Which Aichi attractions should you visit: castles, the aquarium or ceramic exhibitions?
Climb the historic wooden keep at Inuyama Castle, or see the murals and room decoration in Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace. Visit the aquarium for underwater views of belugas and dolphins and scheduled performances. Walk among pottery workshops in Tokoname.
At Noritake near Nagoya Station, see tableware production and historic designs. At INAX in Tokoname, see decorative tiles from around the world and architectural ceramics. Choose the free Noritake grounds separately from its paid exhibitions, and Tokoname’s street walk separately from house visits and experiences. INAX making experiences also cost extra.
Attraction fees and directions
Nagoya Castle
名古屋城
Visit Honmaru Palace at Nagoya Castle to see its restored interiors. Follow the rooms to compare the murals, ceilings and carved wooden decoration. The castle keep is closed to visitors. Allow time to queue at the palace and remove your shoes before entering.
- AdmissionFrom 1 October 2026, individual adult admission is JPY 1,000. Admission is free for junior high school pupils and younger children.
- Opening hoursHours are 09:00–16:30. Last entry to Honmaru Palace and the Nishinomaru Treasure House is 16:00 at each building. The palace is about a 10-minute walk from the main gate. Closed from 29 December to 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 on foot from Exit 1, so check the station and exit carefully.
Nagoya Castle: admission feesNagoya Castle: visitor informationFrom the main gate to the palace entranceOfficial castle access guide
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
名古屋港水族館
At the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, watch belugas and dolphins swimming through the North Building’s underwater viewing windows. You can also choose a dolphin performance from the schedule for your visit date. Decide which performance you want to see first, then explore the North and South Building exhibitions around it. Check notices for changes or cancellations on the day.
- AdmissionIndividual admission costs JPY 2,030 for adults and senior high school students, JPY 1,010 for primary and junior high school pupils, and JPY 500 for preschool children aged four and above. Combined tickets for nearby facilities and evening tickets are different products.
- Opening hoursOpening hours follow the seasonal and daily calendar. Last admission is one hour before closing. Check the official calendar for your visit 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 for a Meiko Line train bound for Nagoyako. From the Higashiyama Line, check the connection to a Nagoyako-bound train at Sakae.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admission feesPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: opening calendarPort of Nagoya Public Aquarium: getting there
Inuyama Castle
犬山城
Enter Inuyama Castle’s historic wooden keep and climb its internal stairs. You must remove your shoes to visit. If climbing stairs is difficult, leave out the keep and spend time walking or eating in the streets below the castle.
- AdmissionIndividual admission costs JPY 1,000 for adults and JPY 200 for primary and junior high school pupils.
- Opening hoursHours are 09:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. Closed from 29 to 31 December. Entry may be restricted when crowded. During planned repairs from 4 January to 28 February 2027, some fourth-floor areas will be restricted and you will not be able to walk all the way around the outside balcony. Recheck accessible areas if visiting during this period.
- Getting thereFrom Meitetsu Nagoya, take an Inuyama Line express or semi-express bound for Shin-Unuma to Inuyama Station; the official guide gives journey times from about 25 minutes. Leave by the west exit, turn right at Honmachi junction and follow Honmachidori towards the castle, about a 20-minute walk.
Inuyama Castle: visitor informationInuyama Castle: fourth-floor repairs and partial access restrictions in January–February 2027Inuyama Castle: getting there
Tokoname Pottery Trail
Tokoname Pottery Footpathやきもの散歩道
Walk through sloping lanes lined with ceramic pipes and pottery workshops on the Tokoname Pottery Trail. Official Route A is about 1.6 km and takes roughly one hour on foot; Route B is about 4 km and takes roughly two hours and 30 minutes. Allow extra time for meals, visits and breaks. Walking through public streets is separate from entering individual houses or joining experiences. Ask permission before entering private property or a working studio.
- AdmissionPublic street walks are separate from paid experiences, facilities, guides and parking. Facilities with unconfirmed admission fees are excluded from the subtotal.
- Opening hoursWorkshops and cafés have their own opening days and hours. Collect a walking map from the tourist information centre and walk in daylight. Check individual opening hours first if you want to visit a particular workshop or café.
- Getting thereStart at the tourist information centre in the Ceramic Hall, 400 metres east of Tokoname Station, to collect the official walking map. Check the tourism association’s location guide for the route from the station to the hall.
Tokoname Tourism Association: visitor informationTokoname Tourism Association: walking Routes A and BInformation centre 400 metres east of the station
Noritake Garden Craft Centre 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 to learn how bone china is made and see historic tableware and design material. You can walk around the outdoor grounds free of charge; the Craft Centre and Museum exhibitions require admission tickets.
- AdmissionJoint admission costs JPY 500 for adults and JPY 300 for visitors aged 65 and above; senior high school students and younger children enter free. Painting experiences cost extra.
- Opening hoursHours are 10:00–17:00. Closed on Mondays, or the next weekday when Monday is a public holiday, and from 26 December to 3 January. Check the current calendar for temporary closures.
- Getting thereFrom JR Nagoya Station’s Sakura-dori Exit, walk about 600 metres north. Take the road diagonally right at Ushijimacho junction for about 150 metres, continue past Wanouchicho junction for about 50 metres, then enter the East Gate on the left. Allow about 15 minutes from JR Nagoya Station or about 20 minutes from the Meitetsu and Kintetsu stations.
Noritake exhibitions and admission feesNoritake facility opening hours and closuresWalking map to the Noritake East Gate
INAX Museums
INAX MUSEUMSINAXライブミュージアム
At INAX Museums, see decorative tiles from around the world and architectural terracotta. Look closely at tile colours, patterns and ceramic decoration used on buildings. If you also want to try making something, check the chosen programme’s fees and reservation conditions separately.
- AdmissionGeneral admission costs JPY 1,000. Students pay JPY 800, junior and senior high school students JPY 500, primary school pupils JPY 250, and visitors aged 70 and above JPY 900. Each experience has separate participation fees and reservation conditions.
- Opening hoursHours are 10:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. Closed on Wednesdays except public holidays, and from 26 December 2026 to 4 January 2027. Special Wednesday openings are on 6 and 13 January 2027.
- Getting thereWalk about 25 minutes from Tokoname Station to 1-130 Okeicho. On arrival, buy exhibition tickets at the general reception in Kama no Aru Hiroba/Shiryokan (窯のある広場・資料館). Allow time for the walk, ticket purchase and exhibitions separately.
INAX: exhibition fees, closures and general receptionINAX: walking map from Tokoname Station
Frequently asked questions
Which castle can I climb: Nagoya or Inuyama?
You can enter and climb Inuyama Castle’s keep. Nagoya Castle’s keep is closed; you can instead visit Honmaru Palace and walk around the castle grounds. Inuyama Castle has internal stairs, and entry may be restricted when crowded. Planned repairs from 4 January to 28 February 2027 will restrict some fourth-floor areas and the outside balcony. Checked on 2026-10-08.
Nagoya Castle: visitor informationInuyama Castle: visitor informationInuyama Castle: fourth-floor repairs and partial access restrictions in January–February 2027
Are the Noritake Garden exhibitions free?
Walking around the outdoor grounds is free, but the Craft Centre and Museum exhibitions require admission. Joint admission is JPY 500 for adults, JPY 300 for visitors aged 65 and above, and free for senior high school students and younger children. Painting experiences cost extra. Exhibitions open from 10:00 to 17:00 and close on Mondays except under the public-holiday arrangement. Checked on 2026-10-08.
Noritake exhibitions and admission feesNoritake facility opening hours and closures
Official sources and confirmation dates
- Nagoya Castle: visitor information ·
- Nagoya Castle: admission fees ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: admission fees ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: opening calendar ·
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: getting there ·
- Inuyama Castle: visitor information ·
- Inuyama Castle: getting there ·
- Tokoname Tourism Association: visitor information ·
- Tokoname Tourism Association: walking Routes A and B ·
- Noritake exhibitions and admission fees ·
- Noritake facility opening hours and closures ·
- Walking map to the Noritake East Gate ·
- INAX: exhibition fees, closures and general reception ·
- INAX: walking map from Tokoname Station ·
- Official castle access guide ·
- From the main gate to the palace entrance ·
- Information centre 400 metres east of the station ·
- Inuyama Castle: fourth-floor repairs and partial access restrictions in January–February 2027 ·