Nagoya : Nagoya Station

Nagoya station or "Mei-eki" as it is locally known is Nagoya's one stop Railway station, shopping destination and business centre. The station ranks among the world's largest in terms of floor area. The station is also the 6th most busiest railway station in Japan.

Nagoya station first opened up on May 1st 1886 but construction of the current JR Central Towers was completed in end of December 1999. 

The JR Central Twin Towers rising high above the Nagoya station comprises of a 245 meter high 55 storey high Office Tower building and a 59 storey Hotel building and is one of Nagoya's landmark skyscrapers. The JR Towers are the headquarters of the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). 

The Office Tower houses a Takashimaya Departmental Store, Tower Plaza Shopping Mall and the JR Nagoya Station on the lower floors, while the upper floors are occupied by various offices. The Golden clock outside the Takashimaya departmental store is a popular meeting spot at the JR station. Similarly a Silver Clock outside the Shinkansen entrance is another popular meeting spot. 

The 55th floor of the Office Tower used to be a Observation Deck but that has been converted into a Panorama Salon comprising a Cafe, a Wine Lounge and a Beauty Salon and Health Spa, all of which offer great views of the city. 

The Hotel Tower houses a Marriott Hotel and the top floor has a restaurant and lounge which offer breathtaking views of Nagoya city. 

Following railway lines run through the JR Nagoya Station :

1. Tokaido Shinkansen (for Shin Yokohama, Tokyo, Shin Osaka and Kyoto)

2. Tokaido Main Line (for Gifu, Okazaki, Toyohashi, Hamamatsu, Maibara, Kariya, Obu and         Gamagori)

3. Chuo Main Line (for Kozoji, Nakatsugawa and Tajimi)

4. Takayama Main Line (Limited express trains running for Gero and Takayama in Gifu 

    prefecture)

5. Kansai Main Line (For Yokkaichi, Tsu and Kameyama)

6. Aonami Line (for Kinjo Futo) 

7. Nagoya City Subway Higashiyama Line (oldest subway line connecting Fujigaoka and 

    Takabata)

8. Nagoya City Subway Sakuradori Line  

Adjacent to the JR Nagoya station is the Meitetsu Department store. In the basement of this building is the Meitetsu Nagoya Station,the terminal of the Meitetsu Nagoya Railway.  Meitetsu line connects Nagoya to the Chubu Centrair International airport in nearby Tokoname city.

The Kintetsu Nagoya Station which is the terminal of the Kintetsu Nagoya Line.

A JR Express Bus Terminal is located just outside the JR Central Towers on the Shinkansen gate side. 

This  23 meter high metal structure stands in front of the JR Central Towers.

Nagoya's tallest building the 247 metre tall Midland Square is also located close to the JR Central Towers. 

This building was completed in 2007 and is officially known as Toyota-Mainichi Building. This building is also Japan's 5th tallest building and also houses a number of houses including those of Toyota corporation, Mainichi Shimbun and Towa Corporation. It also houses a shopping centre comprising mainly brand stores, automobile showrooms and a cinema. The building also houses Japan's highest open air observation deck. It also has double floored elevators which reach the top in just 40 seconds.

Also in the vicinity is the 36 storeyed 170 meter tall Mode Gakuen Spiral Building which was built in 2008. This building is home to three vocational schools - Nagoya Mode Gakuen (fashion, beauty and design), HAL Nagoya (animation, web designing, gaming) and Nagoya Isen (medical).