Nagoya sits right in the middle of Japan — and that central location makes it one of the best cities in the country for day trips. Within 30 minutes to two hours by train, you can reach a UNESCO World Heritage village, one of Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines, a beautifully preserved historic post town, dramatic mountain gorges, and a castle town that feels completely frozen in the Edo period.
Most visitors to Japan pass through Nagoya without stopping. That's a mistake — not just because Nagoya itself is a great city, but because the surrounding region is genuinely stunning and far less crowded than the big tourist trails around Kyoto or Tokyo.
Train and bus time: About 1 hour 45 minutes (Shinkansen to Nagoya + highway bus to Shirakawa-go, or direct bus from Nagoya)
Shirakawa-go is one of the most visually striking places in all of Japan. The village sits in a deep mountain valley in Gifu Prefecture and is famous for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses — traditional thatched-roof structures built so steeply that the roofs look like hands pressed together in prayer. The name literally means "hands in prayer."
These farmhouses were designed to survive under the weight of the region's heavy snowfall, which can exceed two meters in winter. Some of the buildings are over 250 years old, and several are still lived in by local families today.
The village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and feels completely different from anywhere else in Japan. Walk the main path through the settlement, visit one of the open farmhouses to see the interior (dark, smoky, beautifully preserved), and climb to the Shiroyama viewpoint overlooking the whole valley for the best photograph you'll take in Japan.
Joining a Shirakawa-go day tour from Nagoya is a popular choice here — the village's history and the engineering logic behind the farmhouses are fascinating with someone who can explain it, and the bus logistics are handled for you.
We'll build a costed, pre-planned Japan itinerary you can customise to your taste.
Train time: About 1 hour 30 minutes (Kintetsu Limited Express from Nagoya)
Ise Jingu is not just the most important Shinto shrine in Japan — it's the spiritual home of the Japanese nation. The shrine complex is dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess and ancestor of the imperial family, and has been a place of pilgrimage for over 2,000 years.
The Ise Grand Shrine is actually two main shrine complexes — the Naiku (Inner Shrine) and the Geku (Outer Shrine) — connected by a bus and about 6 km apart. Most visitors start at Geku and travel to Naiku. The inner sanctuary is off-limits to the public (you can only see the roof of the main hall), but the forested approach along ancient cedar-lined paths and the Uji Bridge crossing are deeply atmospheric.
After visiting Naiku, walk through Okage Yokocho, a beautifully restored Edo-period shopping street next to the shrine. It's full of local food stalls, craft shops, and teahouses. Try Ise udon (a thick, soft noodle in dark dashi broth unique to this region) and akafuku mochi (a soft rice cake topped with sweet red bean paste that pilgrims have eaten here for centuries).
What to know: The entire Ise Jingu complex is rebuilt every 20 years in a ceremony called Shikinen Sengu — a practice that has continued for over 1,300 years. This ritual renewal is central to Shinto belief and reflects the Japanese concept of impermanence.
Train and bus time: About 1 hour 15 minutes to Nagiso Station (JR Chuo Line), then 10-minute bus to Tsumago
These two small towns along the historic Nakasendo highway are among the best-preserved places in Japan. The Nakasendo was one of the five great roads of the Edo period, connecting Kyoto and Tokyo through the mountains of central Japan. Magome and Tsumago were post towns along this route — resting places where travelers, merchants, and samurai would stop for the night.
Both towns ban cars, overhead power lines, and modern signage. Walking through either one feels like stepping back 300 years. Tsumago is often rated the better preserved of the two. Its main street is lined with dark wooden buildings, latticed windows, paper lanterns, and quiet gardens. It's compact, unhurried, and genuinely beautiful.
Magome sits slightly higher in the mountains and has a steeper, more dramatic main street with stone paving and excellent views of the surrounding peaks.
The famous Magome-Tsumago walking trail connects both towns through 8 km of mountain forest, old stone paths, and traditional rest huts — following the original Nakasendo route. The walk takes about 2.5 to 3 hours and is one of the finest short hikes in Japan. A luggage forwarding service lets you send your bags between towns, so you walk unencumbered.
Also read, How to Hike from Tsumago to Nagiso (Nakasendo Trail)
Train time: About 30 minutes (Meitetsu Inuyama Line from Meitetsu Nagoya Station)
Inuyama is the closest and one of the most rewarding day trips from Nagoya. It takes just 30 minutes by train and delivers an Edo-period castle town on the banks of the Kiso River with one of Japan's most authentic historic castles.
Inuyama Castle is one of only five castles in Japan to hold National Treasure status — meaning it's an original structure, never rebuilt or reconstructed. Built in 1537 and perched on a rocky bluff above the river, it's small, steep inside, and completely genuine. The views from the top across the Kiso River and the surrounding mountains are beautiful.
Below the castle, the Honmachi district is a preserved merchant town with narrow lanes, sake breweries, craft shops, and traditional sweet shops. It's far quieter than Kyoto's tourist centers and more authentic in feel.
Inuyama is also famous for ukai — the ancient practice of using trained cormorants to catch fish in the Kiso River. Ukai boat tours run from June through October and are a completely unique experience. Visitors float downstream on wooden boats, watching the cormorant handlers work under torchlight in the evening.
The area also has excellent Meiji Mura — an outdoor architectural museum with over 60 original Meiji-era buildings relocated from across Japan, including Frank Lloyd Wright's original Imperial Hotel entrance.
Train time: About 1 hour (Shinkansen from Nagoya via Shin-Osaka, or Thunderbird express)
Kanazawa is often called "Little Kyoto" — a city that preserved its geisha districts, samurai neighborhoods, and traditional arts while most of Japan modernized. Unlike Kyoto, it sees a fraction of the tourist traffic, which makes the experience far more relaxed and genuine.
The star attraction is Kenroku-en Garden, widely ranked as one of Japan's three most beautiful gardens. It was developed over 180 years by the ruling Maeda clan and covers over 11 hectares with ponds, streams, tea houses, plum groves, and thousands of manicured trees. In winter, the trees are wrapped in yukitsuri rope supports — a preparation for snow that creates an otherworldly appearance.
The Higashi Chaya District is Kanazawa's best-preserved geisha entertainment quarter. The street is lined with original early 19th-century ochaya teahouses, and a few are open to visitors. The atmosphere here — lacquered wood, paper screens, quiet alleys — is unlike anything in Osaka or Tokyo.
The Nagamachi Samurai District has mud-plastered earthen walls, stone-paved lanes, and preserved samurai residences open to the public. It's compact but very evocative.
Kanazawa's seafood is exceptional. The city sits on the Sea of Japan coast and Omicho Market — a covered indoor market with over 180 stalls — is the best place to try fresh crab, oysters, and local fish. The market has been operating since the 1700s.
How to get there: The fastest route is the Shinkansen from Nagoya (changing at Maibara or via Shin-Osaka), or take the JR Thunderbird Limited Express. Check current timetables as routes have changed with Shinkansen extensions.
Train and bus time: About 1 hour 30 minutes (Shinkansen to Gifu + Nagaragawa Railway to Gujo-Hachiman, or direct highway bus from Nagoya)
Gujo Hachiman is one of the best-kept secrets in central Japan. Sitting in a mountain valley where two rivers meet in Gifu Prefecture, this small castle town is famous for three things — its extraordinary clean water, its mountain castle, and the most legendary Bon Odori festival in Japan.
The town is threaded with canals and streams so clean that locals use them to wash vegetables and cool watermelons. Children swim in the clear river that runs through the center of town. The water has been celebrated for centuries and remains the heart of daily life here.
Gujo Hachiman Castle sits dramatically on a mountain above the town and is one of Japan's earliest concrete-reconstructed castles (built in 1933). The views from the top over the valley and surrounding mountains are excellent.
The old town district has beautifully preserved merchant buildings, traditional craft workshops making the town's famous plastic food models (Gujo is the birthplace of the Japanese food sample industry), and several excellent craft shops and sake breweries.
In summer (mid-July through September), Gujo Hachiman hosts the Gujo Odori — a Bon Odori festival that runs for 33 nights and features four "all-night" sessions where dancing continues from evening until dawn. It's one of Japan's three great Bon Odori festivals, and unlike anything you'll experience anywhere else.
Take a full-day bus trip from Nagoya to explore the cultural treasures of Takayama and the scenic village of Shirakawago. Enjoy historic streets, traditional architecture, and a peaceful countryside escape.
Buy an IC card. Load an ICOCA or Toica card for local trains, buses, and convenience stores. It removes the need to buy individual tickets for every journey.
Start early. Most historic districts and shrines are most atmospheric in the morning before tour buses arrive. Being at Tsumago, Ise, or Inuyama by 9 am makes a significant difference.
Check highway bus schedules in advance. For Shirakawa-go and Gujo Hachiman, highway buses are often the best option. Book seats in advance during peak season — Golden Week (late April to early May), summer, and the Shirakawa-go snow illumination weekends fill up fast.
Kintetsu Pass for Ise. If you're visiting Ise, a Kintetsu Rail Pass is worth considering — it covers unlimited travel on the Kintetsu network including the Ise route and several other destinations.
Combine two destinations carefully. Inuyama and one other short stop are manageable in a day. Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa can be combined with careful planning. Don't try to combine Ise with a second destination — Ise deserves a full half-day minimum.
