Takayama was meant to be our base for visiting Shirakawa-go, but getting there didn’t go exactly as planned. Originally, everything was supposed to be straightforward. We had already booked and paid for the scenic train ride from Nagoya to Takayama — one of those slower journeys where you can just sit back and enjoy the countryside views. But two weeks before the trip, we realised something was very wrong. The Mistake Our plan was to pick up a rental car and drive to Shirakawa-go from Takayama. But when we double-checked the booking… we realised we had selected the wrong car pickup location. Instead of Takayama, the pickup point was Tateyama about 2 hours away. At that point, there wasn’t much we could do: The car booking couldn’t be easily changed The location didn’t make sense with our train plan So we had to rethink everything. Last-Minute Change With only two weeks to go, we made the call to cancel the train ride (which we had already paid for) and switch plans completely. Ins...
Our Day 1 in Nagoya was powered almost entirely by food. After landing from a red‑eye flight and dropping our bags, we eased into the city the best way possible — with good coffee, comforting noodles, and an indulgent beef dinner. Quick Meal: Kishimen at Sumiyoshi (Surprisingly Good!) Japan, 〒450-0002 Aichi, Nagoya, Nakamura Ward, Meieki, 1 Chome−1−4 名古屋駅 構内 JR名古屋駅 3・4番ホーム Our first proper meal of the trip was something truly local: Kishimen a classic Nagoya specialty at Sumiyoshi, located right on JR Nagoya Station’s Platform 3/4. This spot is famous among commuters and travellers for its fast, flavourful, and affordable bowls. It’s a standing-only counter. Most of the toppings here — like the prawns and beef — are ready‑made or frozen, something you’d expect from a train‑station eatery. But what surprised us was how good everything still tasted. The noodles were soft, silky, and a gentle bite, and the prawns/beef were satisfying despite being pre‑prepared. T...