Tokugawa Art Museum and Garden

Japanese required: Some

Art museum cost (per person): 1200 for adults, 1000 for seniors (66 years of age or older), 700 for students (high school / college), 500 for children (ages 7-14)

Garden cost (per person) for non-local people below the age of 65: 300 for small groups / individuals, 270 for large groups (20 or more), 240 for huge groups (100 or more) - Note that the price is the same regardless of age

Cost for both: 1,350

Good for: Single people, couples

The Tokugawa Art Museum and Garden is a combination of both natural and artificial beauty. The garden is very beautiful and gives the feeling of being "away" from the noise and atmosphere of modern cities while barely being separated from the rest of Nagoya by a small wall. On the other hand, the art museum shows a wide display of human artistry ranging from swords to poetry. Between the two, I find the garden to be more of a place that I could visit several times and still enjoy.

The garden is big enough that, if you want to, you can spend about fifteen minutes enjoying one side, go to the museum, and save the other side for another visit. When I first walked in, I got a good view across a small lake (more of a large pond really). There were a lot of carp in the lake, and the sunlight actually reflected in interesting ways on the rocks (unfortunately, my camera couldn't catch the visual effect). The area around the lake includes several places to sit and a wide variety of trees. The most interesting aspect of the lake is probably looking across it: the way the sun hits the water is really enjoyable.

On one side of the lake, there's a sizable  number of trees with pathways leading through them. I ended up taking the most time here, in part because of a few waterfalls and in part because of the atmosphere being so serene. I waited until nobody else was around and sat down to just soak in the feeling of being there. There were seats directly in front of what was, in my opinion, the best of the waterfalls in the garden. The sound of the water combined with the sounds of nature was relaxing. I'd definitely recommend going to the Tokugawa garden by yourself or with one or two other people for a relaxing walk.

The Tokugawa art museum is a pretty interesting place. The first time I went there, I actually got lost because of the way the exhibits are displayed. You have to walk in a pretty specific order to make sure you see everything and reach the exit. The exhibits themselves ranged from very interesting to me to uninteresting. I found the displays of swords and other weapons from long ago to be enjoyable, along wit looking at old paintings and portraits. There were also a lot of beautiful dishes and ink stone holders. On the other hand, the displays of old Japanese poetry and novels and the like were dull because I am not yet able to read them. The old Japanese writing style looked messy to me, and the main art of it all is the writing. There were a few rooms with t.v. displays / audio recordings to explain things in Japanese as well. Although the museum's at least twenty minutes' worth of entertainment, it's not really someplace I'd recommend doing with other people.

Osukannon: More a marketplace than a temple

Japanese required: None

Cost: Temple is free to enter, Shopping options vary from a 100 yen store to a gemstone and jewelry shop (costs varying from 5000 yen to upwards of 3 million yen)

Good for: Everyone

There are two parts to Osukannon: the marketplace and the temple. The shopping street was the more interesting of the two experiences for me, so I'll start by talking about that.

The marketplace is runs the length of a street right outside one of the Osukannon temple exits. I had a lot of fun just walking up and down and looking at all the different shops. They were mostly clothes shops, but even the variety of clothing was interesting. It ranged from casual, more Western clothing (jean jackets, levi's, etc) to kimonos and full length dresses. Most of the clothing stores were surprisingly cheap (the kimono and dress ones being exceptions), ranging from 700 to 5000 yen depending on whether clothing was branded or unbranded.

There were a couple of stores that were unique: a wooden toy store and a gem / jewelry shop. The toy store had puppets, shape blocks, figurines, a rocking horse, and several other types of wooden creations. It's a small store (barely room for five people inside), but the variety was enjoyable.

I call it a jewelry and gem shop, but they had a much larger selection than that. In the shop, they sold life sized statues of dogs, paintings, necklaces, and a lot of other things that would take too long to even list. Even if you don't plan to buy anything, simply looking around is a treat all on its own (be careful, though: no pictures allowed). It's possible to spend five or more minutes just looking at all the things sold here.

A store that might be of interest for anybody looking for more general things would be the 100 yen shop. When I walked around, there was a variety of toys and things for children (ranging from small toys to magic card decks). They also sold stationary, pots and pans, normal dishes, and other household goods.

Aside from all of the different stores and such, there's also a large number of food stalls. Almost all of the stalls sell different food, including hot dogs (with Japanese toppings), ice cream, hamburgers, fruit smoothies, and more. The places have a small seating area, so it's simple to just stop at one, grab some food, and take a break after walking around.

I actually had no intention to stop at any of these places at first. Then I got called out to by a pair of very friendly Turkish guys (in English no less) working at a place called Mega Kebab. They talked with me for a while, made recommendations about what to order, and shared some information about themselves (in Japanese). In the end, I only had a coke because I had eaten earlier, but the food looked good and they were great guys.

One of them actually tried to set me up with a girl when a couple of them came into the shop. He initiated this by asking them if they're interested in foreign guys, if they liked being talked to while eating, and a bunch of questions about themselves. Then he turned to me and gestured toward them. Although it was awkward, I did talk with the girls a little before they left.

The temple was a very different experience from what I was expecting. Although the Osukannon temple is large, most of it isn't available to the public. When I walked through the different parts of the temple that were accessible, it took roughly fifteen minutes total. Entry to the temple is free, and there are a sizable number of events that happen there. It's worth it to go two or three times to experience festivals and flea markets. The temple sells candles made by the monks, from a small 500 yen size to a very large 2500 yen size. I don't know if they're scented or what they're made of, but you can find out for yourself when you go (they are on display). There are also several talismans and good luck charms for sale, and you can buy a bundle of incense sticks to burn in the temple.

On a normal day, the temple is rather boring to me, but I have also been there on a flea market day. When a flea market is going on, the temple courtyard becomes packed with stalls and people. The things being sold vary, but I saw Japanese style bracelets and Seto-style plates as well as children's toys and figurines. Just a warning to families: I did see some pornography on sale. Overall, the flea market took me an extra twenty minutes of just looking around all the stalls.

I quite enjoyed my experiences at Osukannon, and I would definitely recommend it for people who have a few hours to spare. It's an adventure if you're willing to be adventurous, and it's just a relaxing time if you want to relax.

Italian Restaurant: Gran Piatto

Gran Piatto in Hiroshima

Japanese required: Moderate
Cost: 800-2,000 yen per person
Good for: Everyone

Gran Piatto is an Italian restaurant found all over Japan. I have eaten there several times, alone and with large and small groups. The restaurant I go to (at Nagoya University) consistently has a pleasant atmosphere, and the waiting staff is friendly and patient. The menu (which is in Japanese) changes a bit between lunch and dinner, and even more if you organize a party beforehand.

I've tried a few different meals, both pasta and pizza, and I like the pasta a lot more than the pizza. Usually, pizza and pasta are about the same to me, but the pizza crust is too weak. Whenever I go to actually eat a slice, the oil-covered breading bends and basically dumps the cheese and toppings onto the plate. Having to carefully lift every slice up by both sides and roll it into a circle to be able to eat the pizza ruins the pleasure of eating it. The pizza tastes really good, but it's not worth it to me.

The pasta dishes, on the other hand, include a variety that is equally as delicious as the pizza without any of the complications. The pasta available changes depending on the day, but there's always a lunch set available which includes bread as an appetizer.

If you schedule a party, then the food will be a set course with free drinks. The serving style for a party is different from just a normal group: at a party, it's a family-style meal. There were at least three or four different plates of food that could have been considered a main course served throughout the party, and even with a group of roughly 15 people we couldn't manage to eat all of it.

With consistently good service, good food, and a soothing atmosphere, Gran Piatto is a restaurant I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for someplace to eat while in the Nagoya University area. It is my go-to place whenever I visit that part of Nagoya.