Your Guide to - Japan National Tourist Organization

14
Explore Japan
Chubu
The Chubu region lies almost in the geographical
center of Japan. Here you have the soaring peaks
of the "Japan Alps," the Japan Sea coast which
retains much of the nation's older and traditional
lifestyles, all the way to the Pacific coast that
thrives with highly developed modern industry.
These are the varied faces that constitute this
region.
Nagoya & Vicinity
Nagoya is 366 km. (229 mi.), or 1 hr. 50 min. by
Shinkansen super express from Tokyo and 1 hr. from
Shin-Osaka. Japan's fourth largest city, Nagoya is an
old castle town, with a fine network of streets and
wide boulevards. The region is noted as the center of
Japan's porcelain industry, lacquer ware, the
"shibori-zome" tie-dyed cloth, and other arts and
handicrafts. Near the center of the city stands
Nagoya Castle, originally a residence and military
headquarters for the Tokugawa clan. The Tokugawa
Art Museum is well worth a visit as it houses over
10,000 articles handed down by the Tokugawa
family.
Nagoya Castle
A number of pottery producing centers can be
found in the environs surrounding Nagoya. Seto, 30
min. by rail from Nagoya, is one of the largest pottery
producers in Japan well known for its pottery and
many local kilns. Throughout the town there are
many shops as well as studios offering a potterymaking
hands-on experience to visitors. Reasonably
priced small souvenir plates are highly popular. Also
Tokoname, 40 min. by train from Nagoya, has long
been known for its Tokoname-yaki pottery.
Inuyama, 30 min. by rail from Nagoya, is famous
for its white-walled castle, Japan's oldest existing
fortress.
Museum Meiji-mura, about 1 hour ride from
Nagoya, is an impressive outdoor museum of
buildings collected from the Meiji period (1868 -
1912).
Side Trips from Nagoya
Ise-Shima National Park harbors the Ise Grand
Shrine as well as numerous pearl fisheries along its
magnificent seacoast.
The Ise Grand Shrine, about 1 hr. 30 min. by rail
from Nagoya, is the most venerated of all Shinto
shrines in Japan. The main shrine is completely
rebuilt every 20 years.
Toba, 20 min. by rail or 40 min. by bus from Ise, is
a port town famous for its "Wedded Rocks," a pair of
islets linked by a giant rope, and is a sacred Shinto
spot of worship. Don't pass up a visit to Mikimoto
Pearl Island, where pearls were first artificially
cultured.
Takayama, 2 hrs. 10 min. by limited express from
Nagoya, is an old castle town situated in a valley
surrounded by the Japan Alps. Takayama retains
much of the atmosphere of old Japan. The whole
town is museum-like, dotted with attraction after
attraction, including a variety of small museums
devoted to traditional crafts embodying the town's
long-standing tradition of the finest in craftsmanship.
1 hr. 40 min. bus ride takes you to mountainous
Shirakawa-go Village. Nestled in a rural setting
reminiscent of the old Japan, Shirakawa-go is worldfamous
for its steeply thatch-roofed or "gasshozukuri"-style
traditional farmhouses, some offering an
overnight stay as family-run inns.
Old Houses in San-machi Suji, Takayama
Ski Resort, Nagano