Are you thinking about moving to Aichi? Here’s a guide to the top places to live in Aichi, with the cities, entertainment, shopping, and more of this Chubu region prefecture.

Top 5 Places to Live in Aichi: Nagoya

Nagoya is the biggest and most well-known city in Aichi, and one of the top 3 largest cities in Japan. While it’s a large city, apartments in Nagoya are relatively cheap compared to larger cities. If you’re moving to Nagoya, know that it’s the perfect size city for those who enjoy urban lifestyles but don’t particularly enjoy large crowds.

Public transportation in Nagoya is robust and well connected. As a bonus, it’s not too crowded. Living in Nagoya will help you keep some personal space, even during rush hour. And at other times of the day, it’s easy to get a seat. In short, Nagoya is among the best cities in Japan for maintaining an active lifestyle while living on a budget.

Top 5 Places to Live in Aichi: Toyohashi 

Not everyone in Aichi lives in Nagoya. Living in Toyohashi is an excellent option for those seeking a smaller city. It was the second-largest city in Aichi until the city of Toyota grew by merging with other cities. If you’re looking for a slower pace of life, moving to Toyohashi could be a great idea. Toyohashi is located on the coast and is home to the lovely Mukaiyama-Oike Ponds. Surfing is a popular activity in Toyohashi, which has some of the best surfing beaches in the Chubu region. Other local attractions include the Toyohashi Zoo, Yoshida Castle, the ruins of Nirengi Castle, and Toyohashi Park. As it is not a large city, apartments in Toyohashi are relatively affordable.

Top 5 Places to Live in Aichi: Toyota

Toyota is the second-largest city in Aichi Prefecture. As its name suggests, Toyota Motor Corporation has several manufacturing plants here, and it is a center of industry. If you’re moving to Toyota, you should know that this city is home to one of Aichi’s most famous autumn leaf viewing spots, Korankei Gorge. It also has rich cultural experiences, including viewing the Hina Dolls of Chuma in Asuke-Town, and the Asuke Festival. Living in Toyota is perfect for lovers of nature, technology, and Japanese culture. Apartments in Toyota are very convenient for those working at Toyota’s manufacturing facilities.

Top 5 Places to Live in Aichi: Ichinomiya

Ichinomiya is the fourth largest city in Aichi Prefecture, lying halfway between Nagoya and Gifu. Historically, it has been a center for woolen textiles since ancient times. If you’re moving to Ichinomiya, you should know about is the annual craft fair held at Masumida Shrine! It features over 100 stalls selling handcrafted items and craft materials, along with live music, food, and hands-on workshops. Ichinomiya also has the largest arch-style tower in Asia, named 138 Tower! “Ichino-mi-ya” can be translated in Japanese to the number 138, and the tower is 138 meters tall! Living in Ichinomiya is perfect for arts and crafts enthusiasts and lovers of Japanese culture. Apartments in Ichinomiya are affordable as well!

Top 5 Places to Live in Aichi: Okazaki

Like Toyohashi, Okazaki is one of Aichi’s smaller cities. That being said, it has been growing quite steadily in recent years. Most of the city is covered in forests, and much of the population is clustered in urban and residential areas. This means that if you enjoy hiking, camping, or other outdoor activities in the woods, living in Okazaki could be the perfect match for you. The city is well known for fireworks and puts on a fireworks show every year in August. People come from all over the country to see the show. Okazaki Castle is another famous attraction. Moving to Okazaki puts you a bit closer to Nagoya than Toyohashi, making it a better city for those who wish to commute there for work. Apartments in Okazaki are generally affordable as it is a smaller city.

Expat Community in Aichi

Aichi is a pretty good place for foreigners in Japan to live. With about 140,000 foreign residents, ex-pats in Aichi are unlikely to feel out of place. However, the ex-pat community in Aichi is small enough that it’s difficult to surround yourself with other foreigners, which is easy to do in Tokyo. This means that without putting in a lot of effort to find other foreigners or practice your Japanese, you can make friends with other ex-pats and Japanese residents alike. 

Shopping and Entertainment 

If you live in or visit Nagoya, you’ll realize that Aichi has almost everything Tokyo does. There are plenty of fun things in Aichi, including shopping malls, department stores, and small shops. There’s plenty of nightlife to be found as well. Aichi has lots of bars, pachinko parlors, and clubs for you to enjoy. Public transportation is quite well connected throughout Aichi, so you’ll have no trouble getting around. Living in Aichi, you’ll have no trouble finding something to do.

Nature in Aichi

While those of us in the city can forget it from time to time, Japan is home to lots of exceptional natural beauty. People who enjoy hiking can find lots of amazing trails to trek in Aichi. Some highly recommended spots include the Kiso River, Mount Gozaisho, and Mount Ureyama. In addition to hiking, the mountains in Aichi are great for activities like snowboarding and skiing during the winter. Living in Chubu is great for nature activities.

Cultural Spots in Aichi

While cities like Nagoya have many modern conveniences, Aichi has preserved much of its cultural heritage. There are many castles, shrines, temples, museums, and galleries to visit when you have downtime. The most well-known castle in Aichi is the Inuyama Castle, which has been designated as a national treasure. Some cool shrines and temples to visit include the Atsuta Jingu Shrine, Tagata Jinja Shrine, and Nittaiji Temple, but there are many, many more.

The Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology and SCMAGLEV, and Railway Park are very popular museums in Aichi. Another fun place to visit is the Japan Monkey Park, especially if you have children. Aichi Prefecture is one of the best places in Japan for cultural exploration.

If you get bored in Aichi, it’s relatively easy to travel to nearby prefectures in the Kansai region. There, you can see more shrines, museums, and castles, or go shopping or clubbing in a whole new scene. Wondering where to live in Japan? Read more of our guides about living in Japan in the Village House blog! Village House has many apartments in Aichi with low upfront costs!