Things to do in Nagoya Station

Suesy was a great guide, friendly and knowledgeable, her energy made a rainy day much better. However hiking in the rain, I missed much of the scenery due to fog, was absolutely drenched as well. Proper rain gear and waterproof shoes are recommended for rainy days. Otherwise a cool experience.

A bird eye's view of Nagoya, especially area around the Nagoya Station and even Nagoya Castle. On days of good visibility, you can see a mountain or a few. I can see Mt. Ibuki during sunset. Visit on weekday for cheaper entry. Redemption is easy as the staff is readily available to help. Depending on your pace and interest, you can spend 10mins or even 2 hours here. There are seats around, drink vending machines and it is semi outdoor. My discomfort is the bbq smoke and smell from the open air restaurant.

Since these locations are over two hours from Nagoya by car, it is definitely worth joining a local tour. The guide was excellent—responsible, well-organized, and provided plenty of free time, which was more than enough for the visit. I loved the first stop the most, it is well worth the trip. The 'Silver Clock' meeting point is very easy to find, and the maps and suggestions provided by the guide were detailed and easy to follow. They also set up WhatsApp and WeChat groups to ensure seamless communication throughout the day.

◎ The timing was excellent; we not only explored three areas of Ghibli Park but also visited Japan's renowned Toyota Museum. The itinerary was very fulfilling. ◎ The round-trip bus saved us a lot of time we would have spent on transfers. The bus was quite comfortable, and I even fell asleep on the way back. ◎ Our tour guide was a very interesting Japanese gentleman, I believe his name was "Ushida Yasuhiro." On the way there, he patiently introduced the itinerary, counted heads, and kept the atmosphere lively. On the way back, seeing that everyone was tired, he started singing for us and even handed out song sheets (Ponyo's theme song, which Fan Xiaoxuan covered as "Doudoulong"). The trip was quite enjoyable. ◎ Ghibli Park is definitely worth a visit; it's Miyazaki's world everywhere you look. I spent a long time taking photos in the Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. At Mononoke Village, I didn't have the patience to wait in long lines, so I only spent about an hour there and rode the carousel 🎠. There were many tourists from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, and they were all quite enthusiastic and willing to help take photos, which was very nice. ◎ Afterwards, we went to the Toyota Museum and saw many cars, souvenirs, and cultural exhibits. It was excellent.

Everything was really great overall. We got to everywhere we wanted/needed to be and the instructions got me where I needed to go. I do wish some of the finer points (like going to the information desk to pick up the tickets instead of just “B1 of Kitte” or a better guide for getting to the bus stop). Otherwise, super helpful to have everything bundled into one when I can’t buy tickets from the website directly.

Our experience with VASARA Kimono Rental in Nagoya was exceptional. While this location had fewer yukata choices than I expected, the staff more than made up for it with their kindness, enthusiasm, and genuine care. I hoped to wear a red yukata to match my wife’s, but none were available. The staff went above and beyond, searching through unopened boxes until they found a maroon yukata with dragon designs. They paired it with a blue obi featuring a water pattern. They also dressed my wife and daughter beautifully, and transformed my son into a young samurai. Seeing our whole family dressed together was a highlight of our trip. Walking through Nagoya and visiting Nagoya Castle in yukata felt immersive and special. We received many friendly compliments and interactions along the way. The VASARA team didn’t just rent us clothing, they created a wonderful family memory we will cherish for years. Minasama, taihen osewa ni narimashita. Arigatō gozaimashita. Dōzo ogenki de.

everything was very smooth. we availed the full rental of snowboard equiptments and unli lift. its very convenient to redeem.

Our guide for the day was the effervescent Kim and we were the only group that day so it felt like a private tour! The tour was paced well and never felt rushed. The driver was on always careful and the mini bus was great. Overall a lovely experience:)

Joanna was professional and well versed in the history and culture. She drove the 6 of us and walked along with us to the market. She recommended us on the food and things to buy. She also brought us to eat Hida Beef. she brought us along Shiragawa and the food to buy. we would not have been able to cover both places and walked around without her help. thanks Joanna