Five Ways to Embrace Winter and Take a Step Off the Beaten Track With a Stopover in Aichi Prefecture

Situated in the centre of Japan, Aichi Prefecture is one of the country’s most diverse destinations to visit. Overflowing with rustic charm and history of distinctive crafts, Aichi is a destination where you can relax and be inspired all at the same time, the perfect place for mature travellers.

If you are in Japan for winter, take a step off the beaten track between Tokyo and Kyoto and explore Aichi Prefecture. We’ve found five of the best ways to enjoy Aichi and the best of Japan on your next winter escape.

Winter hiking for the active traveller
Located on the northern border of Aichi is the Chausuyama Highlands. In the winter this is Aichi Prefecture’s ski resort destination, offering two courses for those learning to ski and one for intermediate and advanced skiers. Travellers can also hike through some of the highlands in the light snow to enjoy the views of the rim which freeze on the tree branches.

Experience the winter festivals of Aichi
Although February is the coldest month, it doesn’t stop thousands of men clad in only ‘fundoshi’ undergarments from participating in the 1,200-year-old Hadaka Festival at Owari Okunitama Shrine in Inazawa City. The festival dispels evil spirits and diseases, driving out bad luck and welcoming in the good. Onlookers can watch the quirky festival as the participants get hyped up all in the spirit of bringing good luck for the coming year as well as enjoying the delicious festival food.

Add caption

If all that bare skin doesn’t tickle your fancy, Nishio City’s annual Toba Fire Festival might be what you’re looking for. See 5-metre-tall towers burning brightly against the dark winter night sky. Two giant torches are set within the grounds of Toba Shinmeisha Shrine and participants known as ‘God men’ compete by jumping into the flames to save sacred items to offer them at the shrine’s altar. The result of the competition is to predict the year’s weather and if the harvest will be bountiful or not.

Explore a historic ceramics town
Lovers of Japanese ceramics will be excited to know that Aichi is home to the seaside city of Tokoname, which has been manufacturing ceramics since the end of the Heian period (794-1185 AD) and is known as the oldest of Japan’s six ancient kiln towns. In the past, there were more than 3000 kilns, and by walking through Tokoname’s pottery walking course you can see the many historic structures, ceramic lined alleyways and private galleries. Visitors can also visit the Tokoname store which aside from selling locally made pieces, has pottery workshops and even a café for you to try the ceramics firsthand!

At the end of the day you can find a restaurant or bar and enjoy some warm sake from a resident artist’s ‘tokkuri’, ceramic sake bottle as many local restaurants proudly use the Tokoname-ware.

Local delights to warm you up
Warm yourself up with a warm bowl of Aichi’s famous ‘miso-nikomi udon’, a noodle dish cooked in a ceramic pot with Aichi’s signature red miso-paste. The simmered udon noodles are thick and chewy which accentuates the strong flavour of miso while the signature soft-boiled egg on the top helps cleanse the palate. Due to the temperature of this warming soup, it is best enjoyed in winter. If you fancy a day trip, take a pleasant boat ride to Himakajima Island which is famous for its octopus and pufferfish cuisine. 

You can wander the small island by foot or bicycle to see many establishments making dried octopus, or enjoy a meal to experience octopus cooked in different ways – boiled, deep-fried or pressed into fresh-made rice crackers. You can even treat yourself to a full-course octopus dinner at one of the many the local inns. Himakajima Island is also one of the biggest farmers of pufferfish which are at peak season in winter. The fresh fish are prepared by certified chefs so it can be enjoyed raw as sashimi or even cooked in a hotpot with vegetables. The chefs are not only professionals in thinly slicing the sashimi, but also are skilled in creating platters with an artistic appearance such as layering the slices to look like chrysanthemum flowers.

See machines in the making
Leading Japan’s manufacturing industry, Aichi Prefecture is the biggest producer of transport machinery. It is home to automobile giant Toyota’s main headquarters. Whether you love cars or not - the Toyota Kaikan Museum will leave you in awe of the manufacturing process. The museum exhibits a wide range of topics, from new models, to safety and environmental technology. Here you can also see Toyota’s cars of the future such as hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles which are all on display. Bookings are required for a plant tour so be sure to save yourself a spot.

To get a close up look at Japan’s aviation industry, the MRJ Museum is where you can learn about the Mitsubishi Space Jet – Japan’s first jet airliner. The museum has an array of state-of-the-art technology which have been carefully developed by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries group. Take an exclusive MRJ Final Assembly Hangar tour of the museum and see how the airliners were designed, produced and put to test. Make sure to book your tour beforehand as positions are limited for this hands-on experience. As the MRJ Museum is located closely to the Aichi Museum of Flight which showcases Japan’s aerospace industry proudly centred in Aichi, it is worth your time to visit both on the same day.

Where to stay
At the end of an active day, relax and warm your tired body in the waters of Gamagori Hot Springs, a resort town overlooking Mikawa Bay on Aichi’s southern coast. The town has four hot springs facilities which offer outdoor baths overlooking views of the bay. The waters of the natural hot springs have a local reputation for its various beneficial effects such as healing muscle pain and aiding fatigue recovery.

How to travel to Aichi Prefecture
By bullet train: One hour and 40 minutes from Tokyo, 50 minutes from Osaka and just 35 minutes from Kyoto to get to Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture’s capital and Japan’s fourth-largest city. If you are already in Hakuba for winter sports, Aichi can be accessed via Matsumoto City in two hours by bullet train.
By air: Aichi Prefecture’s international airport, Chubu Centrair International Airport offers ease of access from other airports in Japan, as well as for those flying from Australia via South East Asia. It has also been ranked as the World’s Best Regional Airport in the World Airport Awards 2020 for the 6th year in a row.

Website: www.theholidayandtravelmagazineblogspot.com.au

Tags: #japan,#Aichi, #Nagoya, #Winter, #daytrips, #AichiPrefecture, #JapaneseFood