Hi there, I’m a third year university student planning on studying abroad somewhere in Japan next summer in 2026. Currently, my most realistic/guaranteed option is in Nagoya at Nanzan University, however I’ve been told and have heard there’s not nearly as much to do or see in the city compared to other major cities. Given that I will only be doing a summer program, I will realistically have about 2 months (May to July) to explore anything that’s around and to potentially visit some more common spots in Tokyo, Osaka, etc.; time and budget permitting.
I personally think Nagoya may be a good option, especially for a study abroad experience as there will be less tourists (even if by a small margin) and more opportunities to use the language and immerse with the culture, coming from someone who has Japanese roots but has never gotten to travel to here or associate with the culture/language on a deep level before. This opportunity has been a huge dream of mine and I would be grateful for staying anywhere despite where I end up, so Nagoya isn’t a deal breaker by any means.
I have to have some definitive plans made by the middle to end of this fall, and am looking for any suggestions people may have. Any advice, input, or personal experiences would be appreciated and I look forward to this trip regardless of where I stay if everything works out within the next year. Thanks in advance!
by Dizzy-Arm-2145
2 comments
Nagoya is a great city with plenty to do, there just isn’t many tourist attractions when compared to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. I spent a year there and never ran out of things to do. Also, there’s barely any tourists, so it’s a great way to practice your Japanese since the locals don’t speak English as well as they might in Tokyo and Osaka.
Nagoya is fantastic – my best friend studied abroad at Nanzan and now he lives there. There’s plenty to do – Sakae and Nagoya Port always have places to go and things to do, and the big attractions (Ghibli Park, Toyota Museum) can all be visited in 2 months (source: I went to all of these places over 6 weeks last year). It’s also in a great location if you do want to go to other cities – its about an hour and a half to Tokyo on the Shinkansen, a 2 hour bus ride to Nara (and then another hour to Osaka if you want to hit both cities in the same day).