prefecture of Japan
Asia > East Asia > Japan > Chubu > Aichi

Aichi Prefecture (愛知県) is a prefecture in the Chubu region of Japan and was the host of Expo 2005.

Cities edit

 
Map of Aichi
  • 1 Nagoya - Japan's fourth-largest city and the capital of the prefecture
  • 2 Asuke
  • 3 Ichinomiya - a textile manufacturing town to the north of Nagoya. Hosts one of Japan's 3 major Tanabata festivals.
  • 4 Inuyama - a large castle and two kinky fertility shrines
  • 5 Nagakute - A site of Expo 2005
  • 6 Okazaki - A suburban town with a small castle
  • 7 Seto - A center of ceramic art
  • 8 Tahara - Popular beach for surfing
  • 9 Toyohashi - car manufacturing hub
  • 10 Toyota - yes, that Toyota

Other destinations edit

 
Tokoname Manekineko

Understand edit

Get in edit

By plane edit

1 Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO IATA). Just south of Nagoya, this is the main international gateway for the region.    

By train edit

The Tokaido Shinkansen has stops in Toyohashi, Anjo (Mikawa-Anjo), and Nagoya on its way from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka. The Shinano provides connections from Nagano and Matsumoto, Hida from Toyama and Takayama, Nanki from Shingu and Mie Prefecture, and the Shirasagi allows those in Kanazawa and Fukui to get to Aichi faster. All of the above lines are covered by the JR Rail Pass.

The only private railway that provides access to Aichi is Kintetsu Railway. Kintetsu serves much of the Kansai area. It is only likely to be the fastest option if you want to reach Aichi from Mie or certain parts of Nara.

By bus edit

As one of Japan's largest cities, the many highway buses coming in and out of Nagoya make Aichi very accessible by bus from many faraway places, some of which take a lot of time and money to reach by train. There are direct buses to/from Nagoya from Sendai, Fukushima, Koriyama, Utsunomiya, Tokyo, Kofu, Fujiyoshida, Nagano, Matsumoto, Ina, Iida, Niigata, Toyama, Takaoka, Kanazawa, Fukui, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Okayama, Kurashiki, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Matsuyama, and Fukuoka.

Get around edit

Using train for transportation is common in Aichi. The major railways are Nagoya Tetsudo (名古屋鉄道), JR Tokai (JR東海), and Aichi Kannjyo Tetsudo (愛知環状鉄道). The JR Tokai line connects the major cities. For smaller towns, the Meitetsu and Aikan lines may prove convenient. The city of Nagoya has a subway.

See edit

 
SCMaglev and Railway Museum in Nagoya
  • See one of the oldest remaining castles in Japan (Inuyama)
  • Discover two of Japan's "Six Kilns" (Seto and Tokoname)
  • Learn about the past, present, and future of railway travel and technology at the SCMaglev Railway Museum (Nagoya)
  • Marvel at the hundreds of fox statues at Toyokawa Inari (Toyokawa)
  • Explore the grounds of Nagoya Castle, one of the original great castles of Japan (Nagoya)
  • Learn about the history of Toyota and see a variety of old and new car models (Toyota)
  • Pray at Atsuta Shrine, mentioned in the Kojiki and home of one of the National Regalia (Nagoya)
  • See Tokugawa Ieyasu's old stomping grounds (Okazaki)
  • Reminisce in the old 2005 Expo Park (Nagakute)

Do edit

Eat edit

 
Aka-miso soup

Aichi is famous for its "miso (味噌) culture". Miso is one of Japan's traditional seasonings. (Usually Japanese eat miso as "miso soup". Of course people in Aichi eat miso soup, too.) People spread sweetened miso paste on fried pork, fried shrimp (it's not tempura), tofu and so on.

Other Aichi specialities worth a try are: Tebasaki - grilled chicken wings with a sweet, mildly spicy glaze and white sesame seeds. Eaten with the fingers, they are a popular and delicious izakaya delicacy.

Tenmusu - a local variety of onigiri, filled with prawn tenpura and a fruity brown sauce.

Kishimen - flat, ribbonlike wheat noodles, usually served cold with a dipping sauce, but sometimes hot in broth.

Aka-miso soup - Red miso soup rather than the standard white miso you get everywhere else in Japan.

Miso katsu - Fried pork cutlet (tonkatsu), but is topped with a miso based sauce.

Drink edit

Melon Soda is a popular drink in summer.

Connect edit

Radio edit

AM edit

  • NHK Radio 1 – 729 kHz
  • NHK Radio 2 – 909 kHz

FM edit

  • FM AICHI 807 - 80.7 MHz

Go next edit

  • Ise - one of Japan's holiest shrines, just a short trip south from Aichi


This region travel guide to Aichi is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!