Toyota's industrial history museum is the best single museum in Nagoya for anyone with an interest in how things are made. It occupies a beautifully restored brick weaving mill and is split into two huge halls. The textile machinery pavilion traces the evolution of looms from hand-operated to fully automated, with working demonstrations every hour — early Toyoda looms still clatter alongside contemporary high-speed jet looms in eye-watering motion.
The automotive pavilion is even more extensive: forging hammers, stamping presses, robot welding arms and final assembly stations laid out in real working order at full scale, with cars built in front of visitors on certain days. Allow three hours minimum. The museum is a 15-minute walk from Sako Station (Meitetsu Nagoya line) or a longer walk from Nagoya Station itself.