Nagoya Families

Aichi Prefecture is, of course, famed for its manufacturing. The area has a long and illustrious history of being the center of Japan’s engineering industry, particularly in the automotive sector, but did you know that the prefecture is responsible for more than 50 percent of all aeronautical parts produced in the country? The Aichi Museum of Flight in Toyoyama, just a 25-minute shuttle bus ride from Nagoya Station, is celebrating this contribution and Japan’s historical fascination with all things that go up-tiddly-up-up. With exhibitions set to send kids wild with excitement, enthrall aeronautics fanatics, and entertain just about anyone looking for something a bit different to do, the museum is fun for all the family and more. Flights of Fancy The Aichi Museum of Flight is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of flight. In a large hangar, the museum houses many aircraft, including a NAMC YS-11, a turboprop airliner used by the Japan Self-Defense Force in the early 1960s, a twin jet Hawker 400, and an MH2000 utility helicopter. However, for real history buffs, the biggest draw will be the full-scale model of a Zero Fighter, the aircraft used by the Japanese Air Force during The Pacific…