Founded in 1939 as the football department of Toyota Motor Corporation, the club turned professional in 1991 as one of the J.League's founding "Original Ten" members under the name "Grampus Eight." The name derives from the English word "grampus" (a type of dolphin), a nod to the golden shachihoko adorning Nagoya Castle.

After struggling in the early J.League years, a pivotal moment came in 1995 when Arsene Wenger was appointed manager -- his first senior managerial role before his legendary tenure at Arsenal. Wenger led Grampus to the Emperor's Cup title and a league runners-up finish. In 2010, under Dragan Stojkovic, the club achieved its crowning glory: a maiden J1 League championship. Backed by Toyota's financial stability, Nagoya remains one of the Chubu region's flagship clubs, operating a dual-stadium setup with Toyota Stadium and the newly renovated Paloma Mizuho Stadium (capacity ~30,000, reopened in March 2026).

In January 1995, Frenchman Arsene Wenger arrived in Nagoya to take charge of his first-ever senior team. He introduced rigorous training methods, nutritional science, and tactical discipline to a club that had been languishing near the bottom of J1. In his debut season he won the Emperor's Cup; the following year the team finished second in the league.

Wenger departed for Arsenal in autumn 1996 and went on to win three Premier League titles, including the famous "Invincibles" season. His time in Nagoya was the launchpad for one of football's greatest managerial careers, and it remains a proud chapter in the club's history.