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Story & Photos PHAN ANH (ESHEEP)
A street food tour of Nagoya holds delicious surprises around every corner.
Nagoya, Japan’s fourth-largest city and the homeland of sumo wrestling, is located in the Chubu region of Honshu Island. It is part of Japan’s “Golden Route,” a quartet of captivating cities that includes Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. While it features major attractions ranging from ancient shrines and temples to contemporary art museums, it was Nagoya’s street food scene that held a special allure for me.
Nightlife in Nagoya
Nagoya comes alive at night, with a continuous flow of colorful lights and busy traffic. In July, the summer days stretch longer, the nights shorten, and the excitement intensifies.
One of the busiest areas in the city is the neighborhood surrounding Nagoya’s large central train station. Here, you can explore all the flavors and emotions of street food. Join long queues for Piyorin’s famed custard pudding cakes, which sell out within 30 minutes each afternoon. Or wander the bustling station’s numerous food stalls, always buzzing with the sounds of buying and selling, and the enticing aroma of delicious food.
Less than a five-minute walk from the station, a famous ramen shop known for its unique, solitary atmosphere offers a complete contrast to the surrounding bustle. This is Ichiran Ramen at Nagoya Station, open 24/7. With a tiny frontage, this no-frills ramen shop caters to solo diners. There is only one type of individual table, and if you come in a group, you must sit separately. The shop limits communication; even ordering and seating are done via machines and control panels. There are partitions between tables, and a curtain in front of each table to prevent staff from seeing the customers’ faces and making eye contact.
After getting used to focusing solely on the ramen in front of me without looking around, not caring who was at the next table or whether the shop was crowded or empty, I finished every last noodle and sipped the rich, creamy broth to the bottom of the bowl. A complete and satisfying feeling emerged. It turns out that this seemingly extreme “loneliness” helps diners concentrate all five senses on the bowl of ramen. And this constrained space is perfect for those who want to spend time for themselves, those who are stressed or overwhelmed by the social interactions in Japan’s busy and tiring society. This is truly a street food culture that does not forget anyone.
Ichiran Ramen also sells sets of noodles to cook at home. Even though I was full of a bowl of ramen, I still craved more, so I bought a big bag of various noodle sets to bring back to Vietnam.
The “old Ghibli man” coffee shop
Nagoya is surprisingly easy to explore. You can book a direct flight from Vietnam to Chubu Centrair International Airport, or fly to Tokyo and then take a train or bus to Nagoya. The city has a temperate climate with distinct seasonal variations. While summers get hot, they remain pleasant. To me, strolling to soak in the fresh air and local life on a weekend morning is more valuable than any sightseeing tour.
To truly experience local culture, ditch travel apps and wander into any neighborhood coffee shop. These spots, more than just a place to grab coffee, offer a window into the community’s heart. Who knows, a unique encounter might await – like when I stumbled upon the “old Ghibli man” coffee shop one weekend morning.
The 73-year-old owner personally brews coffee and cooks light meals for lunch and breakfast for his regulars, a tradition upheld since his youth. Before him, these tasks were done by his mother, now over 90 years old. With neatly combed white hair, a stylish bow tie, and a well-tailored suit, he warmly chatted with me, a stranger – a rarity as his shop mostly serves elderly customers and families. He looked to me as if he stepped out of a magical, dreamy Studio Ghibli anime. The cafe is decorated with origami figures left by customers over the decades and Japanese manga from his childhood collection.
The Japanese adore all things seasonal. The summer menu was bursting with fruits and fresh flavors. For brunch, I ordered freshly baked soft bread, scrambled eggs and ripe tomatoes. These simple items, alongside a fragrant cup of skillfully brewed coffee, captured summer’s essence. It felt like the whole season lingered in this sunlit space, sparkling on the lush green plants.
Vietnam Airlines offers flights between Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City and Nagoya (Japan). Please visit: www.vietnamairlines.com for more information and promotions.
