Published on Apr, 2025
The day of our tour was pouring rain, but our guide, Kumi, showed up cheerful and ready to take us on our adventure. Fortunately, we were prepared with umbrellas and covers for our shoes because it rained the entire day. We came to Nagoya because it was my mom's hometown. She was a teenager when Nagoya was bombed during World War 2. I hoped to get to know her better by visiting Nagoya since she passed away a long time ago.
Kumi showed us how to navigate the subways, which was helpful for our future explorations. Along the way, she shared the history of Nagoya Castle and the temples we saw as well as Nagoya history in general. She was very willing to answer any questions we had including about life in Nagoya. Since she was a Nagoya local, it was good to hear a personal account.
Kumi set a good pace with us, always checking to make sure we were ok. She is a warm and friendly woman, so it felt like a friend showing us her hometown. We went to Sakae and had a delicious Nagoya specialty pork dish. We also went to Oasis 21 and Osu shopping street and sampled food and treats along the way. I asked Kumi if there was a place that sold Okonomiyaki that was Kansai style. It was a dish my mom used to make that I loved. She led us to a stall in the Osu shopping street where you could see the shop owner and workers making okonomiyaki. It was very close to my mom's and was delicious. I truly appreciated that Kumi knew of this place and shared it with me.
Though the tour was 6 hours long, it was very enjoyable and went by quickly. I will definitely come back to Nagoya again. The people of Nagoya were friendly and welcoming. And I would ask for Kumi again to show me even more of Nagoya!