Cheap Flights to Nagoya

Discover Nagoya

Nagoya is the fourth largest city in Japan after Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka. Nested as the hub of the Aichi prefecture in the Chubu region of Honshu, Nagoya serves as one of the country’s major economic centres. It is the home of the world-renowned auto-making giants such as Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi Motors. Aside from automobiles, the city have also entered the industry of aircraft manufacture. Historically speaking, Nagoya is the place where the concept of the 'samurai' and 'ninja' evolved, which we now know as famous Japanese warrior-types.

The name “Nagoya” was derived from an old manor called Nagono, which was built in the area in the 12th century. For two centuries, the manor prospered that soon influenced people to refer to the place through the manor’s name. Through time, the pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the word “Nagono” became “Nagoya” by which the city is now known. Sometimes, Japanese scholars also trace the name of the city to the adjective “Nagoyaka,” which means “peaceful,” which in turn was shortened to “Nagoya.”

The name “Nagoya” was derived from an old manor called Nagono, which was built in the area in the 12th century. For two centuries, the manor prospered that soon influenced people to refer to the place through the manor’s name. Through time, the pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the word “Nagono” became “Nagoya” by which the city is now known. Sometimes, Japanese scholars also trace the name of the city to the adjective “Nagoyaka,” which means “peaceful,” which in turn was shortened to “Nagoya.”

Nagoya’s climate varies throughout the year and set the city to be known for its incredibly hot and humid summers, making spring and autumn with their milder temperatures more preferable to most tourists. Visit the Port of Nagoya Aquarium, a short walk away from the Nagoyako Station of the Meiko Line. Tourists of all ages will enjoy the large aquarium that houses a number of different marine biodiversity. Since Nagoya is home to automobile companies, visit the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, just three minutes away from the Meitetsu Sako Station of the Nagoya Line on foot. From the Exit 2 of Kamejima Station of the Higashiyama Line, you can reach the museum after 10 minutes on foot. More museums, temples, and shrines, have decorated the city and added to its rich culture and tradition. If you want to have some relaxing time off of your busy itinerary, you can visit some of the most famous parks in Nagoya, with Shirakawa Park being one of the many. Give yourself a treat and ride the gold and white Nagoya Sightseeing Bus Me-Guru, which runs past many of the city’s main attractions while you sit relaxed and cosy inside the air-conditioned bus.

How to get around within Nagoya

The network of transportation across Nagoya is very wide and active that even downtown locations are easily accessible by car. However, in Nagoya, you will find yourself taking the bus or subway a lot, since it is the more popular and efficient mode of transport. There are six main subway lines in Nagoya. The red Sakuradori Line which runs south-west, the purple Meijo Line that runs east, and the yellow Higashiyama Line that connects the city to Fushimi, Sakae, and Fujigaoka. The blue Tsurumai Line runs through Fushimi and Osu Kannon before going south to Akaike station, while the pink Kamiiida Line runs from Kamiiida to Heian-dori, and the Meiko Line services Kanayama and Nagoya Port. Subways run from 5:30 AM to 12:30 AM and on weekdays and public holidays; you can take advantage of the more affordable Donichi-Eco-Kippu, an unlimited subway ticket valid for one day. If you prefer a more private setting when getting around the city, taxis are a viable option. Nagoya, being a car city, also offers cheaper taxi fare compared to other larger cities like Tokyo and Yokohama. In fact, when the fare is split to at least two persons, the amount would be as cheap as that of the subway fare.

How to get there

You can fly to Nagoya through its main gateway via air, the Chubu Centrair International Airport, located on an artificial island 30 minutes south of the city centre. The airport replaced the existing Nagoya Airport and is connected to the city via the Meitetsu Airport Line. There are also express trains with reserved first-class and non-reserved ordinary class services that run every 37 minutes from the airport to the city centre. Another point of entry via air is the Nagoya Airport or Komaki Airport, which still serves regional flights to the city. Domestic flights to and from Akita, Yamagata, Niigata, Kochi, Matsuyama, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Nagasaki are also serviced by the airport. By train, Nagoya can be reached from Tokyo for about an hour. The city is also widely connected to numerous cities in Japan both by direct and transfer routes. Rail network coming to and from Nagoya is very wide and consists of limited express trains that connect the city to Nagano and Matsumoto, local trains from Tokyo, as well as the private railways, Meitetsu and Kintetsu to and from Osaka. Urban Liner is a cheaper option and runs out of Namba station. If you’re looking for a cheaper mode of transportation from other locations through Japan to Nagoya, you can take day or overnight buses. The buses run frequently either through the Tomei Expressway or the Chuo Expressway. Taiheiyo Ferry makes approaching the city by boat possible. It offers overnight car ferries from Sendai and Tomakomai in southern Hokkaido.