Nagoya

Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city, positioned on a wide plain between Tokyo and Osaka. Ships dock at the Garden Pier, where the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium and the retired Antarctic Icebreaker Fuji sit within walking distance. The Meiko Line subway connects the pier to the city centre in about ten minutes. Nagoya Castle, rebuilt after wartime bombing, still carries its original golden shachihoko dolphin ornaments, while Atsuta Shrine holds the Kusanagi sword, one of Japan's three imperial regalia. The Toyota Commemorative Museum, housed in the company's original textile factory, traces the shift from looms to automobiles. For food, Nagoya has its own distinct style. Miso katsu is a fried pork cutlet under thick red miso sauce, and hitsumabushi is grilled eel served three ways in a single sitting. The Osu shopping arcade mixes vintage stores, electronics stalls, and street food vendors in a covered district near the centre.