[Nagoya Trip] Ceramics, Camphor Trees, and Night Jewels. A Nagoya "Casual Trip" Diary (Noritake Garden - Atsuta Jingu - Nagoya TV Tower)

0. Introduction

Inspired by the TV anime "Zatsu-Tabi" (Casual Trip), I went on a spontaneous, aimless trip somewhere—a memory of one summer. It has been over a month, so my memories are already becoming hazy, but I am putting pen to paper to write them down before they fade away completely. So that I can look back on them whenever I want.

I visited the following four locations:
・Noritake Garden
・Atsuta Jingu
・Nagoya TV Tower (Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER)
・Oasis 21

I had my eye on "Noritake Garden" beforehand, thinking I wanted to go there, but everything else was completely unplanned (so it wasn't a "casual trip" strictly following the work...). However, even though it was unplanned, I ended up settling for safe choices for the remaining tourist spots.

So, in this article, I would like to introduce my visit to the four locations mentioned above in order. I have written this with the intention that you can get a sense of the trip just by reading it, so please stay with me until the end (you can also use the table of contents to look at only the tourist spots you are interested in).

1. Noritake Garden - Enchanted by the Beauty of Ceramics

The reason I wanted to go to Noritake Garden was that I heard beautiful ceramics were on display. Don't you feel like your heart becomes enriched when you see beautiful ceramics? You do, right? Please say you do! (Is this a three-stage conjugation? ...). Also, the fact that I had a personal interest in the company "Noritake" played a part (the corporate appeal of "Noritake" will be mentioned later).

a. From Nagoya Station to Noritake Garden

I arrived at Noritake Garden after about a 20-minute walk from Nagoya Station. That said, it took me about an hour after arriving in Nagoya because I struggled to escape the Nagoya Station building...
The maximum temperature that day was close to 35°C, and walking in the sun was quite an ordeal. I had no choice but to look for shade as much as possible (it seems I could have walked in a cool path for part of the way if I had taken the underground passage). On the way, I saw a Nagoya City manhole cover, and it has some kind of insect drawn on it. Do you know what kind of insect it is?

It turns out it is a water strider. The reason a water strider was adopted for the design seems to be that water striders are a symbol of creatures that live in clean water, and it is meant to express how much Nagoya City purifies its water to the point where it becomes that clean.

Come to think of it, the manhole cover in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture, features fireflies, and since fireflies also only live in places with clear water, there might be such a commonality among the insects drawn on manhole covers.

b. Lunch at Noritake Garden

I finally arrived, but first, I was captivated by the sight of the red brick buildings lined up. It is a landscape that looks just like a painting.

Now, although I had the desire to see various things, it was already past noon and I was hungry, so I decided to have lunch. At a cafe with a calm atmosphere, I ordered a hamburger steak and rice set and Noritake tea.

The Japanese-style hamburger steak had its juices locked inside and was very delicious. I think the tea itself was standard, but when it was served poured into a high-class Noritake teacup, it felt glamorous all at once. I was surprised by its charm, wondering if it could change so much just because of the tableware. I felt the value in the experience of drinking from Noritake tableware.

c Learning about bone china at the Craft Center

Now that I've had lunch, it's finally time to move on to the main attraction: a tour of the Craft Center and Noritake Museum (Admission: 500 yen for adults).

The 1st and 2nd floors are dedicated to introducing the manufacturing process of how bone china is made. The raw materials and technical innovations are explained in detail with actual items on display (photography is not allowed).
It was particularly interesting to learn that the name "bone china" comes from the fact that it was made by mixing in cow bones. It originated in England, where they wanted to create white porcelain like that from China, but English soil did not contain much kaolin (which is essential for white porcelain), making it quite difficult. So, after much trial and error, they realized that by mixing in cow bones, they could create pottery close to white porcelain. That is how bone china was born. Because of the difference in ingredients, it is not exactly the same, and there are differences in translucency, gloss, and shrinkage rates. By the way, nowadays, it is often made by mixing calcium phosphate directly instead of using bones.
Also, you can see professional craftsmen molding and painting the pottery up close, which is well worth seeing.
On the 2nd floor, you can also experience painting your own plate, but I gave up on that because my aesthetic sense is hopeless. There were many children there, and they seemed to be having a lot of fun. It might make for a nice souvenir of your trip.

d Appreciating artistic pottery at the Noritake Museum

On the 3rd and 4th floors, many collections that gather the best of Noritake are on display (photography is allowed). Elegant and sophisticated tableware is lined up, which is a feast for the eyes. On the 3rd floor, there is a display of dinner table sets, and a world like a Western fairy tale spreads out before you.

The 4th floor also has an impressive collection on display, and I was truly healed. Below, I have posted a few works that personally caught my eye.

Well, seeing living creatures depicted is healing... Just being able to see the face of that deer makes the ticket price well worth it. It's so hot outside that I'll be staring at these for a while longer...

e Learning about "Noritake" at the Welcome Center

Noritake is a super-excellent company listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is a core company of the Morimura Group. The Morimura Group includes NGK Insulators (which has a high market share in honeycomb ceramics for exhaust gas and insulators for steel towers, as well as NAS batteries), NGK Spark Plug (world leader in automotive plugs and exhaust sensors), and TOTO (sanitary ware) (Metawater is a spin-off of NGK Insulators, and INAX was once part of the Morimura Group, I believe).

And when you think of "Noritake," you naturally think of "tableware," right?
However, in reality, the sales composition ratio of the tableware business is only about 5%, and the operating profit margin is almost zero. It might just be positioned as something they are "continuing as their founding business." I think many people might find that surprising.
So, if Noritake is not a tableware company, what kind of company is it?
Actually, it is a company with strengths in industrial equipment, boasting the top domestic market share in "grinding wheels" for processing metal parts and products. In addition, it develops a wide range of businesses, such as ceramic materials for electronic components like smartphones and firing furnaces used in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. I believe they also handle polishing tools for semiconductors.
That said, these are not disorderly diversifications, but all born derivatively with "technologies cultivated through tableware manufacturing" as the core. In other words, it is a very logical development based on core pottery manufacturing technologies such as "polishing," "painting" (ceramic materials for electronic components are derived from painting materials), and "firing." This is a very interesting point.
Also, these corporate groups are working on the development of products aimed at solving environmental problems, and I personally have a good impression of the fact that the business itself has a nature close to social contribution activities. In addition, many of the companies in the group are financially stable (by the way, I am particularly fond of "NGK Insulators." It might seem like a strange hobby to say I "like" or "dislike" a company... Of course, this is not intended to recommend investment. Please do so at your own risk).
Anyway, if you know this background, I'm sure you'll be convinced that "Noritake" is an amazing company.
By the way, on the premises of Noritake Garden, there is a Welcome Center that introduces the company's history and business content. It is very interesting as it also displays the origins and philosophy of the Morimura Group, so if you are interested, please visit it (one of the reasons I visited "Noritake Garden" was because I wanted to see this facility).

2 Atsuta Jingu Shrine - A camphor tree over 1,000 years old

I stayed at Noritake Garden for too long (or rather, it was too hot and I lost the energy to go outside), so I set off for Atsuta Jingu Shrine in the evening. I aimed for Atsuta Jingu Shrine because it was a famous shrine that even I, who am not very knowledgeable about shrines, knew. For now, I returned to Nagoya Station and took the Meitetsu line from there to head to the nearest station.

When I looked it up, I found that a museum specializing in swords had been newly built at Atsuta Jingu a few years ago, and I thought, "Oh, that sounds great," so I decided to head there first. However, it seems they close at 4:30 PM, and since I arrived after 5:00 PM, I couldn't get in. I guess that's what happens when you just show up without a plan. It's typical of a "casual trip" with no itinerary, and if it were the protagonist, Suzugamori-san, she would have been happy, saying, "I've got a story I can laugh about!" but I still felt a little let down (Suzugamori-san is amazing).
(↓I was supposed to see this. There were even names I recognized from Japanese history class.)

Well, if I kept feeling down, I'd just melt into the dark night, so I pulled myself together and decided to go see the famous camphor tree.

This tree is said to have been planted by Kobo Daishi Kukai, and it is reportedly over 1,000 years old. I couldn't help but feel something mystical in its overwhelming presence, which exists beyond the human concept of time. It is as if the memories of the land itself reside in this camphor tree, which has been watching over the Atsuta area for 1,000 years. When I stand nearby and close my eyes, the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind sounds like voices reaching me from the distant past, and I feel as if the tree is speaking to me quietly.

3. Nagoya TV Tower - A night view as if jewels were scattered about

Speaking of Nagoya, it has to be the TV Tower, so I took a bus from Atsuta Jingu and headed to "Sakae," the center of Nagoya. By the time I arrived, the sky was already dim, making it the perfect time to see the night view. I immediately headed to the ticket counter, aiming for the observation deck where I could get a panoramic view of Nagoya's night scenery.

Perhaps because it was during the Obon holiday, it was a bit crowded, and there was about a 20-minute wait to get on the elevator to the observation deck.
It seems that a collaboration project with "Deramasu x THE IDOLM@STER SHINY COLORS" was being held during the summer vacation, so visitors were given novelty cards, and the observation area was decorated. Furthermore, thanks to a collaboration with NAKED, projection mapping was projected onto the windows of the observation area, making it look like a celestial aquarium (I was so mesmerized that I forgot to take pictures...).

Now, there is a space like a rooftop garden from which you can overlook Nagoya at night. First, let me show you the photos.

It was as if the Milky Way was flowing at my feet, and I couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be to swim freely through the night in Nagoya (I was intoxicated by the atmosphere...).

Well, after enjoying the night view of Nagoya for about an hour, let's go down to the lower world and look up at the tower from below.

The TV Tower looked up at from below was very beautiful, and its silver paint shone coldly in the dark night. If the water surface in front hadn't been rippling, it would have been perfect with a mirror-like reflection, but I think I saw something more than good enough even with this.
Come to think of it, this radio tower was the first in the country to be designated as a National Important Cultural Property. It seems its historical significance as a pioneer of radio towers nationwide and its technical aspects, such as being built almost entirely by hand, were highly evaluated. By the way, the designer is Tachu Naito, known as the "Father of Towers," who also designed the Tokyo Tower and the Sapporo TV Tower.

4. Oasis 21 - Futuristic architecture

Oasis 21, a futuristic building modeled after a spaceship. Just a few hours ago, I was feeling the eternal passage of time like the flow of a great river, but now I am suddenly enveloped in a scene that evokes the future. To be able to experience both extremes—the past and the future—in a single trip is a busy yet luxurious day (I'm still a bit tipsy...).

The rooftop area is glass-covered and filled with water, creating a fantastical atmosphere by reflecting the light. If I had come during the day, I probably would have been able to witness the mysterious sight of the sky visible through the water surface when looking up at this large roof from the first floor. Oasis 21 seems to be a hub for urban transportation, and I couldn't help but think how proud one would feel to be able to commute to work or school through here every day. I felt that the coolness I experienced was not just due to the time of day, but surely also in no small part due to the heat of vaporization.

I mean, look around—it's full of couples. It's interesting to watch, but if I get exposed to too much of this positive energy, I'll dry up, so I'm retreating now!

5. Finally - A quick introduction to the souvenirs -

1. Aoyagi Uiro - Sakura

I bought some "Uiro" at a commercial facility adjacent to Meitetsu Jingu-mae Station. When you think of Nagoya, you think of "Uiro," right? The matcha flavor was already sold out, but I managed to get the sakura flavor I was looking for. When I got home and tried it, it was delicious as expected! There are many shops, but Aoyagi's Uiro has a reliable, classic feel (I want to go on a Uiro shop tour someday!).

I had actually planned to buy them at Nagoya Station on my way back, but I arrived just in time for the last train and didn't have the luxury of checking the shops (they were probably closed). As it turned out, buying them here was a great decision. It was a nice risk hedge. Oh, I forgot about the Nagoya specialty, "Piyorin"...

2. Aichi-exclusive Cinnamoroll local pins

I won these from a capsule toy machine at the Nagoya TV Tower observation deck. When regional-exclusive capsule toys are set up at tourist spots like this, I get an irresistible urge to play them as a memento of my trip (I'm weak to the phrase "region-exclusive"...). Also, since my tastes remain childish, I react with a "sparkle" even more when I see things like Sanrio.

I had thought that since I was at the TV Tower, a My Melody design pin might be nice, but since Cinnamoroll is my favorite character, this is fine. It seems Sanrio characters are popular with people from overseas as well, as there was a small line of foreigners.

3. Noritake My Neighbor Totoro design tableware

And the biggest prize of this trip is the tableware I got at Noritake Garden. First, take a look.

Totoro-designed cups and plates. Both have the "Noritake" stamp clearly engraved on the back. Perhaps due to the influence of Ghibli Park being in the prefecture, there is a wide variety of Totoro series items available, and I chose these two this time. I picked them not only for the cuteness of the illustrations but also with my budget in mind, yet once I actually held them in my hands, I was made to feel that "Noritake really is different."

The translucent whiteness and smooth texture have an elegance not found in other tableware. When I actually poured chamomile tea into them, my usual drink felt much more special.

And the most surprising thing was the translucency. When held up to the light, you can actually see your fingertips through it. This is a unique characteristic of bone china. It was the moment I truly experienced high-quality pottery.

I hope to continue using these with care while gradually adding to my collection of favorites.

Well, that is all for this article. I hope I was able to provide a little bit of a travel mood. I would be very happy if this serves as a reference for your next trip. Thank you so much for reading this far.

Please feel free to check this out as well!

6. Questionnaire