This trip was planned rather suddenly because some of my Asiana Airlines mileage was about to expire. Generally, it’s very difficult to find available tickets when using miles, as most are booked nearly a year in advance. Among the remaining options, Nagoya was the only destination that fit our schedule. So, we decided to explore this unfamiliar city, feeling as if we were venturing into the unknown.
Tire Out the Baby Before the Flight
One of the keys to a successful flight with a baby is making sure they are tired beforehand. The first thing we always do when heading to the airport is locate the kids’ play area. Until around age two, the simple play zones provided by airlines, like the Pororo Zone, are usually enough. However, after that age, children seem to need more active and varied spaces to burn off their energy.
First Impressions of Nagoya: Korea’s Daegu?
Nagoya (名古屋) is the capital of Aichi Prefecture, located in the Chubu (central) region of Japan. It is Japan’s fourth-largest city by population and sits roughly between Tokyo and Osaka. Rather than being a major tourist destination, Nagoya is often seen more as a transit point to other cities. After being almost completely destroyed during World War II, the city rebounded through industries such as automobiles, ceramics, and robotics, becoming economically strong and somewhat self-sufficient. It’s often said that locals here are more reserved compared to other regions in Japan. Perhaps because of all this, my first impression upon arriving in Nagoya was: “This feels a bit like Korea’s Daegu.”
Street leading to Nagoya Castle
Walking Through Golden History at Nagoya Castle
One of Nagoya’s most famous tourist spots is Nagoya Castle. If it weren’t for this trip, I might never have had the chance to visit this historic site. Blessed with pleasant May weather, we leisurely explored the grounds. Nagoya Castle was heavily damaged during air raids in 1945, and much of it has been reconstructed in modern times. As of May 2023, the castle’s main keep (Tenshukaku) was undergoing renovation and was closed to visitors, so we visited the Honmaru Palace instead. Honmaru Palace is a luxurious structure once used to receive guests, featuring separate tatami rooms and beautifully gilded wall paintings.
Golden artwork inside Honmaru Palace
The Challenges of Traveling with a Baby
As we explored Nagoya Castle, our baby, having found little to amuse himself, soon became restless. We quickly searched for a nearby playground. Although South Korea has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, Japan is not far behind. Despite Nagoya being Japan’s fourth-largest city, it was rare to see young children, and many playgrounds we passed seemed abandoned and overgrown with weeds. Still, even these forgotten playgrounds became exciting adventures for our little one, who happily cleaned off the dusty equipment with his tiny bottom as he played.
A small playground hidden in the city
A Culinary Misadventure
Unlike most tourist cities where restaurant information is easily found on Google Maps, Nagoya’s relatively low tourist traffic made it harder to find good dining spots. We couldn’t locate the restaurant we had planned to visit, so we ended up entering a random yakitori (grilled skewers) restaurant nearby. I ordered an assorted chicken skewer set, but to my surprise, many parts like liver, heart, and gizzards were barely cooked — almost raw. (Perhaps this is a common local style?) Since I’m not even a fan of beef tartare, I ended up drinking more beer than eating food. By evening, the once-quiet streets of Nagoya were packed with office workers, and most restaurants were full. We managed to find an empty seat at a small oden bar near our hotel, but unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations. It became the first time in all my trips to Japan that I felt I had failed in choosing a restaurant.
Chef, this is still raw…
Final Thoughts on Day 1
Since the trip was decided on such short notice, we faced many small setbacks from the very first day. Still, just strolling through the clean, well-organized streets of Nagoya in the lovely May weather felt healing in itself. Our Nagoya journey with an increasingly self-aware 18-month-old will continue in the next chapter.
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