Toyota City is an industrial city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture. Contrary to what others know, Toyota City got its name from the famous company, Toyota Motor Corporation and not the other way around.

The city used to be a town named Koromo but gained the city status on March 1, 1951. It later then absorbed the village of Takahashi from Nishimakoin on September 30, 1956. On January 1, 1959, Koromo City changed its name to Toyota City due to the economic importance of Toyota Motor Corporation, who was the city’s major employer at that time up until today.

Though the city is not a known destination for tourists, there are actually a lot of foreigners living in the area, especially those who work in the corporation. Aside from that fact, Toyota City actually has a lot of interesting attractions and good food that many tourists will enjoy.

Museums

Toyota City has a number of interesting museums, mostly supported by Toyota Motor Corporation and other public museums in the city.

If you enjoy minimalist and modern design, then you should definitely visit the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, the city’s premier museum. The museum has a number of modern art exhibits and installations set in striking, contemporary buildings. The large, permanent collection includes works by both Japanese and foreign artists. The museum building was constructed by an internationally known designer, Yoshio Taniguchi.

Another museum that by the corporation is the Toyota Kaikan Museum which showcases the latest products and displays the history of Toyota Motor Corporation. The museum has a large showroom where visitors can get inside the vehicles and a number of video displays and panels demonstrating Toyota’s production process and the safety features in Toyota cars. Taking photos inside the museum is not allowed. This makes the whole experience a lot more meaningful.

But aside from the company-sponsored museums, the city also has some open museums that can be visited without admission fees. One of them is Toyota City Museum of Modern Industry & Living that exhibits the machinery once used in the silk industry and recreates typical tatami-rooms from the Meiji Period.

Festivals

Throughout the year, Toyota City holds a number of festivals. One of the most known and the biggest festival in the city is the Koromo Festival, a harvest festival held on the 3rd Sunday of October annually where eight floats (dashi) are paraded through the city by participants wearing happi coats, a traditional lightweight cotton jackets worn mostly during Japanese festivals. The floats are then gathered near the shrine at night while fireworks light up the sky over the Yahagi River.

They also celebrate Oiden Festival which is held on the last Saturday of July every year. It is a modern dance parade and competition through the main street in Toyota City leading up to Toyota Stadium. Then on Sunday, following that day, the city displays a magnificent 2-hour fireworks show for the audience that takes place along the banks of the Yahagi River near Toyota Stadium.

Food and Specialties

Even though Toyota is considered an industrial city, it also prides itself on being the number one producer of rice in Aichi Prefecture. The city grows a variety of rice such as Mineasahi, known as rare rice, Koshihikari, and Daichi no Kaze. As one of the biggest rice producers, they are also known for their rice-produced products like sake (rice wine) and their local specialty, Gohei Mochi Rice Cake, a molded rice stuck onto a wooden skewer and then grilled and coated with sauce. If you visit Toyota City, make sure to get a taste of this specialty.

Where to Stay?

Toyota is a nice and convenient place for a day trip or drop-offs if you are traveling to Nagoya. But before going on a trip, make sure that you have secured your apartment already, as it might be tough if you go to an unfamiliar place without a place to stay over. And the most convenient way to do it? By visiting KaguAruoo online!

With over 300 listings in Nagoya, you can browse freely over each apartment and take a look at each listing. You can also visit the landlord’s profile if you want to see other listings from the same landlord. If you feel like you need further assistance, you can start chatting with their active chat support representative. Aside from that, one of the advantages that KaguAruoo offers to its users is its function to let the landlord and the tenant communicate directly through the website, and most especially, pay the accommodation and sign the contract online. If you’re staying in Tokyo or from other countries, you can still secure your desired apartment without going all the way to Nagoya.