Nagoya is a big city, so to get around you will probably need to use either city buses or the subway, or a combination of the two. In this article we will introduce both general city bus and sightseeing bus services in Nagoya.
The Me~guru Sightseeing Bus is convenient for many of Nagoya’s top sightseeing locations
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The Me~guru Sightseeing Bus
Nagoya has a special sightseeing route bus for tourists called the “Me~guru” which runs a regular loop around the city’s main tourist attractions. The flat fare fee for a single ride is 210 yen for adults or 100 yen for children aged 12 or younger. However, you can also get a One Day Pass for the Me~guru which gives you one day’s unlimited rides. The One Day Pass costs 500 yen for adults or 250 yen for children aged 12 or younger. The One Day Pass also entitles you to discounts at many of Nagoya’s tourist sites and facilities.
You can catch the Me~guru bus from bus stop 8 which is just outside Nagoya Station’s east side Sakura Dori Exit. The bus is a bright gold color and so easy to spot. On weekdays there are 13 services from Nagoya Station which depart every 30 – 60 minutes. On weekends and holidays there are 18 services from Nagoya Station which depart every 20 – 30 minutes.
Tourist locations on the Me~guru route include:
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
- Noritake Garden
- Nagoya Castle
- Tokugawa Art Museum & Garden
- Nagoya City Science Museum
- Nagoya City Art Museum
- Oasis 21 park and shopping complex in Sakae.
The Me~guru can be boarded at bus stop 8 outside Nagoya Station
Nagoya City Bus
Nagoya City Buses are colored blue and can be ridden for a flat fare fee of 210 yen for adults or 100 yen for children aged 12 or younger. Buses are boarded from the front and passengers pay as they get on. You can pay with cash or with a prepaid IC card.
Nagoya City Buses are colored blue
There is also a One Day Bus & Subway Pass which can be used on all of Nagoya’s subway lines and City Bus routes (including the Me~guru sightseeing bus) and costs 850 yen for adults or 430 yen for children under the age of 12. The One Day Pass entitles you to a variety of discounts and services at tourist sites and facilities around Nagoya. It can be bought from subway ticket machines, inside city buses, and at participating hotels.
Bus stops at Nagoya Station
You can find Nagoya Station’s main bus stops on the road outside Nagoya Station’s east side Sakura Dori Exit.
Useful Bus Services from Nagoya Station
For the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology take bus 11 or 25 from bus stop 11 and get off at the Toyota Sangyogijutsukan stop.
For Noritake Garden take bus 13 from bus stop 10 and get off at the Noritake-no-Mori stop.
For Nagoya Castle take bus 14 from bus stop 9 and get off at the Meijo Byoin stop.
For Tokugawa Art Museum and Garden take bus 2 from bus stop 2 and get off at the Tokugawaen Shindeki stop.
For Osu Kannon Temple take bus 18 from bus stop 4 to the Nishi-Osu stop.
For Atsuta Shrine take bus 18 from bus stop 4 to the Meitetsu Jingu-mae stop.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.
