Five days in Nagoya: pottery lanes or INAX exhibits?
Stay four Nagoya nights for both castles, aquarium and Noritake, then choose final-day pottery lanes or INAX tiles. Walks and indoor exhibits differ in routes/prices; making activities cost extra. Allow Nagoya return before departure. Move or skip final sightseeing for a morning departure.
Choose a 5 days, 4 nights itinerary
Both castles, aquarium, pottery exhibits and final-day Tokoname lanes
Stay four Nagoya nights for both castles, aquarium/pottery exhibits and lane walks. Walk Tokoname course A on the final day. Match castle-bus dates, exhibit closures, final-day return trains and departure connections.
Both castles, aquarium, pottery exhibits and final-day Tokoname lanes →5 days, 4 nights BBoth castles, aquarium, Noritake and final-day INAX exhibits
Stay four Nagoya nights to add tiles and ceramic architectural decoration after both castles, aquarium and Noritake. Visit INAX on the final day. Allow roughly 25 minutes walking each way from Tokoname Station, plus exhibits, lunch and the return train. Making activities cost extra.
Both castles, aquarium, Noritake and final-day INAX exhibits →Both castles, aquarium, pottery exhibits and final-day Tokoname lanes
Stay four Nagoya nights for both castles, aquarium/pottery exhibits and lane walks. Walk Tokoname course A on the final day. Match castle-bus dates, exhibit closures, final-day return trains and departure connections.
Day 1: Inuyama keep and castle town, then Nagoya
- Meitetsu Nagoya Station → Inuyama Station
Choose both dated journeys in Meitetsu’s planner. Use a stopping service with ordinary cars; special cars require a μticket in addition to the fare. Check platform, destination and Inuyama stop before departure.
Meitetsu dated route/fare searchMeitetsu special cars and μSKY
- Inuyama Station west exit → Inuyama Castle ticket desk
Leave the west exit, turn right at Honmachi intersection and follow Honmachi-dori towards the castle. Official walking time is roughly 20 minutes. Climb Otemichi beside the National Treasure Inuyama Castle monument to the ticket desk.
- Inuyama Castle ticket desk → Keep and castle-town streets
Castle-only tickets use machines; vouchers/combined tickets use the staffed desk. Prioritize street walking if stairs are difficult or rain is strong. For the keep, remove shoes at the entrance and climb interior stairs, then eat lunch in the castle town. Hours 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:30; closed 29–31 December.
Otemichi, tickets and keep entranceInuyama Castle: facility/visitor guidance
- Castle town and Inuyama Station → Meitetsu Nagoya Station
Retrace your route to Inuyama Station and board ordinary cars on a service stopping at Meitetsu Nagoya. Allow street-to-station walking and boarding time, then dinner/rest in Nagoya.
Day 2: Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, then Nagoya
- Subway Nagoya Station → Sakae and Nagoyako stations
Take the Higashiyama Line towards Fujigaoka to Sakae, then a Nagoyako-bound Meijo Line service towards Kanayama. It continues onto the Meiko Line at Kanayama. Its destination differs from loop services; check platform displays and dated transfer allowances in the journey planner.
Aquarium accessTransport bureau dated journey searchTransport bureau Nagoya–Nagoyako subway fare check
- Nagoyako Station exit 3 → Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
Official walking time from exit 3 is roughly five minutes. Choose shows first, then divide south/north building exhibits and lunch around them. Dolphin shows are at the north building’s third-floor stadium; allow travel from other exhibits. Weather or animal conditions may change programs; check dated places/times.
- Aquarium and Nagoyako Station → Sakae and subway Nagoya stations
Return to Nagoyako and choose a service via Sakae. Transfer there to the Higashiyama Line towards Takabata for Nagoya. Check through-service availability at Kanayama and the Sakae transfer in your return search, then eat/rest near the station.
Transport bureau dated journey searchTransport bureau Nagoyako–Nagoya subway fare check
Day 3: Noritake production/tableware exhibits, then Nagoya
- JR Nagoya Station Sakura-dori Exit → Noritake East Gate
From JR Nagoya Station, walk roughly 600 m north, then take the diagonal road to the right at Ushijimacho intersection. Continue roughly 150 m, pass Wanouchicho intersection, then go another 50 m to East Gate on the left. Allow roughly 15 minutes from JR Nagoya Station or 20 minutes from the Meitetsu/Kintetsu stations.
- East Gate → Craft Center and Museum
Find the exhibition entrance on the facility map for pottery production, older tableware and design materials. Paid exhibits run 10:00–17:00; painting activities cost extra. Outdoor walking and exhibits are separate choices. Closed Mondays except public holidays, closing the next weekday instead; also closed 26 December–3 January. Check individual exhibition calendars for the gallery.
Facility mapNoritake exhibits and admissionNoritake facility-specific closures/hours
- Noritake East Gate → JR Nagoya Station Sakura-dori Exit
Eat lunch nearby after the exhibits and retrace your route to JR Nagoya. Add navigation time to the roughly 15-minute walk.
Day 4: Honmaru Palace, then Nagoya
- Nagoya Station Taiko-dori Exit SRT stop → Nagoya Castle stop
Take SRT’s Nagoya Castle route. It runs Friday–Monday and public holidays; choose both arrival and return in your date’s timetable. This SRT route is unavailable on ordinary Tuesday–Thursday weekdays.
Nagoya city: SRT dates/faresReturn timetable effective 11 September
- Nagoya Castle stop → Main gate and Honmaru Palace
Walk roughly four minutes from the stop to the main gate, then 10 to Honmaru Palace’s entrance. Explore the palace/castle grounds and rest. The keep interior is closed. The castle closes at 16:30 and palace last entry is 16:00; allow entrance walking and queues.
Official castle accessMain gate to palace entranceNagoya Castle: facility/visitor guidance
- Nagoya Castle → Nagoya Station Taiko-dori Exit
Return to the same SRT stop after visiting and board for Nagoya Station’s Taiko-dori Exit. Reach the stop in time to wait for departure, then eat dinner or rest near the station.
Return timetable effective 11 SeptemberNagoya city: SRT dates/fares
Day 5: Tokoname pottery lanes, then Nagoya
- Meitetsu Nagoya Station → Tokoname Station
Choose a dated service stopping at Tokoname with ordinary cars. Even towards Chubu Centrair Airport, check stops/transfers. This route’s checked direct ordinary-car fare is adult ¥750 one way; special cars cost extra.
Meitetsu dated route/fare searchMeitetsu Nagoya–Tokoname ordinary fare checkMeitetsu special cars and μSKY
- Tokoname Station and Ceramic Hall → Pottery Footpath course A
Get a map at Ceramic Hall’s information desk 400 m east of the station. Course A starts there: 1.6 km and roughly one hour of official walking time. Explore sloping lanes with ceramic pipes and workshops, adding lunch/rest. Distinguish course B at 4 km/roughly 2½ hours. House admission, workshop activities and cafés cost extra. Shorten steep-lane walking in heavy rain.
Information centre 400 m east of the stationTokoname tourism association: walking courses A/B
- Ceramic Hall and Tokoname Station → Meitetsu Nagoya Station
Return to Tokoname Station and board ordinary cars on a service stopping at Nagoya. Check destination, stops and transfers in the dated Tokoname–Meitetsu Nagoya search. The checked same-condition fare is ¥750 one way/¥1,500 return.
Meitetsu dated route/fare searchMeitetsu Tokoname–Nagoya ordinary fare check
Included: Ordinary Inuyama Castle admission ¥1,000 + ordinary Meitetsu Nagoya–Inuyama ¥630 × 2 = ¥2,260; aquarium-only admission ¥2,030 + individual subway Nagoya–Nagoyako ¥270 × 2 = ¥2,570; combined Noritake Craft Center/Museum admission ¥500; Nagoya Castle admission ¥1,000 + SRT ¥210 × 2 = ¥1,420; ordinary Meitetsu Nagoya–Tokoname ¥750 × 2 = ¥1,500 (public course-A lane walk).
Extra costs and conditions: Accommodation, meals, luggage storage, airport/out-of-prefecture travel, extra station-to-hotel travel, shopping, separate activities, special-car supplements and paid facilities outside the route.
Partial total for one adult under 65 using ordinary individual tickets, checked 8 October 2026. Transport counts only the sections/tickets listed per route; it does not claim the lowest discount combination. Recalculate items if dated routes, tickets or admission differ. Fare-search conditions do not establish an actual itinerary or secured seats.
Inuyama Castle: facility/visitor guidanceMeitetsu Nagoya–Inuyama ordinary fare checkMeitetsu Inuyama–Nagoya ordinary fare checkPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: pricesTransport bureau Nagoya–Nagoyako subway fare checkTransport bureau Nagoyako–Nagoya subway fare checkNoritake exhibits and admissionNagoya Castle: pricesNagoya city: SRT dates/faresMeitetsu Nagoya–Tokoname ordinary fare checkMeitetsu Tokoname–Nagoya ordinary fare checkTokoname tourism association: walking courses A/B
Both castles, aquarium, Noritake and final-day INAX exhibits
Stay four Nagoya nights to add tiles and ceramic architectural decoration after both castles, aquarium and Noritake. Visit INAX on the final day. Allow roughly 25 minutes walking each way from Tokoname Station, plus exhibits, lunch and the return train. Making activities cost extra.
Day 1: Inuyama keep and castle town, then Nagoya
- Meitetsu Nagoya Station → Inuyama Station
Choose both dated journeys in Meitetsu’s planner. Use a stopping service with ordinary cars; special cars require a μticket in addition to the fare. Check platform, destination and Inuyama stop before departure.
Meitetsu dated route/fare searchMeitetsu special cars and μSKY
- Inuyama Station west exit → Inuyama Castle ticket desk
Leave the west exit, turn right at Honmachi intersection and follow Honmachi-dori towards the castle. Official walking time is roughly 20 minutes. Climb Otemichi beside the National Treasure Inuyama Castle monument to the ticket desk.
- Inuyama Castle ticket desk → Keep and castle-town streets
Castle-only tickets use machines; vouchers/combined tickets use the staffed desk. Prioritize street walking if stairs are difficult or rain is strong. For the keep, remove shoes at the entrance and climb interior stairs, then eat lunch in the castle town. Hours 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:30; closed 29–31 December.
Otemichi, tickets and keep entranceInuyama Castle: facility/visitor guidance
- Castle town and Inuyama Station → Meitetsu Nagoya Station
Retrace your route to Inuyama Station and board ordinary cars on a service stopping at Meitetsu Nagoya. Allow street-to-station walking and boarding time, then dinner/rest in Nagoya.
Day 2: Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, then Nagoya
- Subway Nagoya Station → Sakae and Nagoyako stations
Take the Higashiyama Line towards Fujigaoka to Sakae, then a Nagoyako-bound Meijo Line service towards Kanayama. It continues onto the Meiko Line at Kanayama. Its destination differs from loop services; check platform displays and dated transfer allowances in the journey planner.
Aquarium accessTransport bureau dated journey searchTransport bureau Nagoya–Nagoyako subway fare check
- Nagoyako Station exit 3 → Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
Official walking time from exit 3 is roughly five minutes. Choose shows first, then divide south/north building exhibits and lunch around them. Dolphin shows are at the north building’s third-floor stadium; allow travel from other exhibits. Weather or animal conditions may change programs; check dated places/times.
- Aquarium and Nagoyako Station → Sakae and subway Nagoya stations
Return to Nagoyako and choose a service via Sakae. Transfer there to the Higashiyama Line towards Takabata for Nagoya. Check through-service availability at Kanayama and the Sakae transfer in your return search, then eat/rest near the station.
Transport bureau dated journey searchTransport bureau Nagoyako–Nagoya subway fare check
Day 3: Honmaru Palace, then Nagoya
- Nagoya Station Taiko-dori Exit SRT stop → Nagoya Castle stop
Take SRT’s Nagoya Castle route. It runs Friday–Monday and public holidays; choose both arrival and return in your date’s timetable. This SRT route is unavailable on ordinary Tuesday–Thursday weekdays.
Nagoya city: SRT dates/faresReturn timetable effective 11 September
- Nagoya Castle stop → Main gate and Honmaru Palace
Walk roughly four minutes from the stop to the main gate, then 10 to Honmaru Palace’s entrance. Explore the palace/castle grounds and rest. The keep interior is closed. The castle closes at 16:30 and palace last entry is 16:00; allow entrance walking and queues.
Official castle accessMain gate to palace entranceNagoya Castle: facility/visitor guidance
- Nagoya Castle → Nagoya Station Taiko-dori Exit
Return to the same SRT stop after visiting and board for Nagoya Station’s Taiko-dori Exit. Reach the stop in time to wait for departure, then eat dinner or rest near the station.
Return timetable effective 11 SeptemberNagoya city: SRT dates/fares
Day 4: Noritake production/tableware exhibits, then Nagoya
- JR Nagoya Station Sakura-dori Exit → Noritake East Gate
From JR Nagoya Station, walk roughly 600 m north, then take the diagonal road to the right at Ushijimacho intersection. Continue roughly 150 m, pass Wanouchicho intersection, then go another 50 m to East Gate on the left. Allow roughly 15 minutes from JR Nagoya Station or 20 minutes from the Meitetsu/Kintetsu stations.
- East Gate → Craft Center and Museum
Find the exhibition entrance on the facility map for pottery production, older tableware and design materials. Paid exhibits run 10:00–17:00; painting activities cost extra. Outdoor walking and exhibits are separate choices. Closed Mondays except public holidays, closing the next weekday instead; also closed 26 December–3 January. Check individual exhibition calendars for the gallery.
Facility mapNoritake exhibits and admissionNoritake facility-specific closures/hours
- Noritake East Gate → JR Nagoya Station Sakura-dori Exit
Eat lunch nearby after the exhibits and retrace your route to JR Nagoya. Add navigation time to the roughly 15-minute walk.
Day 5: INAX tile exhibits, then Nagoya
- Meitetsu Nagoya Station → Tokoname Station
Choose dated ordinary-car services stopping at Tokoname. Special cars need an extra μticket. Look up the return before planning exhibits/lunch.
Meitetsu dated route/fare searchMeitetsu special cars and μSKY
- Tokoname Station → INAX Museums
Official walking time from the station is roughly 25 minutes. Buy exhibition tickets at the general information desk in Kiln Plaza/Archives at 1-130 Okueicho. See tiles and ceramic building materials indoors, then eat/rest nearby.
INAX prices, closures and general information deskINAX walking map from Tokoname Station
- INAX exhibits → Tokoname Station
Exhibits run 10:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. Closed Wednesdays except public holidays; special openings include 6/13 January 2027. Check the visit year’s official year-end closures. Making activities are separate from admission; fees/reservations vary by program. Retrace the roughly 25-minute walk to Tokoname Station afterwards.
INAX prices, closures and general information deskINAX walking map from Tokoname Station
- Tokoname Station → Meitetsu Nagoya Station
Take ordinary cars on a return service stopping at Nagoya. Checked same-condition fares are ¥750 one way/¥1,500 return. For an onward departure after Nagoya, allow station access and boarding preparations.
Meitetsu dated route/fare searchMeitetsu Nagoya–Tokoname ordinary fare checkMeitetsu Tokoname–Nagoya ordinary fare check
Included: Ordinary Inuyama Castle admission ¥1,000 + ordinary Meitetsu Nagoya–Inuyama ¥630 × 2 = ¥2,260; aquarium-only admission ¥2,030 + individual subway Nagoya–Nagoyako ¥270 × 2 = ¥2,570; Nagoya Castle admission ¥1,000 + SRT ¥210 × 2 = ¥1,420; combined Noritake Craft Center/Museum admission ¥500; ordinary INAX admission ¥1,000 + ordinary Meitetsu Nagoya–Tokoname ¥750 × 2 = ¥2,500.
Extra costs and conditions: Accommodation, meals, luggage storage, airport/out-of-prefecture travel, extra station-to-hotel travel, shopping, separate activities, special-car supplements and paid facilities outside the route.
Partial total for one adult under 65 using ordinary individual tickets, checked 8 October 2026. Transport counts only the sections/tickets listed per route; it does not claim the lowest discount combination. Recalculate items if dated routes, tickets or admission differ. Fare-search conditions do not establish an actual itinerary or secured seats.
Inuyama Castle: facility/visitor guidanceMeitetsu Nagoya–Inuyama ordinary fare checkMeitetsu Inuyama–Nagoya ordinary fare checkPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: pricesTransport bureau Nagoya–Nagoyako subway fare checkTransport bureau Nagoyako–Nagoya subway fare checkNagoya Castle: pricesNagoya city: SRT dates/faresNoritake exhibits and admissionINAX prices, closures and general information deskMeitetsu Nagoya–Tokoname ordinary fare checkMeitetsu Tokoname–Nagoya ordinary fare check
Frequently asked questions
Does INAX exhibit admission include making activities?
Exhibition admission and making activities are separate. Standard adult exhibition admission is ¥1,000; buy tickets at Kiln Plaza/Archives general information. Check reservations and fees for your chosen activity separately. Open 10:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. Closed Wednesdays except public holidays, with special openings on 6 and 13 January 2027. Checked 9 October 2026.
Official sources and dates checked
- Nagoya Castle: facility/visitor guidance ·
- Nagoya Castle: prices ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: prices ·
- Aquarium opening calendar ·
- Aquarium access ·
- Inuyama Castle: facility/visitor guidance ·
- Inuyama Castle access ·
- Tokoname tourism association: walking courses A/B ·
- Noritake exhibits and admission ·
- Noritake facility-specific closures/hours ·
- Noritake East Gate walking map ·
- INAX prices, closures and general information desk ·
- INAX walking map from Tokoname Station ·
- Nagoya city: SRT dates/fares ·
- Return timetable effective 11 September ·
- Official castle access ·
- Main gate to palace entrance ·
- Facility map ·
- Meitetsu dated route/fare search ·
- Otemichi, tickets and keep entrance ·
- Transport bureau dated journey search ·
- Information centre 400 m east of the station ·
- Meitetsu special cars and μSKY ·
- Meitetsu Nagoya–Inuyama ordinary fare check ·
- Meitetsu Inuyama–Nagoya ordinary fare check ·
- Meitetsu Nagoya–Tokoname ordinary fare check ·
- Meitetsu Tokoname–Nagoya ordinary fare check ·
- Transport bureau Nagoya–Nagoyako subway fare check ·
- Transport bureau Nagoyako–Nagoya subway fare check ·