May

While I absolutely love living in Nagoya, one thing frustrates me about this fair city. No, it’s not that it has a reputation for being boring, and it’s not that the subway stops at about midnight (this isn’t Antarctica, you know!) My Nagoya bugbear is the Nayabashi area. Here, a river gently bisects the city, with bars and restaurants running alongside it. But rather than having many al fresco waterfront dining spots, most of the bars – Midtown BBQ aside – face the other way, onto the road. If this a European city, the Nayabashi area would be a thriving, bustling nightspot, a natural draw to the city center. As it is, it is little more than a wasted opportunity. Except for, that is, the monthly-held Nayabashi Night Market, also known as Nayabashi Yoichi What’s on at Nayabashi Night Market? Usually held on the fourth Friday of every month, the riverbank of the Horikawa River area between the Nayabashi and Nishikibashi Bridges, Nayabashi Yoichi is an outdoor festival of fun, food, and local stores and handicrafts that comes to life as the sun begins to set. With dusk falling, those much-ignored streets come to life with a buzz of people…