Atsuta Shrine and Osu Snacking Course

This is a classic course in Nagoya that lets you taste both history and bustle. You quietly worship at the venerable Atsuta Shrine, which enshrines one of the three sacred treasures, then enjoy lively snacking at Osu, the largest shopping street in Nagoya. Both are reached by subway, and since worship on the grounds and walking the shopping street are free, you can enjoy the day easily. It works for solo travelers and groups of friends alike, and takes about five to six hours.

Course Route

9:30 Start at Atsuta Shrine Worship at the main hall while wrapped in the wide forested grounds. Worship on the grounds is free, and you can feel the sacred air around the great camphor tree said to be over a thousand years old. If you have time, look into the treasure hall (admission is on the order of a few hundred yen) and Kusanagikan, which displays famous swords. The treasure hall is usually open from around nine in the morning to the late afternoon.

11:00 A break with Kiyome Mochi At Kiyome Mochi Sohonke near the shrine, taste the famous sweet of smooth bean paste wrapped in soft habutae mochi. A set with matcha is perfect for a rest after worship.

12:00 Move to Osu shopping street Take the subway toward Osu. The nearest station to Atsuta Shrine is Atsuta Jingu Temmacho on the Meijo line, and the nearest stations to Osu are Kamimaezu on the same Meijo line or Osu Kannon on the Tsurumai line. Including transfers it is a ride of a bit over ten minutes, and entering the arcade the mood shifts at once to lively and energetic.

12:30 Lunch and snacking in Osu In a shopping street gathering international gourmet such as Korean food, taiyaki, and Taiwanese sweets, enjoy snacking as the mood takes you. Many shops let you try items from a few hundred yen, which is part of the appeal.

15:00 A post meal wander and souvenirs Shop while peeking into unique variety stores and long established wagashi shops. Choose Nagoya souvenirs such as uiro to finish.

Highlights

• The forested grounds of dignified Atsuta Shrine enshrining a sacred treasure
• The great camphor sacred tree said to be over a thousand years old
• Kiyome Mochi, the classic sweet for worshippers
• Osu, the largest Nagoya shopping street gathering international gourmet

Access and Tips

• Meitetsu Jingumae Station, JR Atsuta Station, or Atsuta Jingu Temmacho Station on the Meijo subway line is convenient for the shrine
• You can move from Atsuta Shrine to Osu by the Meijo subway line and others, and including transfers it is a bit over ten minutes
• Osu has much snacking gourmet, so visit hungry
• The arcade lets you walk Osu without getting wet even in rain

Practical Travel Notes

• Recommended timing: Worshipping at Atsuta Shrine in the quiet morning hours and snacking in Osu from midday makes for an easy flow. Paid facilities such as the shrine treasure hall close in the late afternoon, so drop by early if you want to see them.
• Avoiding crowds: Except for New Year and festival days, Atsuta Shrine is fairly relaxed. Osu is busiest on weekend afternoons, so weekdays or earlier hours are the sweet spot.
• Time guide: Allow about one hour to stroll the shrine grounds and two to three hours for snacking and shopping in Osu for a comfortable pace.
• Nearby stops: Osu has Osu Kannon (Hoshoin) and Bansho-ji, which you can visit between bites. Around Atsuta Shrine there are long established hitsumabushi restaurants such as Atsuta Horaiken.
• Budget sense: Worship on the grounds and walking the shopping street are free. Paid facilities such as the treasure hall are a few hundred yen, and snacks are mostly a few hundred yen each, so lunch and treats together stay reasonable.

A Quick Tip

The charm of this course is tasting two contrasting places in one day, the calm of Atsuta Shrine and the bustle of Osu. Osu offers approachable snacking gourmet, so deciding on a few things you want to eat beforehand helps you get around even the crowded lanes without hesitation. Visit in comfortable shoes and stay hydrated as you go.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Admission: Visiting Atsuta Jingu Shrine and strolling through the Osu shopping district are both free of charge. The Treasure Hall costs 500 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students, the Kusanagi-kan Sword Museum costs 500 yen, and a combined ticket for both is 800 yen
• Opening hours and closing days: Both the Treasure Hall and Kusanagi-kan are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (last entry 4:00 p.m.). The Treasure Hall is closed on the last Thursday of every month and the day before, and from December 25 to 31. Kusanagi-kan has different closing days, so check the official website
• Amulet office and goshuin stamps: The amulet office at Atsuta Jingu is open daily from around 7:00 a.m. until around sunset. Goshuin stamps are also available during these hours. Reception for prayers and kagura is from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Getting between the stops: From Atsuta Jingu Temma-cho Station to Kamimaezu Station there is no transfer on the subway Meijo Line. From Kamimaezu Station the Osu shopping district is a 2-minute walk, and from Osu Kannon Station it is a 3-minute walk
• Access: Atsuta Jingu is within walking distance of Jingu-mae Station on the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line, Atsuta Jingu Temma-cho Station and Atsuta Jingu Nishi Station on the subway Meijo Line, and Atsuta Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line
• Parking: The shrine grounds of Atsuta Jingu have about 400 spaces in total: the East Gate (about 300 cars), the South Gate (about 60 cars) and the West Gate (about 40 cars). The gates generally close at 5:00 p.m., and use is restricted during festivals and events. Over the New Year period the lots are closed in stages from late December to mid-January, so public transport is the safer choice at that time. Kiyome Saryo has no parking
• How long to allow: About 1 hour to stroll the grounds of Atsuta Jingu and pay your respects, plus another hour if you visit the exhibition halls. Eating your way around Osu and shopping takes 2-3 hours
• Can you do it in reverse?: Yes. Taking an early lunch in Osu and then heading to Atsuta Jingu makes no difference to the travel time. However, the exhibition halls close at 4:30 p.m., so if you want to see them it is safer to visit Atsuta Jingu first
• If it rains: The Osu shopping district is linked by several covered arcades, so you can walk around almost without getting wet. The approach to Atsuta Jingu has no roof, so you will need an umbrella
• Footwear and clothing: The approach to Atsuta Jingu is covered in gravel, and there are stone steps in front of the main hall. Osu is easy to walk, with flat paved surfaces inside the arcades
• Strollers and wheelchairs: Inside the Osu arcades there are few steps, making it an easy route even with a stroller. The approach to Atsuta Jingu is gravel, so it takes a little more effort to push
• To avoid the crowds: Apart from the New Year period and the days of the grand festival, you can visit Atsuta Jingu at a relaxed pace. Osu peaks on weekend afternoons, so weekdays or earlier in the morning are your best bet
• Budget guide: Visiting the shrine and strolling are free. Allowing around 3,000 yen for the 800-yen combined ticket for the exhibition halls, a break at the tea house, street food and lunch is plenty
• Note on closing days: Kiyome Saryo is closed on Wednesdays (Thursday when Wednesday is a public holiday)

Information Sources

The reception hours of the amulet office at Atsuta Jingu, the reception hours for prayers and kagura, and the location, capacity, closing times and New Year closures of the parking areas on the shrine grounds were confirmed in the guidance on the official Atsuta Jingu website. The opening hours, closing days and admission fees of the Treasure Hall come from the shrine's Treasure Hall page, while the opening date of the Kusanagi-kan Sword Museum (October 4, 2021, or Reiwa 3), the number of swords in its collection, its admission fee and combined ticket, and its closing days come from the facility information on Aichi Now, the official Aichi Prefecture tourism website. The opening hours, closing days, location, access and menu of Kiyome Saryo, the walking times from the nearest stations to the Osu shopping district, and the histories of Osu Kannon (Kitanosan Shinpuku-ji Hosho-in) and Banshoji Temple were taken from the relevant pages of Nagoya Concierge, the official tourism information site of the City of Nagoya. Opening hours and prices are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.