Nagoya: Static and Steam (and Seriously Good Miso)
okay, so nagoya. it wasn’t on the ‘must-see’ list, honestly. it just…happened. a last-minute flight deal, a cancelled gig in *osaka, and suddenly i was wandering around trying to figure out where the heck i was. the numbers 6698269 and 1392003238 keep popping into my head, which is weird, probably just jet lag. i’m a touring session drummer, so my brain is usually a chaotic mess of rhythms and setlists, not random digits.
first impressions? a lot of concrete. a lot. and a surprisingly efficient subway system. i’m used to places where getting anywhere feels like an olympic sport, but this was…smooth. almost unsettlingly so. i just checked and it’s feeling like a damp hug right now, hope you like that kind of thing. The weather report said 10.82 degrees Celsius, but it feels like 9.05, which, honestly, is about right. The air pressure is kinda heavy, 1024, and the humidity is at 42%, so my hair is doing that thing where it tries to become a separate entity.
i spent a good chunk of yesterday just getting lost in the oasu shopping arcade. it’s…intense. like, sensory overload intense. tiny shops crammed with everything you could possibly imagine, and a million people all moving at once. i found this amazing little vintage shop (because, obviously, a drummer needs vintage finds) and the owner, a tiny woman with the coolest glasses, told me about this hidden ramen place.
she said, and i quote, "don't go to Ichiran. it's for tourists. go to Menya Musashi. it's where real people eat."
so i did. and she was right. it was incredible. seriously, the best ramen i’ve had in ages. i also overheard someone complaining about the crowds at Nagoya Castle on TripAdvisor, saying it was “like being herded through a zoo.” i’m not sure i need to see a castle that badly.
my hotel is near kanayama station, and the neighbors are…quiet. mostly salarymen rushing to and from work. if you get bored, kyoto and tokyo are just a quick bullet train ride away. i’ve been trying to find some live music, but it’s proving difficult. i did stumble across this cool little bar near the station, though. the bartender, a guy named kenji, makes a mean old fashioned. he told me about a local music venue, but warned me it’s “a bit rough around the edges.” apparently, it’s a favorite hangout for university students and aspiring musicians. i’m checking it out tonight. you can find more info about local events on this Nagoya City Tourism website.
someone told me that the Atsuta Shrine is worth a visit, but it gets packed* on weekends. i’m thinking of going on a weekday. i also read on a local forum that the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology is surprisingly interesting, even if you’re not a car person. i’m not a car person, but i’m always up for something different.
honestly, nagoya is growing on me. it’s not flashy or glamorous, but it’s real. it’s got a vibe. a slightly melancholic, industrial vibe, but a vibe nonetheless. and the miso is seriously good. i’m going to go find some more now. maybe i’ll even try to decipher those numbers…or maybe i’ll just stick to the ramen. you can find some good restaurant reviews on Yelp.
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