Aichi attractions: which castles, aquarium or ceramics exhibitions should you visit?
Climb the old wooden keep at Inuyama Castle or admire ornate murals and room decoration in Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace. Visit Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium for underwater views of belugas and dolphins and their performances. Walk lanes with pottery workshops in Tokoname.
Near Nagoya Station, Noritake shows tableware production and historic designs; INAX in Tokoname has decorative tiles from around the world and architectural ceramics. Choose separately between Noritake grounds and paid exhibitions, or Tokoname lanes and individual house admission or activities. INAX hands-on activities are also separate from exhibition admission.
Attraction fees and access
Nagoya Castle
名古屋城
Visit Honmaru Palace at Nagoya Castle for ornate interiors. Walk through restored rooms and compare murals, ceilings and woodwork. The main keep interior is closed; allow time to queue and remove your shoes before entering the palace.
- AdmissionFrom 1 October 2026, individual adult admission is 1,000 yen; junior-high students and younger children enter free.
- Hours09:00–16:30. Last admission to Honmaru Palace and Nishinomaru Okura Museum is 16:00 at each building. The palace is about a 10-minute walk from the main gate. Closed 29 December–1 January.
- Getting thereWalk about five minutes from exit 7 of Nagoyajo Station on the Meijo Line. Sengencho Station on the Tsurumai Line is about 12 minutes away from exit 1, so distinguish the station names and exits.
Nagoya Castle: admissionNagoya Castle: facilities and visiting informationMain gate to palace entranceOfficial castle access
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
名古屋港水族館
At Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, observe belugas and dolphins moving underwater through the north building’s viewing windows. Add a dolphin performance according to your date’s timetable. Choose performances first, then fit north- and south-building exhibitions between them. Check same-day programme changes and cancellations.
- AdmissionIndividual admission is 2,030 yen for adults and high-school students, 1,010 yen for elementary and junior-high students, and 500 yen for children aged four and over below school age. This differs from combined tickets for nearby facilities and evening tickets.
- HoursOpening calendars vary by season and date; last admission is one hour before closing. Check the official calendar for your date’s opening and closing times.
- Getting thereWalk about five minutes from exit 3 of Nagoyako Station on the Meiko Line. From JR or Meitetsu, change at Kanayama to a Nagoyako-bound Meiko Line service. From the Higashiyama Line, check the Nagoyako connection at Sakae.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admissionPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: opening calendarPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: access
Inuyama Castle
犬山城
Enter Inuyama Castle’s old wooden keep and climb its internal stairs. Remove your shoes before the visit. If stairs are difficult, skip the keep and spend time walking or eating in the castle-town streets instead.
- AdmissionIndividual admission is 1,000 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary and junior-high students.
- Hours09:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. Closed 29–31 December. Entry may be restricted when crowded. During scheduled repairs from 4 January to 28 February 2027, some fourth-floor viewing areas will be restricted and you cannot complete a circuit of the outdoor gallery. Recheck accessible areas if visiting in this period.
- Getting thereFrom Meitetsu Nagoya, take an Inuyama Line express or semi-express towards Shin-Unuma to Inuyama Station; official guidance starts at about 25 minutes. Leave by the west exit, turn right at Honmachi junction and follow Honmachi-dori for about 20 minutes to the castle.
Inuyama Castle: facilities and visiting informationInuyama Castle: fourth-floor repairs and partial restrictions, January–February 2027Inuyama Castle: access
Tokoname Pottery Footpath
やきもの散歩道
Walk slopes paved with clay pipes and lanes with pottery workshops along the Tokoname Pottery Footpath. Official Route A is about 1.6 km and one hour on foot; Route B is about four kilometres and 2.5 hours. Meals, visits and rests take extra time. Public lanes are separate from individual house admission and activities. Ask permission before entering private property or working workshops.
- AdmissionPublic-lane walks are separate from paid activities, facilities, guides and parking. Facilities with unverified admission fees are excluded from the total.
- HoursWorkshops and cafés have their own days and hours. Collect a walking map at the tourist information office and walk in daylight. Check individual opening hours first for any workshop or café you want to visit.
- Getting thereStart at the tourist information office in the Ceramic Hall, 400 metres east of Tokoname Station, and collect an official walking map. Use the tourism association’s location guidance for the station-to-hall walk.
Tokoname Tourism Association: facilities and visiting informationTokoname Tourism Association: walking routes A and BInformation office 400 metres east of the station
Noritake Garden Craft Center and Museum
Craft Center and Noritake Museumクラフトセンター・ノリタケミュージアム
Visit Noritake Garden for bone-china production, historic tableware and design material. The outdoor grounds are free to walk through; Craft Center and Museum exhibitions require admission.
- AdmissionCombined admission is 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for ages 65 and over, and free for high-school students and younger children. Painting activities cost extra.
- Hours10:00–17:00. Closed Mondays, or the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday, and 26 December–3 January. Check the current operating calendar for temporary closures.
- Getting thereFrom JR Nagoya’s Sakuradori Exit, walk about 600 metres north, take the diagonal road right at Ushijimacho junction for about 150 metres, pass Wanouchicho junction, then enter the East Gate on your left about 50 metres later. Allow about 15 minutes from JR Nagoya or 20 from Meitetsu or Kintetsu Nagoya.
Noritake exhibitions and admissionNoritake facility hours and closuresNoritake East Gate walking map
INAX Live Museum
INAX MUSEUMSINAXライブミュージアム
At INAX Live Museum, view decorative tiles from around the world and architectural terracotta. Look at colours, patterns and ceramic decoration used in buildings. If adding a hands-on activity, check its fees and reservation conditions separately.
- AdmissionAdmission is 1,000 yen for general visitors, 800 yen for students, 500 yen for junior-high and high-school students, 250 yen for elementary students and 900 yen for ages 70 and over. Activity fees and reservations depend on the programme.
- Hours10:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. Closed Wednesdays except public holidays, and 26 December 2026–4 January 2027. It opens exceptionally on Wednesday 6 and 13 January 2027.
- Getting thereThe 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 Museum · 窯のある広場・資料館. Allow station-to-site walking time separately from ticketing and exhibitions.
INAX: exhibition admission, closures and information deskINAX: walking map from Tokoname Station
Frequently asked questions
Which keep can I climb: Nagoya Castle or Inuyama Castle?
You can enter and climb the keep at Inuyama Castle. Nagoya Castle’s main keep interior is closed, but you can visit Honmaru Palace and walk the grounds. Inuyama’s interior has stairs, and entry may be restricted when crowded. During scheduled repairs from 4 January to 28 February 2027, some fourth-floor areas and the outdoor gallery will have viewing restrictions. Checked 8 October 2026.
Nagoya Castle: facilities and visiting informationInuyama Castle: facilities and visiting informationInuyama Castle: fourth-floor repairs and partial restrictions, January–February 2027
Are Noritake Garden exhibitions free?
The outdoor grounds are free to walk through, but Craft Center and Museum exhibitions require admission. Combined admission is 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for ages 65 and over, and free for high-school students and younger children. Painting activities cost extra. Exhibitions open 10:00–17:00 and close on Mondays, subject to public-holiday exceptions. Checked 8 October 2026.
Noritake exhibitions and admissionNoritake facility hours and closures
Official sources and check dates
- Nagoya Castle: facilities and visiting information ·
- Nagoya Castle: admission ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admission ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: opening calendar ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: access ·
- Inuyama Castle: facilities and visiting information ·
- Inuyama Castle: access ·
- Tokoname Tourism Association: facilities and visiting information ·
- Tokoname Tourism Association: walking routes A and B ·
- Noritake exhibitions and admission ·
- Noritake facility hours and closures ·
- Noritake East Gate walking map ·
- INAX: exhibition admission, closures and information desk ·
- INAX: walking map from Tokoname Station ·
- Official castle access ·
- Main gate to palace entrance ·
- Information office 400 metres east of the station ·
- Inuyama Castle: fourth-floor repairs and partial restrictions, January–February 2027 ·