15 Nagoya Spots to Visit on a Rainy Day: City Fun That Shines Even in the Rain

Nagoya’s largest shopping district stretches across the area surrounded by Wakamiya Odori, Fushimi-dori, Osu-dori, and Minami Otsu-dori. On rainy days, walk beneath the arcades and explore streets lined with around 1,200 shops, including restaurants, vintage clothing stores, variety shops, and electronics retailers.
Together with Akihabara in Tokyo and Nipponbashi in Osaka, it is counted among Japan’s three major electronics districts, with many electronics retailers and computer shops. From trending foods to subculture, browsing its wide range of shops is part of the Osu experience.

This temple is a beloved symbol of the temple town. After walking through the shopping district, stop by the main hall and Niomon Gate and take a closer look at the area’s history. It is also counted as one of Japan’s three great Kannon temples, along with Asakusa Kannon in Tokyo and Tsu Kannon in Mie.
The temple has the Osu Library, which houses about 15,000 volumes, including a National Treasure manuscript of the Kojiki. Antique markets are also held on the 18th and 28th of every month. Visit alongside a stroll through the shopping district to feel Osu’s history more closely.

A specialty shop for baked baozi, one of Osu’s local favorites and a great stop during a shopping district stroll. Its signature item is the “rou pao,” which brings together the appeal of xiao long bao, pan-fried gyoza, and Chinese steamed buns.
The shop recreates the flavor of Da Shanghai Shengjianbao, a well-known shop at Taiwan’s Shilin Night Market, and carefully handmakes everything using selected ingredients, from the flour to the filling. Enjoy the juicy, broth-filled taste and fragrant browned crust as you sample Osu-style street food.

This restaurant serves Nagoya’s famous miso dishes in an interior that retains a Showa-era atmosphere. Look for the nostalgic building and the large sign featuring the shop’s mascot character, Bu-chan.
Inside, based on the concept of Yabaton from the time of its founding, you can savor dishes from those early days, such as kushikatsu, miso oden, and doteni, while taking your time with Nagoya’s food culture.

Housed in red-brick buildings, this museum traces the history of the Toyota Group and Japanese manufacturing. It is divided mainly into two areas: the Textile Machinery Pavilion, which introduces textile machinery, Toyota’s starting point, and the Automobile Pavilion, which presents the evolution of automotive technology.
Stop by the café and museum shop as you experience the depth of the technologies nurtured in Nagoya.

This railway museum displays actual train cars, from past Shinkansen and conventional trains to the superconducting maglev. Inside, 39 full-size train cars are on display, and driving simulators let visitors experience operating an N700 Series Shinkansen or conventional train.
The large railway diorama recreating scenery along the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka is also worth seeing. Try an ekiben station lunch box or Shinkansen ice cream inside the museum to add even more travel mood to your visit.

One of Nagoya’s leading science museums, where visitors can learn about the wonders of science through hands-on experiences. The museum has many impressive exhibits, including the Deep Freezing Lab, where you can experience a world at -30°C (-22°F), and the Tornado Lab, which generates an artificial tornado.
The biggest highlight is Planetarium NTP Planet, one of the world’s largest planetariums with an inner dome diameter of 35 meters (about 115 feet), certified by Guinness World Records. Be sure to spend time looking up at the realistic starry sky while listening to live commentary from museum curators.

This complex introduces the history of the Western-style tableware brand Noritake and the skills of its craftspeople. As you stroll through the grounds and visit the red-brick buildings and museum, you can learn about the development of Western-style tableware production in Japan.
A popular hands-on experience lets visitors freely paint white bone china plates and mugs to create their own original pieces. Stop by the shops and café as you take your time with Nagoya’s proud culture of craftsmanship.

This archive makes use of an Important Cultural Property of Japan, an imposing brick building that immediately catches the eye. Built in the late Taisho era, the Neo-Baroque building features a striking contrast between vermilion brick walls and white granite, giving it a strong retro atmosphere.
Although it is an archive, it has many highlights, including the central staircase hall, meeting rooms, and stained glass, and it is also known as a filming location for dramas and TV programs. Take your time exploring the building while paying attention to its architectural design.

This museum exhibits treasures connected to the Owari Tokugawa family. Since opening in 1935, it has housed many items associated with successive heads of the Owari Tokugawa family, including swords, armor, tea utensils, and Noh theater implements passed down from Tokugawa Ieyasu. Its sword collection is especially notable, with nearly 1,000 blades, one of the largest holdings in Japan.
Precious cultural properties, including the National Treasure The Tale of Genji Illustrated Scrolls, convey the history and refined aesthetics of the Owari Tokugawa family to the present day.

Located in the heart of the Sakae area, this museum makes it easy to enjoy art. Its collection includes a wide range of works from Japan, such as modern and contemporary Japanese-style painting and Western-style painting, as well as pieces in fields including sculpture and prints.
Inside, exhibitions cover a broad range from Japanese art to works from overseas, and visitors can also encounter special exhibitions held throughout the year. With works from the Meiji period to the present, it is an easy museum to visit alongside a walk around Sakae.

One of Japan’s largest aquariums, where visitors can fully experience the dynamic world of the sea. Dolphin performances held in Japan’s largest pool and public orca training sessions are especially impressive.
The “Sardine Tornado,” where about 35,000 Japanese sardines swarm toward feed dropped into the tank and form a swirling vortex, is also a popular sight. Explore the North and South Buildings and encounter a wide variety of marine life, including dolphins, orcas, and belugas.

This planetarium offers a quiet time surrounded by a star-filled sky and images of space. Located inside Aeon Mall Nagoya Noritake Garden near Nagoya Station, it is easy to combine with shopping or dining.
In addition to standard seats, the dome has exceptionally comfortable premium seats at the front. After the show, take a look at the gift shop with items inspired by stars and space.

This symbolic city tower offers panoramic views of Nagoya. It was built in 1954 as the Nagoya TV Tower and has been known by its current name since 2021.
From the indoor observation deck “Sky Deck,” located 90 meters (about 295 feet) above ground, you can take in views of Nagoya and distant mountains. The tower also has a hotel, restaurants, and shops, making it a place where you can spend time in your own way, not just enjoy the view.

This spa complex lets you refresh after a day of travel with natural hot springs, bedrock baths, and lounges. The natural hot spring water rises from 1,500 meters (about 4,921 feet) beneath the facility and is an alkaline simple spring.
In addition to 12 types of baths and saunas and 5 types of bedrock baths, the facility has a book corner with more than 50,000 manga volumes and books, as well as plenty of hammocks and reclining chairs. It is also a relaxing place to spend time at the end of a trip.