Aichi

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

Cities

• 1 Nagoya - Japan's fourth-largest city and the capital of the prefecture.
• 2 Asuke - Known for its beautiful fall foliage.
• 3 Ichinomiya - A textile manufacturing town to the north of Nagoya. Hosts one of Japan's 3 major Tanabata festivals.
• 4 Inuyama - The site of a large castle, including the oldest castle keep in Japan, and two shrines dedicated to fertility.
• 5 Nagakute - The site of Expo 2005 and Ghibli Park.
• 6 Okazaki - A suburban town with a small castle.
• 7 Seto - A center of ceramic art.
• 8 Tahara - Features a popular beach for surfing.
• 9 Toyohashi - Car manufacturing hub.
• 10 Toyota - Yes, that Toyota.

Other destinations

Tokoname Manekineko

• Komaki
• Tokoname
• Toyokawa
• Shinshiro
• Tsushima
• Handa
• Inazawa
• Kota
• Anjo

Understand

• 1 Aichi Prefectural Tourist Association, 4-4-38 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, ☏ +81 52-581-5788. (updated Dec 2015)

Tourist information sites

• Aichi Now is the prefecture's official multilingual guide site.

• Visit Aichi is another multiligual site by the local tourist association.

Get in

By plane

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

By train

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, the Hida limited express runs from Toyama and Takayama, the Nanki runs 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, but also connects to Osaka.

By bus

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

Using train for transportation is common in Aichi. The major railways are Meitetsu (aka Nagoya Railroad, 名古屋鉄道), JR Central (aka JR Tōkai, JR東海), and the Aichi Loop Railway (aka Aikan, 愛知環状鉄道). JR Central's subsidiary Tōkai Transport Service also runs the only non-electrified line in the prefecture, the Jōhoku Line (東海交通事業城北線).

JR Central's Chuo and Tokaido Lines connect the major cities. For smaller towns, the Meitetsu and Aikan lines may prove convenient. The city of Nagoya also has a municipal subway, with some lines providing through service with Meitetsu lines.

See

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)

Eat

Aka-miso soup

Aichi is famous for , and particularly its "miso (味噌) culture". Miso is one of Japan's traditional seasonings. Usually, Japanese people eat miso in the form of miso soup. Of course, people in Aichi eat miso soup, too, but residents also spread sweetened miso paste on fried pork (misokatsu), 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 tempura 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.

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

Hitsumabushi - Thinly sliced unagi (eel) grilled kabayaki style and served over rice.

Drink

Melon soda is a popular drink in summer.

Connect

Radio

AM

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

FM

• FM AICHI 807 - 80.7 MHz

Go next

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