Halfway between Toyota and Nagoya, Togo is a small town that is regularly used by business travellers to Japan. It’s a classic Japanese town along National Route 153, with public transport access to a number of Nagoya’s important industrial hubs, including the famous home of the carmaker, Toyota.
Understandably, this small town in Aichi District has various car dealers, but it’s not all about the industry. A serene lake winds along the north of the town and it’s dappled with traditional early 19th century houses. A number of green parks like Suhara and Miyoshi are located nearby, along with a string of heritage buildings that celebrate the area’s history. Yukufu-ji Temple is another celebration of Togo’s history. The town of Toyota is situated eight kilometres to the east while Nagoya rises high 15 kilometres to the west.
Although Togo doesn’t have a train station, it can be reached using Nisshin and Komenoki stations, which are on the mainline between Nagoya, Toyota, and the cities along Chita Bay. The town itself is small enough to explore on foot, while a local bus network also connects Togo with its neighbouring towns.
The Toyota car company has had its headquarters in the town of Toyota since 1937. Funds to start the factory came by selling the patent for the Toyoda Model G Automatic Loom, a production line machine that could stop whenever a problem occurred.