Nagoya Station is Japan's and the world's biggest railway station. Known locally as Meieki, the Nagoya Station complex, with a floor area of 410,000 m edges Kyoto Station and Shinjuku Station in Tokyo in Japan's big station league. Nagoya Station is big, bright, business-like and very busy.
Most of those 410,000 m however are taken up by a Takashimaya department store including a branch of Tokyu Hands, restaurants, the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel and shops in the twin towers, or to give them their proper name, the JR Central Towers, that rise up over the station concourse and its underground malls.
The impressive 240 meter-plus glass towers were completed in 1999 and have excellent views over the city from the observation deck and the exclusive, pricey bar in the Marriott Associa Hotel.
Nagoya Station serves JR trains including the Tokaido Shinkansen to Osaka (51 minutes), Kyoto (36 minutes) and Tokyo (1 hour, 50 minutes), Yokohama and Shinagawa, Meitestu's local urban network of commuter trains to such places as Toyohashi, Gifu, Inuyama, the Chita Peninsulaand Chubu International Airport, Kintestu Railway trains to Namba in Osaka, Kuwana, Yokkaichi, Tsu, Matsusakaand Ise Jingu and Toba in Mie Prefecture.
JR local trains from Nagoya Station run to Toyohashi, Gifu, Maibara, Ogaki and Tajimi. The JR Hida Express runs from Nagoya to Takayama (2 hours, 17 minutes) and Toyama (4 hours) via Gero Onsen (95 minutes). The JR Shinano Express goes to Nagano (2 hours, 55 minutes). The Shirasagi Express service (approx 3 hours) runs to Kanazawa.
JR Central Towers seen from the north exit of Nagoya Station & Midland Square
Outside the north exit of Nagoya Station & Nagoya Station concourse interior
Nagoya Station Subway & Bus Connections
Nagoya Station is also a terminal for local buses and both the JR and Meitetsu Highway bus network with day and night buses to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Takayama, Gujo-Hachiman, Shirakawa-go, Izumo, Matsue and other destinations.
Nagoya Station is on both the Higashiyama and Sakura-dori subway lines and is the starting point for the Aonami overland line to Nagoya Port and the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park at Kinjo Futo.
Ride one station on the Higashiyama Line to Fushimi to connect with the Tsurumai Line to Toyota or two stops to Sakae to connect with the Meijo circle line for Kanayama Station and Jingu Mae Station.
Heading west from Nagoya Station the Sakura-dori Line terminates at the next stop - Nakamura Kuyakusho, while the Higashiyama Line (yellow on subway maps) continues seven stops to Takabata.
JR Central Towers seen from the south exit of Nagoya Station
Takashimaya Department Store and Osaka-bound Shinkansen at Nagoya Station
Nagoya Station Area
Nagoya Station connects by an underground passageway or above ground to Kintetsu Nagoya Station and Meitetsu Nagoya Station. Turn right outside the main Sakuradori Exit for the main entrance to both stations in the direction of the Nanachan statue past Midland Square on your left. The Meieki underground shopping mall has a variety of shops, bars, cafes and restaurants.
South of Nagoya Station is more low-rise with a plethora of cheap chain izakaya, rather seedy love hotels and major car rental dealers. The large Bic Camera store is located in this area across from the Taiko dori exit. Bus tours from Nagoya Station tend to leave from the south exit.
Exiting the main exit of Nagoya Station brings you to an area of skyscrapers including Midland Square with its multiplex cinema and nearby Spiral Towers. Turning left out of the station is the entrance to the JR Bus Station, the 24-hour Central Post Office with ATMs for foreign credit cards, Lucent Tower and a bit further on Noritake Gardens and its displays of fine ceramics. #Note: presently the
Central Post Office and JR Bus Station are being redeveloped to be part of another skyscraper, the Central Post Office is now temporarily inside the Central Towers.
Straight ahead of you on Sakura dori towards the Nagoya International Center are more hotels, bars, restaurants and a number of British and Irish-style pubs popular with Nagoya's foreign community, including The Hub and The Cooper's Arms. To the right off Sakura dori is the new WINC Aichi conference and convention center.
Turning right and then left at the Spiral Towers brings you to Hirokoji Dori, the main street to Fushimi and Sakae, a good 20-25 minute walk.
To get to Nagoya Castle from Nagoya Station take the Sakuradori Line subway to Marunouchi and change to the Tsurumai Line for Sengencho or change at Hisaya Dori Station and ride the Meijo Line to Meijo Koen.
There are taxi ranks outside both exits of Nagoya Station. Citibank has a mini branch on the 33rd floor of the Office Tower of the JR Central Towers.
BIC Camera Store at Meieki and taxi at Nagoya Station
Hotels near Nagoya Station
The area around Nagoya Station has a number of accommodation options ranging from exclusive, five star hotels to cheap capsule hotels with a number of well-priced business hotels also in Meieki.
Japan Train Stations: Nagoya Station
