Nagoya was an important castle town in the Edo period, standing astride the Tokaido highway and with domains extending as far as the Kiso valley on the Nakasendo highway. Today, it is a major industrial city, the center of Toyota’s automobile manufacturing, among other industries. While Osaka is famous for its commercial activities, Tokyo for its modern industry and government, and Kyoto for its culture, Nagoya remains a major metropolitan area without a clear and distinct identity.
