Nagoya rewards a focused itinerary. The castle and its Honmaru Palace easily fill a morning. Atsuta Shrine — sheltering the legendary Kusanagi sword — wants an unhurried hour, ideally in the late afternoon when the cedar grove darkens. The Osu shopping arcades fold a working temple, second-hand kimono shops, and ramen counters into a single grid worth a half day on foot.
The city is also a heavyweight for industrial heritage. The Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology turns a former weaving mill into a working showroom of looms and car-assembly robots. The SCMaglev and Railway Park near the port houses every era of Japan National Railways locomotive. Both are world-class and rarely crowded.