Japan's fourth-largest metropolitan area, Nagoya long suffered from a reputation as a place to pass through, wedged between Tokyo and Kyoto on the Shinkansen line. Cruisers who stop here know, however, that it hides a castle famous for its golden dolphins, one of the most revered shrines in the country and an industrial culture that gave Toyota to the world. A port call here means the Japan of workshops and engineers, served with a regional cuisine of strong character.

Two Piers, One Bay

Large ships use the Kinjo pier, in the port area south of the city; smaller vessels go up to Garden Pier, next to a leisure area that includes one of the largest aquariums in Japan and an icebreaker turned Antarctic museum. Downtown is about ten kilometres away: cruise lines offer shuttles, and the rail network takes over, with the Meiko subway line from Nagoyako station near Garden Pier and the Aonami line from Kinjo-futo. Useful pointers:

The Castle of the Golden Dolphins

Rebuilt after the bombings of 1945, the castle remains the city's symbol, recognizable by the two golden shachihoko, half-tiger, half-fish creatures, gleaming at the top of its keep. The gardens and ramparts can be explored freely, and the adjoining Honmaru Palace, faithfully restored with its gold-leaf painted panels, ranks among the finest reconstructions of feudal lords' architecture in the country. In spring, the cherry trees along the moats turn the walk into a photographic parade; the rest of the year, herons and carp share the moats in complete indifference to visitors.

Atsuta, the Shrine of the Sword

Amid a grove of centuries-old camphor trees, Atsuta Shrine is approaching nineteen hundred years of existence and is said to house the sacred sword Kusanagi, one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan, never shown to the public. People come here to breathe in the solemnity of great Shinto sites: raked gravel, offerings, priests in white and traditional weddings on auspicious days. The shaded paths offer a welcome break before diving back into the city, and the kishimen stalls in the grounds let you have lunch without a detour.

Machines, Skyscrapers and Miso

The Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, set in the former Toyoda family spinning mill, traces the journey from looms to automobile assembly lines; its demonstrations of working machines fascinate far beyond mechanics enthusiasts. The Sakae district concentrates department stores, a TV tower and underground shopping arcades, while the Osu shopping arcades, around their temple with the red lantern, mix vintage clothing, second-hand electronics and snack stands in a bazaar atmosphere locals love. Families will also enjoy the city's science museum, recognizable by its giant silver globe, which houses one of the largest planetariums in the world. When it comes to flavours, Nagoya proudly defends its red miso: breaded cutlet topped with miso, flat kishimen noodles, and grilled eel served three ways according to the hitsumabushi ritual.

At departure time, the port cranes and factory silhouettes file past along the channel, a reminder that this bay built its fortune on work rather than show. Perhaps that is the lesson of the stop: Nagoya doesn't pose, it produces, and the traveller who gives it a day discovers a major Japanese city that has stayed true to what it makes.