Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
Jul 27, 2021 By Bert Wishart
The Toyota Motor Organization is one of the keystones of Japan's world-renowned manufacturing industry, and since 1926, Toyota has been the byword for Japanese excellence and innovation. Much of this innovation took place right here in Aichi Prefecture, from the initial plant in the city that came to bear the...[ Click to read more ]
Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Nagoya
Jul 21, 2021 By Bert Wishart
As you are no doubt well aware, Japanese food rates among the best in the world. However, if you are vegan or even vegetarian, you may struggle to have your needs catered for. Many vegetarians have found themselves offered the ‘vegetarian option’ in a restaurant, only to discover that it...[ Click to read more ]
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner! Enjoy Nagoya’s Famous Cochin Chicken
Jun 29, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Shortly before I first came to Japan, I was at a friend’s wedding party, and knowing of my impending trip, the bride had set me at the table next to a Japanese woman. As I peppered her with the usual questions about my soon-to-be home, she noted, quite matter of...[ Click to read more ]
Get a Kick Out of Japan – Finding Martial Arts in Nagoya
By Bert Wishart
Whether you have just a passing interest or have studied for years, something is amazing about learning a martial art in the land of its conception, as well as giving you the skills necessary to improve in the sport; doing so also provides an unparalleled insight into the background, culture,...[ Click to read more ]
Let’s Tour: Nagoya’s Underground Labyrinth
May 26, 2021 By Jason Gatewood
Nagoya has a deep and dark secret… Well a deep, but pretty well-lit secret, actually. Did you know that it is home to Japan’s oldest underground pedestrian passageway and shopping mall network? Underground shopping malls, or 地下街 (chikagai), are pretty common in the larger urban cities in Japan. They can...[ Click to read more ]
Driving the backroads of Nagoya
By Jason Gatewood
Even though Nagoya and the greater Chubu region of central Japan comprise the country’s third-biggest metropolitan area, it isn’t the most public transport-oriented compared with its Osaka and Tokyo counterparts. The reasoning is straightforward; before about 1920, there wasn’t much to the city except a few stations on the important...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya’s Magical Summer Fireflies
May 17, 2021 By Bert Wishart
With the rainy season and the humidity ramping up like an overly-confident Evil Knievel, June is perhaps one of the least favored months in Japan. However, with that said, this combination of conditions is precisely what is required for one of the more beautiful, natural sights: the glow of the...[ Click to read more ]
Do You Know Nags? Nagoya’s Hidden Gems – Part 4
Apr 30, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Whether you're a total noobie or are a piece of the local furniture, Nagoya is a city that continuously surprises. New restaurants, shops, and bars pop up all the time, and you can be wandering down a familiar street and suddenly notice something that you’ve never come across before. We...[ Click to read more ]
Flower Power! Getting Outdoors And Staying Safe
By Bert Wishart
It's frustrating. Every time it feels like Aichi has turned a corona corner, there's another spike, followed by tighter restrictions, and yet more events fall by the wayside. Of course, we want to be responsible and halt the spread, but there is a mental strain that results from spending so...[ Click to read more ]
All Up in My Grill – Nagoya’s Best Steakhouses
Mar 30, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Considering how highly revered beef is in this country, it may blow your mind to discover that though cows were introduced to Japan sometime in the second century, they were only used as draught animals until the Meiji Restoration (1868) for agriculture and f0r transport rather than eating. But now,...[ Click to read more ]
