Nagoya itinerary with kids – Visiting Nagoya with kids is one of the things you shouldn’t think twice about. I mean, there are so many things to do in Nagoya, and they are really great for kids’ brain development. So, if you’re still thinking, you should continue reading to believe me.
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What is Nagoya famous for?
Some of the Nagoya Japan attractions you must be familiar with are LEGOLAND, SEA Life, Nagoya Castle, and Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium. But really, there’s so much to do when in Nagoya. Apart from that, we did a lot of day trips from Nagoya – so, know that you can get outside of Nagoya and find some more great things to do with kids.
Are you excited?
I am too! So, let’s get started. Below is a table of contents of the things we did in our Nagoya itinerary 8 days all in all.
Table of Contents
Day 1 Flight of Dreams, Via Inn Nagoya Hotel, Matsunoya
Day 2 Toyama Manten Hotel, Toyama City Hall, Toyama Glass Art Museum
Day 4 Kurobe Gorge Railway, Mercure Hida Takayama
Day 5 Hida Furukawa, Mercure Hida Takayama onsen
Day 6 Rokubee Yakiniku, Hotel Forza Sakae Nagoya
Day 7 Toyota Commemorative Museum, Electricity Museum, Mirai Tower, Kotei Yakiniku
Day 8 Nagoya City Science Museum, La Merienda Halo Halo
Day 1 Flight of Dreams, Via Inn Nagoya Hotel, Matsunoya
Upon arrival at Chubu Centrair International Airport, you can immediately start your Nagoya exploration. But you know what’s the best part? It’s totally FREE!
Yes, you read that right. Just after unboarding the plane, you can check out Flight of Dreams – which is still inside the airport, mind you. So, don’t be like us who almost missed checking this fun place.
If you’re unsure where to go, there are many friendly staff you can ask about Flight of Dreams, and they’ll gladly help you out. Inside Flight of Dreams area, there are food stalls as well, so you can fill your empty stomach after a long and tiring flight.
We left after spending more than an hour at the Flight of Dreams. Immediately, we boarded the train going to Via Inn Nagoya Hotel. The hotel was very easy to find and while there was a bit of a walk, the hotel was actually very nice.
After checking in, we left to have our early dinner at Matsunoya – probably related to Matsuya. We had yummy food like tonkatsu and chicken karaage.
Day 2 Toyama Manten Hotel, Toyama City Hall, Toyama Glass Art Museum
The next day, we left to move to another hotel – not in Nagoya, but in Toyama.
Why?
Because tomorrow, we’ll be going to Tateyama Alpine Route. And to save time on traveling, we opted to stay at Toyama Manten Hotel.
From Nagoya to Toyama is about 3 to 4 hours, and we don’t want to spend all day traveling – since we want to finish the Tateyama Alpine Route early. So, we moved to Toyama and saved time.
We left at 10 AM (since we also had a breakfast buffet at Via Inn Hotel) and arrived at Toyama at 3 PM. It was already 4 PM when we got to our Toyama hotel, so the room was already available.
Since we were already in Toyama, we wanted to check out some of the places there. Toyama City Hall was very near our hotel, so we just walked for about 5 minutes to reach it. Inside, we went to the observatory for a 360-degree view of the city.
About 6 PM, we left and went to Toyama Glass Art Museum.
In only about 15 minutes, we reached the place. However, it’s sad that I couldn’t take photos and videos inside. So, all photo I had was the outer part of the building.
Inside the building, there’s a library as well, so you can spend some time there if you want to read some books.
We had a quick dinner at Burger King because we wanted to use the onsen at Toyama Manten Hotel. And of course, our son enjoyed his time with his milk.
Day 3 Tateyama Alpine Route
The Tateyama Alpine Route is a long route that brings you to see a beautiful scenic route along the Northern Japanese Alps. Riding a lot of different transportation – bus, cable car, ropeways, and many more – you’ll be spending about 6 hours, including the return to Toyama.
So we left early today, at about 8 AM, to spend the whole day enjoying the Tateyama Alpine Route. We also had late lunch there, before coming back to Toyama. Don’t fret! The food is fairly priced here, so you don’t have to worry about spending too much.
It was about 8 PM, when we got back, so we just rested it out through the night! Tomorrow is another tiring day for sure!
Day 4 Kurobe Gorge Railway, Mercure Hida Takayama
The train ride from Toyama to Kurobe Gorge Railway is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. We booked an online reservation (this is highly recommended, especially when visiting during the peak months – autumn), and we were stressed when we weren’t able to catch the train to get us there on time.
Thankfully, they accepted my cancellation of online reservation – must be before the time of departure in Kurobe Gorge Railway. At about 10:30 AM, we arrived at Unazukionsen Station, which is the starting point of the Kurobe Gorge Railway.
We rode the 11 AM ride, and was back at the station at 1 PM. Sadly, it suddenly rained so we couldn’t check out some of the places there. While we brought umbrellas, it’s a bit hard since we had a stroller.
But, when you go there, and it’s sunny, make sure to check out the area before leaving.
We got back to Toyama at 3 PM, and we had late lunch at Yoshinoya – your friendly beef bowl fast food restaurant.
After that, we got our lugagges, and traveled to Mercure Hida Takayama.
At 6 PM, we already arrived, and thankfully, the hotel was very near JR Takayama Station. After checking in, we just headed to the nearest grocery to buy dinner.
PRO Tip: Use Klook code HAPPIKLOOK to get discounts!
Use HAPPIAGODA when booking in Agoda!
Day 5 Hida Furukawa, Mercure Hida Takayama onsen
The next day, Hida Furukawa is our destination, and it was a wise choice because the place was not that hectic. And since we love quiet and serene places, we stayed there for about 6 hours – just enjoying the view, and feeling the stillness of the uncrowded hidden gem.
When we got back to Toyama, we ate at a different restaurant that offers okonomiyaki. Of course, we ordered chicken karaage as well for our son. We also tried their tofu dish – I forgot what it’s called though.
We ended the day with a dip in the Mercure Hida Takayama onsen, and no, it isn’t free. But we loved the facilities just like the one in Toyama Manten Hotel. It’s just that there are fewer guests inside this onsen because it isn’t free.
Day 6 Rokubee Yakiniku, Hotel Forza Sakae Nagoya
Today is check out day, but before leaving Takayama, we made a reservation at an unlimited yakiniku – Rokubee Yakiniku – for lunch. And we started walking after leaving our luggages with the hotel first. Hotels usually allow leaving luggages even after you checked out.
And while we thought that Rokubee Yakiniku was super famous, it was only us when we ate there.
I dunno if it’s just because it was a weekday, so there weren’t other people there. Nonetheless, it’s a win-win because it was easier to order food.
After that hearty meal, we left because we’re moving back to Nagoya again. We got stranded along the way – so it took us quite a while to reach Nagoya station. When we checked in, it was already 8 PM.
And what a tiring day it was! Thankfully, the walk from the station to Hotel Forza Sakae Nagoya is very short. So we rested for a bit after checking in, and left to eat at Ichiran Ramen, since we haven’t had Ichiran yet since arriving in Nagoya.
Day 7 Toyota Commemorative Museum, Electricity Museum, Mirai Tower, Kotei Yakiniku
We left at about 10 AM to go to the Toyota Commemorative Museum. I wasn’t that thrilled when I added this to our Nagoya day tours – since I’m not a fan of cars. But turns out, I enjoyed just as much as hubby and my son.
Spending a few hours here is already enough, even though we didn’t get there so early.
And if you’re like us, who still have a lot of time in the afternoon, you can consider this indoor playground Nagoya Electricity Museum. This, I believe, is one of Nagoya day trips you should do because it’s a very nice place and no admission fee needed!
We left to eat at another unlimited yakiniku called Kotei Yakiniku. This place isn’t that pricey, so you know what to expect. Don’t get me wrong, the meat they offer is great, the only downside is that they have very few other dishes to cleanse your palate.
After that, we wanted to walk some more since it was still a bit early, so we went to check Mirai Tower. Just beside it is Oasis 21, where you can check some stores also, so you can buy a gift for your loved ones or yourself if you love cute stuff!
Day 8 Nagoya City Science Museum, La Merienda Halo Halo
It’s our last day to explore Nagoya, since tomorrow is our flight back home. And we want to enjoy some more, so we chose to do some more Nagoya indoor activities. Nagoya City Science Museum is another Nagoya family trip itinerary not to be missed.
We arrived at 9 AM and it wasn’t crowded – even though there was a group of students on a field trip. The place was huge, considering the ticket price isn’t that pricey, so we also took the planetarium.
We left the museum at 4 PM, and went for a snack near OSU Shopping Street, called La Merienda Halo Halo. It’s fascinating to see a Filipino dessert somewhere here in Nagoya, and you can try some of the best Filipino snacks here.
After leaving, we checked out some of the stores nearby for some last-minute shopping, and ate dinner at Matsuya.
Nagoya with kids reviews conclusion
After finally finishing reviewing all the best things we did in Nagoya, I was very excited to make the full Nagoya itinerary with kids, of course! I hope you found this blog post useful in your Nagoya trip!
Make sure to use the discount codes HAPPIKLOOK (for Klook bookings), and HAPPIAGODA (for Agoda hotel bookings) so you get discounts! Happy booking!
If you’re here for the first time, I’d like to invite you to follow me on my socials –Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok so you’re updated on our recent food, hotel, and travel reviews!
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