Is Nagoya the Best Place to Live in Japan?

While Osaka and Tokyo are the best-known big cities in Japan, the fourth-biggest city, Nagoya, has recently undergone a facelift. Thanks to its attractive restaurants offering quality local foods, its fashionable Sakae district and its history dating back to the samurai era, Nagoya has shed its image as an industrial hub and is fast becoming a vibrant, exciting city. So why is Nagoya the best place to live in Japan?

Keep reading for a list of reasons why Nagoya should be high on everyone’s list of places to live. 

Nagoya City Rankings

Photo: iStock/ Only5

Thanks to popular areas like Showa and Midori wards, many Japanese people consider Nagoya a desirable location for living and working:

• In a survey of over 22,000 people by the Japanese rental agency eheya.net, Nagoya was ranked as the most desirable city to live in.  
• Naka and Chikusa wards were ranked as the second and third most desirable wards to live in.
• Time Magazine included Nagoya City in the top 50 World’s Greatest Places ranking, particularly praising its theme parks and whiskey.
• Nagoya appears high in most GDP-based industry rankings due to the strength of its car and import industries. Because of this focus on industry, the city is linked together with an expansive train, shipping, and road network that makes it easy to navigate.

Affordable Housing

Photo: iStock/ tupungato

Nagoya is a nice blend of big-city appeal and small-city prices. Housing prices are 17% cheaper than Japan’s capital. The money goes further, too, with the average home being 50-70% larger than in Tokyo or Osaka.

Similarly, the average rent for the most desirable properties, the 2LDK and 3LDK, is more affordable than the other big cities:

Low Cost of Living

Photo: iStock/ Noppasin Wongchum

Speaking of prices, the cost of living in Nagoya is low, making it a good city for those on a tight budget. Students are particularly fortunate if they study in Nagoya. When the Japan Student Services Organization did its annual estimate of the cost of living of the major cities in Japan for students, Nagoya was much cheaper than other cities: 

Nagoya was also the only one of the major cities to have a total cost of living less than the national average (¥148,000).

Nagoya is also cheaper for goods. Although this survey was done before the recent rise in prices, especially in rice, Nagoya was consistently cheaper than Osaka.

Travel is cheaper than in most of the other cities, with many people purchasing the unlimited travel pass because of how affordable it is: 

Quality of Life

Photo: PIXTA/ T-Urasima

Quality of life is high in Nagoya. Compared to the other big cities, the average commuting time is much shorter: 

This makes working in Nagoya a lot easier, especially for late sleepers.

As well as a good working culture, Nagoya also has some excellent recreation options:

Hub for Travel

Photo: iStock/ Thananat

Speaking of travel, Nagoya is considered a hub, convenient for traveling both around Japan and internationally.

For international travelers, Nagoya has a big international airport, Chubu Airport, which has recently been undergoing renovation. As a result, the airport has been attracting many more big airlines. You can fly directly to a variety of destinations, including Shanghai, Manila, Busan, Guam, Singapore, Hawaii and Ho Chi Minh. 

Similarly, as a midpoint between Kobe and Tokyo on the bullet train, it is just as convenient for traveling around Japan: 

• Unlike other bullet train stations, Nagoya’s station is located right in the heart of the downtown area, allowing you to go shopping or pick up your favorite coffee and sweets before riding. 
• Easy access to Kyoto, Osaka, Mie, Gifu and Tokyo.

Points of Interest 

Photo: iStock/ coward_lion

As a place to visit, Nagoya has something for any kind of visitor, offering a perfect blend of traditional attractions with more modern ones. Much as Osaka is known for Universal Studios Japan and Tokyo is known for Disneyland, Nagoya is known for Ghibli Park, the home of the creations of Hayao Miyazaki, known as Japan’s Walt Disney. Attractions include:

Overall, Nagoya is a great place to live. While it lacks the scale of some of the bigger cities, it has a lot to offer in a small area.

What do you think? Is Nagoya the best place to live in Japan, or are there other places that should be highlighted? Let us know in the comments!

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• Joe says:

  October 2, 2024 at 8:32 am

  I lived in Okazaki for one year and had to go to Nagoya weekly. The people there are not very friendly, the food is not very good, and when compared to Osaka, the food in Nagoya sucks. My friend lived in Nagoya as he was in the companies main office, and after five years he said he can not live in Nagoya any longer and moved back to the US. Osaka, super friendly people and great food and a lot more to do than in Nagoya.
• Dan Lavender says:

  September 28, 2024 at 9:33 pm

  Nagoya:- everything shuts early.
  The people are the stingiest in Japan and it’s just too small and the atmosphere sucks.
• Nonya Bizniz says:

  September 27, 2024 at 11:25 pm

  I miss living in Nagoya. I took a job in Tokyo for the money/chance to get out of teaching and I regret it everyday I get on a train.