Aichi attractions: which castle, aquarium or pottery exhibition should you visit?
Climb inside Inuyama Castle’s historic wooden keep, or see ornate wall paintings and room decoration at Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace. For underwater views of belugas and dolphins or performances, spend time at Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium. Walk lanes lined with pottery workshops in Tokoname.
Near Nagoya Station, Noritake shows tableware production and historic designs; in Tokoname, INAX displays decorative tiles and architectural ceramics from around the world. Noritake’s outdoor areas and paid exhibitions are separate options, as are Tokoname’s public lanes and house visits or activities. INAX making activities are also separate from exhibition admission.
Attraction fees and access
Nagoya Castle
名古屋城
Visit Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace for ornate interiors. Follow the reconstructed rooms to compare wall paintings, ceilings and wooden decoration. The keep interior is closed. Allow time for the palace queue and removing your shoes before entry.
- FeesFrom 1 October 2026, individual adult admission is JPY 1,000. Junior secondary students and younger enter free.
- HoursNagoya Castle opens from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Last admission to Honmaru Palace and the Nishinomaru Treasure House is at 4 pm at each building. Allow about ten minutes on foot from the main gate to the palace. The castle closes from 29 December to 1 January.
- AccessWalk about five minutes from exit 7 of Nagoyajo Station on the Meijo subway line. Sengencho Station on the Tsurumai Line is a different approach: about 12 minutes from exit 1. Check the station name and exit.
Nagoya Castle: admission feesNagoya Castle: facility and visitor guideMain gate to the palace entranceCastle official access guide
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
名古屋港水族館
At Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, watch belugas and dolphins moving through the water. See them swimming through the North Building’s underwater viewing windows and add a dolphin performance using the day’s timetable. Choose your preferred performance times first, then fit North and South Building galleries between them. Check notices for changes or cancellations on your visit date.
- FeesIndividual admission costs JPY 2,030 for adults and senior secondary students, JPY 1,010 for primary and junior secondary students, and JPY 500 for preschool children aged four and over. Combined tickets for neighbouring facilities and evening tickets are separate products.
- HoursOpening hours vary by season and date; last admission is one hour before closing. Check opening and closing times for your date on the official calendar.
- AccessWalk about five minutes from Nagoyako Station exit 3 on the Meiko subway line. From JR or Meitetsu, change at Kanayama to the Meiko Line for Nagoyako. From the Higashiyama Line, check the Nagoyako-bound connection at Sakae.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admission feesPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: opening calendarPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: access
Inuyama Castle
犬山城
Enter Inuyama Castle’s historic wooden keep and climb the interior stairs. Visitors remove their shoes. If the stairs are difficult, skip the keep and spend time walking or eating in the castle-town streets instead.
- FeesIndividual admission costs JPY 1,000 for adults and JPY 200 for primary and junior secondary students.
- HoursInuyama Castle opens from 9 am to 5 pm, with last admission at 4:30 pm. The castle closes from 29 to 31 December. Entry may be restricted when busy. During repairs scheduled for 4 January–28 February 2027, some areas on Level 4 of the keep will be restricted, and visitors will be unable to complete a circuit of the exterior corridor. Recheck accessible areas if visiting then.
- AccessFrom Meitetsu Nagoya, take an express or semi-express towards Shin-Unuma on the Inuyama Line to Inuyama Station, officially from about 25 minutes. Leave by the west exit, turn right at Honmachi intersection and follow Honmachi-dori to the castle, about 20 minutes on foot.
Inuyama Castle: facility and visitor guideInuyama Castle: January–February 2027 Level 4 repairs and partial entry restrictionsInuyama Castle: access
Tokoname Pottery Footpath
やきもの散歩道
Walk Tokoname’s sloping lanes lined with pottery pipes and workshops. Official Course A is about 1.6 km and an hour on foot; Course B is about four kilometres and two and a half hours. Meals, visits and breaks take extra time. Walking the public lanes is separate from house admission and activities. Ask permission before entering private property or working studios.
- FeesPublic lane walks are separate from paid activities, facilities, guides and parking. Facilities without a confirmed admission price are excluded from the subtotal.
- HoursWorkshops and cafés have individual opening days and hours. Pick up a map at the tourist information office and walk in daylight. Check hours in advance for any workshop or café you want to visit.
- AccessStart at the tourist information office in the Pottery Hall, 400 metres east of Tokoname Station, to collect the official walking map. Use the tourism association’s location guide for the route from the station.
Tokoname tourism association: visitor guideTokoname tourism association: walking Courses A and BInformation office 400 metres east of the station
Craft Center and Noritake Museum
クラフトセンター・ノリタケミュージアム
For tableware production and historic designs, visit Noritake Garden’s bone china production displays and tableware and design material. Outdoor walks are free; the Craft Center and Noritake Museum exhibitions charge admission.
- FeesCombined admission costs JPY 500 for adults and JPY 300 for visitors aged 65 and over. Senior secondary students and younger enter free. Painting activities are additional.
- HoursThe Craft Center and Noritake Museum open from 10 am to 5 pm. They close on Mondays, or the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday, and from 26 December to 3 January. Check the current operating calendar for temporary closures.
- AccessFrom JR Nagoya Station’s Sakuradori exit, walk about 600 metres north, then take the diagonal road to the right at Ushijimacho intersection for about 150 metres. Pass Wanouchicho intersection, then continue about 50 metres to the East Gate on the left. Allow about 15 minutes from JR Nagoya, or 20 from the Meitetsu and Kintetsu stations.
Noritake exhibitions and admissionNoritake: hours and closures by facilityNoritake East Gate walking map
INAX MUSEUMS
INAXライブミュージアム
At INAX MUSEUMS, see decorative tiles from around the world and architectural terracotta. Look for colours, patterns and ceramic decoration used in buildings. For making activities, check the chosen programme’s fees and booking conditions separately.
- FeesAdmission costs JPY 1,000 for adults, JPY 800 for students, JPY 500 for junior and senior secondary students, JPY 250 for primary students and JPY 900 for visitors aged 70 and over. Activity fees and bookings vary by programme.
- HoursINAX opens from 10 am to 5 pm, with last admission at 4:30 pm. It closes on Wednesdays except public holidays, and from 26 December 2026 to 4 January 2027. Special Wednesday opening is listed for 6 and 13 January 2027.
- AccessThe official walk from Tokoname Station takes about 25 minutes; the address is 1-130 Okueicho. Buy exhibition tickets at the general information desk in the Kiln Plaza and Archives (窯のある広場・資料館). Allow separate time for walking, ticketing and the exhibitions.
INAX: exhibition fees, closures and general information deskINAX: walking map from Tokoname Station
Frequently asked questions
Which keep can I climb: Nagoya Castle or Inuyama Castle?
Inuyama Castle’s keep is open for interior visits. Nagoya Castle’s keep interior is closed; instead, visit Honmaru Palace and walk the grounds. Inuyama’s keep has stairs, and admission may be restricted when busy. During repairs scheduled for 4 January–28 February 2027, access to parts of Level 4 and the exterior corridor will be restricted. Checked on 8 October 2026.
Nagoya Castle: facility and visitor guideInuyama Castle: facility and visitor guideInuyama Castle: January–February 2027 Level 4 repairs and partial entry restrictions
Are Noritake Garden’s exhibitions free?
Outdoor walks are free, but Craft Center and Noritake Museum exhibitions charge admission. Combined admission is JPY 500 for adults, JPY 300 for visitors aged 65 and over, and free for senior secondary students and younger. Painting activities are separate. Exhibitions open 10 am–5 pm and close Mondays, except public holidays. Checked on 8 October 2026.
Noritake exhibitions and admissionNoritake: hours and closures by facility
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 ·
- Inuyama Castle: facility and visitor guide ·
- Inuyama Castle: access ·
- Tokoname tourism association: visitor guide ·
- Tokoname tourism association: walking Courses A and B ·
- Noritake exhibitions and admission ·
- Noritake: hours and closures by facility ·
- Noritake East Gate walking map ·
- INAX: exhibition fees, closures and general information desk ·
- INAX: walking map from Tokoname Station ·
- Castle official access guide ·
- Main gate to the palace entrance ·
- Information office 400 metres east of the station ·
- Inuyama Castle: January–February 2027 Level 4 repairs and partial entry restrictions ·