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In this article, we’re going to share the three best day trips from Nagoya in 2025. If you are planning to stay in Nagoya make sure you explore the epic attractions in the city (such as Nagoya Castle, the Sakae area, the Science Museum and more). Not only are there plenty of amazing things to see and do in the city itself, but you can also take some epic day trips from Nagoya. We will focus on these day trips in this article.
As a family, we loved exploring Nagoya. We have personally visited all of the destinations that we recommend in this article and we enjoyed them so much we wanted to share them with you. We hope that our own experience and advice can help you plan your own trip.
For each of the day trips that we share in this article, we will also include key information such as travel details, prices, things to see and do. Where relevant, we will also share links to tours so that you can book your day trip in advance.
PLAN YOUR TRIP – Find out Nagoya – Things to Know Before You Go
GET EQUIPPED – Looking for a THE BEST Guided Tour for Nagoya City
1 Shirakawa-go Praying Hands Village
If you are looking for a unique, beautiful, and immersive cultural experience, we highly recommend the Shirakawa-go Praying Hands Village day tour from Nagoya. If you are hoping to take a day trip to the Praying Hands Village from Nagoya, we recommend that you book your trip on Klook. (The Praying Hands Village is very difficult to access independently in a single day from Nagoya, so if you are determined to go independently, we recommend spending a night or two in Takayama.)
- The Praying Hands Village day trip is a full day, normally from 7 am – 6 pm.
- Adults (12 years and older): £40 or $50
- Children (4 to 11 years old): £35
- Infants (0-3 years old): Free of charge
This is excellent value for money when you consider the price of trains and transport in Japan. The itinerary also includes a visit to the Takayama Morning Market and the Takayama Heritage Street. You can opt to pay extra to include a Hida Beef lunch (£17 or $20 per person). After exploring Takayama, you will then be transferred to the Praying Hands Village. You can explore Shirakawa-go Praying Hands Village. The main disadvantage of visiting the Praying Hands Village on a day tour is the restricted time; you only have around one and a half hours to explore the village. This is enough time to walk a loop of the village, visit a Praying Hands house museum, and of course get some nice photos.
2 Takayama and Hida No Sato Folk Village
FULL GUIDE – The best things to see and do in Takayama
Another great day trip idea is to travel independently to Takayama and explore the village at your own pace. Make sure that you also visit the Hida No Sato Folk Village. Takayama is a very beautiful village with a morning market, beautiful heritage streets, traditional Japanese temples, and plenty of places to eat and drink.
The Hida No Sato Folk Village is a small hamlet with Praying Hands houses converted into a museum so that you can experience and learn about the rural history and culture of the region. The Hida No Sato Folk Village is situated a couple of kilometers from the town center; you can take a local bus from the train station bus stop to the Folk Village. You need to pay to visit this village. Entry fees: 700 yen (which is approximately £3.50 or $4).
You can take a JR train from Nagoya Central Station to Takayama for approximately 6,300 yen each way (around £32 or $40).
Top tip: While it is possible to explore Takayama as a day trip from Nagoya, we recommend spending a few days in Takayama if possible. It is a very beautiful town, and it takes a little time to explore the area properly. We highly recommend staying in the traditional hostel Murasaki Ryokan (they have traditional Japanese bathtubs and a traditional open fire for cooking). You can find Murasaki on Agoda and you can also find Murasaki on booking.com.
3 Tokoname Pottery Village
DON’T MISS THIS – The BEST Things to See and Do in Tokoname
And last, but definitely not least, why not visit the Tokoname Pottery Village. Take a beautiful self-guided walking tour of Tokoname, exploring boutique art and craft shops, unique coffee shops, and beautiful viewpoints. This pottery village is seriously underrated and probably one of the best hidden gems in Nagoya. We recommend allowing at least three or four hours to explore the Pottery Village. If you have time, you can also walk around 1.5 kilometers south to the INAX Museum.
To travel to Tokoname from Nagoya, you will need to take the subway to Kanayama station on the Meijo Loop line. From here, you can change to the Meitetsu-Tokoname line. It costs 830 yen to Tokoname (not all services stop at Tokoname, so check carefully). The journey takes around 30 to 40 minutes (depending on the service). It is free to enter and explore the Pottery Village. There are several lovely cafes and restaurants in the area.
Still need a JR Pass?
Remember, you are not able to purchase your JR Pass from the stations in Japan – so you need to book it online in advance. We highly recommend getting your JR Pass on KLOOK. They offer 7, 14 and 21 day Whole-Japan passes and also include a FREE Guide Book to help you make the most of your pass. They also do global delivery – so if you do need a JR pass make sure you book it on KLOOK.
