Naka-ku, Nagoya

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Naka (中区; -ku, lit. "central ward") is the heart of Nagoya, Japan. Largely hemmed in by Sakura-Dori (桜通り), Otsu-dori (大津通り), Fushimi-Dori (伏見通り) and Tsurumai-Dori (鶴舞通り), it contains the main shopping area of Sakae (featuring, as well as the expected concentration of department stores and fashion buildings, a massive air-conditioned 5 square-kilometer underground mall and the 'after-five' semi-red light districts of Nishiki and Shin-sakae. There is also Osu, a sprawling old-style small-trader shopping area spreading out from the large Osu-kannon (大須観音) Buddhist temple, where an antiques' flea market is sometimes held. The covered streets with their often dusty stalls selling yesteryear's fashion garments, TVs and exotic medications (ground up sea-snake, anyone?) give a taste of what Japan might have been like before occupation. Between Osu and Sakae can be found the city's Science and Modern Art museums. South of Osu is Kanayama (straddling the border with Atsuta-ku and Nakagawa-ku), Nagoya's second-most important rail transportation hub after Nagoya Station and major access point for the new Central Japan International Airport. Many izakayas (bars) and pachinko parlors can be found in its vicinity.

After blanket bombing in WW2, most of Nagoya was burned to the ground. Nagoya is a good example of how the Japanese made use of the devastation to completely redesign and rebuild its cities. Following the grid-like design of New York, large streets stretch out from Naka-ku towards the suburbs. The city is especially proud of Sakae's 100-meter road (100メートル道路) so named because of its width. There are small parks and areas for public performances in the area between two four-lane roads that service the city centre. The road is close to 100 m in width, and 1 km in length.

Naka-ku is also home to the city's Opera House and the main government offices, including the architecturally-interesting Nagoya City Hall (市役所) and the Aichi Prefectural Government (愛知県庁).

An interesting fact about Nagoya in general is that until the 1980s, town-planners were not allowed to build anything above 6 stories in height outside of the business districts, unless it was for 'danchi' (団地), the Corbusier-like apartment blocks that blight certain parts of every Japanese city. The rules have been relaxed now, but a lot of the more suburban parts of the city are strangely bland as a result of the low architecture.