just realized how slept on nagoya actually is. most people do the tokyo-osaka circuit and miss this entire city that sits right in between. honestly kind of glad about it because the crowds are way more chill here.

so what makes this japan city actually worth the stop? the food scene is insane — like locals have their own whole cuisine called nagoya meshi. miso katsu, hitsumabushi (eel rice prepared three different ways), crispy tebasaki wings. i'm not even exaggerating when i say some restaurants have perfected these dishes over 100+ years. also the history is deeper than people think — this is where three of japan's great unifiers were born, so there's actual samurai legacy everywhere.

the castle's a vibe even though the main tower's under reconstruction right now. the hommaru palace is still open and the gardens are beautiful depending on the season. and if you're into anime at all, studio ghibli park opened here in 2022 and it's genuinely immersive, not just another theme park.

transport is stupid easy too. shinkansen from osaka is like 50 minutes, tokyo is 1 hour 40. so you can literally slot this into any japan city itinerary as a stopover. toyota museum is worth it if you're into that, but honestly the shopping district and the food alone justify the trip.

feels like the kind of place where you actually experience the city instead of just checking boxes. anyone else been? what did i miss?