Where to stay in Nagoya

Nagoya is the capital and most populous city of Aichi Prefecture in Japan. It is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city in Japan, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is itself the third-most populous metropolitan area in Japan.

The hub of Aichi prefecture, Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka and one of the nation's major economic centers. In terms of manufacturing, as home to auto-making giants Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi Motors, Nagoya is to Japan what Detroit is to the United States — and it was completely flattened during World War II. Now a modern metropolis, Nagoya gets its name from an old manor called Nagono which was built in the area in the 12th century. The manor prospered for two hundred years, and people began to refer to the area by the manor's name.

Getting around

Nagoya is a big automotive industry center, and it shows. The street network is extensive and even downtown locations can be easily reached by car. On the downside, trains and subways are less convenient than in Tokyo or Kansai, and more expensive. If you're travelling with a JR Rail Pass, the train network doesn't have many stations in the city and you'll probably find yourself using the bus or subway a lot, something your pass won't cover. A city ordinance requires commuters to stand still on escalators. Walking or running on escalators is prohibited to prevent accidents.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.