Nagoya: The Most Boring City in Japan?
Back in October 2016, The Japan Times reported that Nagoya is the most boring city in Japan, according to a survey conducted by… the city of Nagoya.
“Most Boring City” is probably not going to make the tourism campaign jingles anytime soon, satirically or otherwise.
Fast forward to February 2017, when I arrived to Nagoya on a resident status.
Given the impression that the article left on me, I had my initial apprehensions. Perception can either shape my reality, or I can go beyond the stereotypes and see firsthand what Nagoya has to offer from the vantage point of a local with the curiosity of an outsider.
Geographically, Nagoya experiences the so-called “middle-child syndrome” when juxtaposed with its more cosmopolitan siblings, Tokyo and Osaka. The assumption is that when departing from either of those two cities, Nagoya is a little too far to justify a day trip and a little too expensive to include in a jam-packed itinerary. That has always been the general sentiment, even though Nagoya is the midway point between Tokyo and Osaka via Shinkansen.
However, despite these limitations, Nagoya is the hub where destinations are about an hour away from the city center. The beauty is that there is always something unique throughout the year. It is a bus ride away from Shirakawa-go, a perfect winter getaway whose location was used as the basis of the psychological-horror anime Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry).
In the spring, cherry blossoms bloom in parks scattered all over the city. The locations that are off the beaten path and not as exposed to foreign tourists are the ones that are truly worth traveling to. Outside of the annual hanami (cherry blossom viewing), Yoro and Ogaki are perfect destinations, as long as you do not get lost along the way.
Summer is a different story. It is an absolute sauna right now, with temperatures pushing into the high 30ºs as the aircon is on full blast. During these months, the festivals and fireworks are aplenty, so maximizing the evenings is the best way to survive the scorching heat. The Atsuta Matsuri (Festival) captures the spirit of summer right before temperatures crank up.
And autumn, my favorite season, is arguably the best time to go exploring. Watching the changing of the foliage, known as kouyou or momiji, is the hallmark of the Ber months. Halloween is a much-anticipated event catered to adults (think cosplay) rather than the trick-or-treating children I have been accustomed to seeing growing up. 3K, 5K, and 10K runs are also abundant if you want to challenge yourself against the uphill slopes and uneven terrain.
I will gradually share more of my adventures in greater detail over time.
But more importantly, I am going on the record to say that Nagoya is NOT a boring city. It never has, it never is, and (hopefully) it never will be.
