Nagoya in three days: add the aquarium or Tokoname’s lanes?
Stay two nights near Nagoya Station and add either an aquarium day or Tokoname’s pottery lanes to Nagoya Castle and Noritake. At the aquarium, fit exhibitions between performances; in Tokoname, add lunch and breaks to the lane walk. If visiting Tokoname on the final day, leave time to return to Nagoya before your onward departure.
Choose an itinerary for 3 days / 2 nights
Nagoya Castle, Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium and Noritake
Stay two nights in Nagoya to combine palace architecture and pottery displays with marine life and performances. Visit Nagoya Castle, the aquarium and Noritake on separate days. Choose the order around SRT operating days, aquarium programmes and the final day’s exhibition opening.
Nagoya Castle, Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium and Noritake →3 days / 2 nights BNagoya Castle, Noritake and Tokoname’s lanes on the final day
Stay two nights in Nagoya for palace and tableware displays, then lanes lined with pottery workshops. Visit Nagoya Castle, Noritake and Tokoname on separate days. On the final day, allow enough time to return from Tokoname to Nagoya and board your onward service.
Nagoya Castle, Noritake and Tokoname’s lanes on the final day →Nagoya Castle, Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium and Noritake
Stay two nights in Nagoya to combine palace architecture and pottery displays with marine life and performances. Visit Nagoya Castle, the aquarium and Noritake on separate days. Choose the order around SRT operating days, aquarium programmes and the final day’s exhibition opening.
Day 1: Honmaru Palace at Nagoya Castle, then return to Nagoya
- Nagoya Station Taiko-dori exit SRT stop → Nagoya Castle stop
Take SRT’s Nagoya Castle route. It runs Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and public holidays, so select both your castle-bound and return services in the timetable for your travel date. This SRT itinerary cannot be used on ordinary Tuesday–Thursday weekdays.
Nagoya City: SRT operating days and faresReturn timetable effective 11 September
- Nagoya Castle stop → Main gate and Honmaru Palace
Walk about four minutes from the stop to the main gate, then another ten minutes to the Honmaru Palace entrance. Explore the palace and castle grounds, allowing breaks. The keep interior is closed. The castle closes at 4:30 pm and palace admission ends at 4 pm; allow the walk to the palace entrance and any queue.
Castle official access guideMain gate to the palace entranceNagoya Castle: facility and visitor guide
- Nagoya Castle → Nagoya Station Taiko-dori exit
After your visit, return to the SRT stop where you arrived and take a bus for Nagoya Station’s Taiko-dori exit. Reach the stop in time for your chosen departure, then have dinner or rest near the station.
Return timetable effective 11 SeptemberNagoya City: SRT operating days and fares
Day 2: Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, then return to Nagoya
- Nagoya subway station → Sakae and Nagoyako stations
Take the Higashiyama Line towards Fujigaoka to Sakae, then change to a Nagoyako-bound service travelling towards Kanayama on the Meijo Line. It continues from Kanayama onto the Meiko Line. Check the platform destination: the loop service goes elsewhere. Allow transfer time using the journey search for your date.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: accessTransportation Bureau journey search by dateTransportation Bureau: Nagoya → Nagoyako subway fare check
- Nagoyako Station exit 3 → Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
The official walk from exit 3 to the aquarium takes about five minutes. Choose your preferred performances first, then plan North and South Building exhibitions and lunch around them. Dolphin performances are held at the North Building’s Level 3 stadium; allow time to move there from other galleries. Programmes may change with weather and animal conditions, so check the day’s locations and times.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: accessPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: opening calendar
- Aquarium and Nagoyako Station → Sakae and Nagoya subway stations
Return to Nagoyako Station and choose a service via Sakae. At Sakae, change to the Higashiyama Line towards Takabata for Nagoya. Check through-service arrangements at Kanayama and the Sakae transfer in your return journey search, then have dinner or rest near the station.
Transportation Bureau journey search by dateTransportation Bureau: Nagoyako → Nagoya subway fare check
Day 3: Noritake’s production and tableware displays, then return to Nagoya
- JR Nagoya Station Sakuradori exit → Noritake East Gate
Walk about 600 metres north from the JR station, then take the diagonal road to the right at Ushijimacho intersection. Continue about 150 metres past Wanouchicho intersection, then another 50 metres to the East Gate on your left. The walk takes about 15 minutes from JR Nagoya, or 20 minutes from the Meitetsu and Kintetsu stations.
- East Gate → Craft Center and Noritake Museum
Find the exhibition entrance on the site map to see pottery production and historic tableware and design material. The paid exhibitions open 10 am–5 pm; painting activities are separate. An outdoor walk and an exhibition visit are different options. The exhibitions close on Mondays, except public holidays when they open and close the next weekday instead, and from 26 December to 3 January. Check the separate exhibition calendars if adding the gallery.
Site mapNoritake exhibitions and admissionNoritake: hours and closures by facility
- Noritake East Gate → JR Nagoya Station Sakuradori exit
After the exhibition, have lunch nearby and retrace your route to JR Nagoya Station. Allow about 15 minutes for the walk, plus time to find your way.
Included: Nagoya Castle regular admission JPY 1,000 + SRT regular fares JPY 210 × 2 = JPY 1,420; aquarium-only regular admission JPY 2,030 + Nagoya ↔ Nagoyako individual subway fares JPY 270 × 2 = JPY 2,570; Craft Center and Noritake Museum combined regular admission JPY 500.
Separate costs and conditions: Accommodation, meals, luggage storage, airport travel or travel outside the prefecture, extra journeys between the station and hotel, shopping, separate activities, special-car surcharges and paid facilities outside the itinerary cost extra.
This subtotal covers the listed costs for one adult under 65 using regular individual tickets, checked on 8 October 2026. Transport covers only the listed routes and ticket types; this is not a claim of the cheapest discount combination. Recalculate if your return route, ticket type or admission price differs on your travel date. Fare-search conditions do not represent an actual journey or secured seats.
Nagoya Castle: admission feesNagoya City: SRT operating days and faresPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admission feesTransportation Bureau: Nagoya → Nagoyako subway fare checkTransportation Bureau: Nagoyako → Nagoya subway fare checkNoritake exhibitions and admission
Nagoya Castle, Noritake and Tokoname’s lanes on the final day
Stay two nights in Nagoya for palace and tableware displays, then lanes lined with pottery workshops. Visit Nagoya Castle, Noritake and Tokoname on separate days. On the final day, allow enough time to return from Tokoname to Nagoya and board your onward service.
Day 1: Honmaru Palace at Nagoya Castle, then return to Nagoya
- Nagoya Station Taiko-dori exit SRT stop → Nagoya Castle stop
Take SRT’s Nagoya Castle route. It runs Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and public holidays, so select both your castle-bound and return services in the timetable for your travel date. This SRT itinerary cannot be used on ordinary Tuesday–Thursday weekdays.
Nagoya City: SRT operating days and faresReturn timetable effective 11 September
- Nagoya Castle stop → Main gate and Honmaru Palace
Walk about four minutes from the stop to the main gate, then another ten minutes to the Honmaru Palace entrance. Explore the palace and castle grounds, allowing breaks. The keep interior is closed. The castle closes at 4:30 pm and palace admission ends at 4 pm; allow the walk to the palace entrance and any queue.
Castle official access guideMain gate to the palace entranceNagoya Castle: facility and visitor guide
- Nagoya Castle → Nagoya Station Taiko-dori exit
After your visit, return to the SRT stop where you arrived and take a bus for Nagoya Station’s Taiko-dori exit. Reach the stop in time for your chosen departure, then have dinner or rest near the station.
Return timetable effective 11 SeptemberNagoya City: SRT operating days and fares
Day 2: Noritake’s production and tableware displays, then return to Nagoya
- JR Nagoya Station Sakuradori exit → Noritake East Gate
Walk about 600 metres north from the JR station, then take the diagonal road to the right at Ushijimacho intersection. Continue about 150 metres past Wanouchicho intersection, then another 50 metres to the East Gate on your left. The walk takes about 15 minutes from JR Nagoya, or 20 minutes from the Meitetsu and Kintetsu stations.
- East Gate → Craft Center and Noritake Museum
Find the exhibition entrance on the site map to see pottery production and historic tableware and design material. The paid exhibitions open 10 am–5 pm; painting activities are separate. An outdoor walk and an exhibition visit are different options. The exhibitions close on Mondays, except public holidays when they open and close the next weekday instead, and from 26 December to 3 January. Check the separate exhibition calendars if adding the gallery.
Site mapNoritake exhibitions and admissionNoritake: hours and closures by facility
- Noritake East Gate → JR Nagoya Station Sakuradori exit
After the exhibition, have lunch nearby and retrace your route to JR Nagoya Station. Allow about 15 minutes for the walk, plus time to find your way.
Day 3: Tokoname’s pottery lanes, then return to Nagoya
- Meitetsu Nagoya Station → Tokoname Station
Use the date-specific journey search to choose an ordinary-car service stopping at Tokoname. Even for airport-bound services, check stops and transfers. The checked adult fare for this direct ordinary-car journey is JPY 750 one way; special cars cost extra.
Meitetsu route and fare search by dateMeitetsu: Nagoya → Tokoname regular fare checkMeitetsu special cars and μSKY guide
- Tokoname Station and Pottery Hall → Pottery Footpath Course A
Pick up a map at the Pottery Hall information office, 400 metres east of the station. Course A starts at the hall and is 1.6 km, officially about an hour’s walking. Explore the sloping lanes lined with pottery pipes and workshops, adding lunch and breaks. Course B is a separate four-kilometre walk taking about two and a half hours. House admission, workshop activities and cafés are additional. Shorten the hilly walk in heavy rain.
Information office 400 metres east of the stationTokoname tourism association: walking Courses A and B
- Pottery Hall and Tokoname Station → Meitetsu Nagoya Station
After the walk, return to Tokoname Station and take an ordinary-car service stopping at Nagoya. Check destinations, stops and transfers in the date-specific Tokoname → Meitetsu Nagoya search. Under the same checked conditions, the fare is JPY 750 one way, or JPY 1,500 return.
Meitetsu route and fare search by dateMeitetsu: Tokoname → Nagoya regular fare check
Included: Nagoya Castle regular admission JPY 1,000 + SRT regular fares JPY 210 × 2 = JPY 1,420; Craft Center and Noritake Museum combined regular admission JPY 500; Meitetsu Nagoya ↔ Tokoname ordinary-car fares JPY 750 × 2 = JPY 1,500 for the public Course A lane walk.
Separate costs and conditions: Accommodation, meals, luggage storage, airport travel or travel outside the prefecture, extra journeys between the station and hotel, shopping, separate activities, special-car surcharges and paid facilities outside the itinerary cost extra.
This subtotal covers the listed costs for one adult under 65 using regular individual tickets, checked on 8 October 2026. Transport covers only the listed routes and ticket types; this is not a claim of the cheapest discount combination. Recalculate if your return route, ticket type or admission price differs on your travel date. Fare-search conditions do not represent an actual journey or secured seats.
Nagoya Castle: admission feesNagoya City: SRT operating days and faresNoritake exhibitions and admissionMeitetsu: Nagoya → Tokoname regular fare checkMeitetsu: Tokoname → Nagoya regular fare checkTokoname tourism association: walking Courses A and B
Compare aquarium admission and transport tickets
Option A’s JPY 4,490 three-day subtotal uses regular aquarium admission of JPY 2,030 and the listed individual fares. The discounts below and transport-pass purchase costs have not been applied. If considering a pass, compare its price with the routes and number of journeys that day. The SRT-only day ticket is a separate product from the tickets eligible for these discounts.
Using a transport ticket for an aquarium discount
Show a Nagoya Transportation Bureau one-day ticket, all-subway 24-hour ticket or Donichi Eco Ticket bearing your admission date at the aquarium ticket counter. The holder’s regular adult admission is then JPY 1,830. It cannot be combined with other discounts or exemptions. Tickets pre-purchased through Ticket Pia, convenience stores or smartphones are ineligible; buy admission at the aquarium ticket counter with the qualifying transport ticket to receive the discount.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: transport-ticket discount and purchase conditions
Frequently asked questions
Can I watch all the aquarium performances in sequence?
Overlapping programme times can make that difficult. Locations and times vary, so choose your preferred programmes first and visit North and South Building galleries between them. Dolphin performances are at the North Building’s Level 3 stadium. Weather or animal conditions may cause changes or cancellations; check the detailed programme for your date. Location guidance checked on 9 October 2026.
Do the subtotals include aquarium discounts and transport passes?
The subtotals use regular admission and the listed individual transport fares; aquarium discounts and pass purchase costs have not been applied. Show a Nagoya Transportation Bureau one-day ticket, all-subway 24-hour ticket or Donichi Eco Ticket bearing your admission date at the aquarium ticket counter to reduce the holder’s regular adult admission from JPY 2,030 to JPY 1,830. This cannot be combined with other discounts or exemptions and does not apply to pre-purchased tickets. Compare the pass cost with your actual journeys. The SRT-only day ticket is a separate product. Aquarium discount and SRT products checked on 9 October 2026; individual fares checked on 8 October 2026.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admission feesNagoya City: SRT operating days and faresPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: transport-ticket discount and purchase conditions
Official sources and check dates
- Nagoya Castle: facility and visitor guide ·
- Nagoya Castle: admission fees ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admission fees ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: opening calendar ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: access ·
- Tokoname tourism association: walking Courses A and B ·
- Noritake exhibitions and admission ·
- Noritake: hours and closures by facility ·
- Noritake East Gate walking map ·
- Nagoya City: SRT operating days and fares ·
- Return timetable effective 11 September ·
- Castle official access guide ·
- Main gate to the palace entrance ·
- Site map ·
- Meitetsu route and fare search by date ·
- Transportation Bureau journey search by date ·
- Information office 400 metres east of the station ·
- Meitetsu special cars and μSKY guide ·
- Meitetsu: Nagoya → Tokoname regular fare check ·
- Meitetsu: Tokoname → Nagoya regular fare check ·
- Transportation Bureau: Nagoya → Nagoyako subway fare check ·
- Transportation Bureau: Nagoyako → Nagoya subway fare check ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: transport-ticket discount and purchase conditions ·