit sandwiches at the train station kiosk 🤯 So excited to visit the next town It’s a city by the seaside that looks straight out of anime

a friends trip to nagoya!

0:00 tokyo to nagoya, room tour, bon bon cafe
9:07 day 1 (nagoya castle, morning set, kissa zoumeshi, noritake, hida beef)
22:27 day 2 (day trip to takayama and shirakawa-go)
42:22 day 3 (osu shopping street, temple)
52:21 day 4 (nagoya sky promenade, siphon coffee with bonsai cafe)

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