Nagoya is one of the exciting cities in Japan with many attractions as well as tons of shopping options around the city. Sakae is one of the busiest shopping districts in Nagoya featuring many high-end brands. A stop away from Nagoya Station and Sakae is the Osu Shopping District. The street is lined with small, sheltered stalls, which offer youu a different shopping experience in Nagoya. From Nagoya Station, you can take the yellow Higashiyama Line to Fushimi and transfer to the blue Tsurumai Line to Osu Kannon Station. The Osu Shopping District is just steps away from the station.
A grand Buddhist temple welcomes you
You know that you are in the right place when you spot a grand Buddhist temple at the entrance. This is the Osu Kannon Temple, which is popular with the locals too. For visitors, you can snap some pictures in the temple but avoid snapping pictures of the devotees without permission. There is usually a flock of pigeons outside the temple where students and devotees can be seen feeding them with food. Be careful as the pigeons will fly just above your head or almost right into you! They do not seem to be afraid of humans at all.
Be surprised by the doors at the Alice on Wednesday store
Remember the story ‘Alice in Wonderland’? This similar themed shop is known as Alice on Wednesday, and offers various accessories and chocolates in adorable shapes related to the topic. The shop is easily spotted with the unique doors where only one, which is the smallest, can be accessed into the shop. Be careful since you have to bend down to get through that small door, just like Alice! It is totally fun, and you can find lots of cute accessories, pouches, umbrellas, and cookies on the shelf. It can be rather crowded in the small store, but if you are fan of ‘Alice in Wonderland’, make sure to grab some loot!
Start of the shopping district
The Osu shopping district has existed for more than 400 years, and there are more than a thousand shops along the street. There are 8 major streets in this shopping district namely Osu Kannon, Nioumon, Oso Hon-Dori, Monzen-Cho, Banshoji, Higashi Nioumon, Akamon, and Shintenchi Street. Each street is coded by a different color, and you will know that you are entering and exiting the street with the colored signage. First-time visitors are likely to get lost in this maze, but there are maps around to tell you your current location.
Visit the famous 2nd hand store - Komehyo
Komehyo is a famous 2nd hand store in Japan with several branches. You can find Komehyo along Osu Street, so step in to see what sort of gems you can find here at a discounted price. There are 3 individual stores located away from one another along the street. The first store sells only Kimonos, while the second sells musical instruments. Move on to the 3rd stall which is 7 stories high and offers 2nd hand branded items, including high-end watches and bags. The top levels are used to sell unbranded clothing, and they are arranged based on their prices by weight. If you do some looking around, you may find a gem here in Komehyo.
Feeling hungry along the way?
Fret not! There are tons of restaurants and snack bars along the street. From kebabs to Japanese snacks, there are various cuisines for you to choose from. There is a quiet café at the corner of the street known as Café Kanon. It serves good coffee and salads for a quick light bite for lunch.
Get lost in the maze
A sheltered shopping district with numerous interesting shops and restaurants to select from is a great way to start your vacation in Nagoya. Skip the conventional malls and experience shopping in a different style. Have fun exploring the maze across the 8 streets. You are certainly going to find something you love in one of these corners!
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
