Zooming around Japan by bullet train is one of those quintessential travel experiences on the bucket list for a lot of jet setters. But train enthusiasts were a bit dismayed this year to see the news that Japan’s shinkansen, or bullet train, was significantly raising its prices, making train travel quite a bit more expensive, especially for families who need to buy four tickets or more. (In fact, it is now cheaper to simply take a low-cost carrier flight for domestic trips in Japan, which is surely bad news for the bullet train.)

Thankfully, we had access to a car so from Tokyo we planned a little trip down the coast to a place my mother-in-law has always wanted to go to, Ise Jingu, one of the holiest sites in Japan. So off we went on the expressway, first stopping for two nights in the city of Nagoya.

Nagoya seems to get a bit of a bad rap in Japan as being a boring or unattractive city. In fact there is a whole tourism website set up to counter this unfortunate reputation – Nagoya Is Not Boring – which was a wealth of information about things to see during a short trip.

With only two days, we focused on the top attractions of Nagoya: Osu Shopping District, Osu Kannon (Temple), and Nagoya Castle.

Osu Shopping District

If you love wandering through markets, buying fun souvenirs and munching on local food, then the Osu shopping streets have more than 1000 shops full of goodies and treats. We booked a hotel right next to one of the entrances to the massive shopping area, which is covered, so you can visit in any weather. Be sure to try the crispy, cheesey 10 Yen Pan (Bread), a Nagoya specialty and a nice munch while shopping.

Osu Kannon Temple

Right next to the entrance of the Osu shopping district is the massive Osu Kannon Buddhist Temple. With imposing red walls, massive lanterns, brass bells, and way too many hungry pigeons, it’s an impressive sight, especially when the bells are being rung.

Nagoya Castle

During World War II, most of Nagoya Castle was destroyed by air raids, and the castle has been painstakingly restored over the last few decades. Work however continues, and you are not yet able to go inside the castle to take a look. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful building and very photographic from the outside, surrounded by a large stone moat and many cherry blossoms.

All in all two days in Nagoya was enough time to see some interesting sights, eat great food, and learn a bit more about the rich history of the area. I think the website got it right – Nagoya Is Not Boring!