Types of stores
Near Nagoya Station and in the Sakae district, there are many specialty stores in the spacious underground shopping arcades, as well as a number of large department stores. Visitors can also shop at old, established stores and large modern outlets just a short trip from Nagoya Station.
Department stores
The areas around Nagoya Station and the Sakae district have numerous well-known department stores. They offer a vast array of brand-name and top-class goods as well as more popular merchandise. These stores also have restaurants and cafes on their premises, allowing shoppers to have a meal or rest while shopping.
Specialty stores
Nagoya is justly proud of the huge underground shopping arcades it has developed around Nagoya Station and in the Sakae district, and many specialty stores offering the special products of Aichi Prefecture are located in them. These massive underground malls are lined with all kinds of stores selling foodstuffs, daily necessities, clothes, books, and so on, making shopping in them very convenient.
Discount stores
The Osu area has the largest discount stores in Japan. They sell everything at moderate prices, from brand-name goods, jewelry, furs, and new and secondhand kimono to every day goods. There are also many discount drug stores all around Nagoya. The city also has a number of “100-yen shops,” where a wide variety of items, from daily sundries to foodstuffs and underwear, can all be purchased for 100 yen each, gaining these stores great popularity among the public.
Shopping malls
A very fashionable shopping mall is located near the Hoshigaoka Subway Station. The beautiful terraces surrounded by lush greenery give shopping there the relaxed feeling of a stroll.
Outlet malls
The outlet mall in Gamagori has many interesting shops, markets, and food courts. The area even has a one-day hot-springs spa (a facility where users only take a hot-springs bath, without staying overnight), so visitors can enjoy a pleasure-filled day of shopping. There is another very large outlet mall in the neighboring Nagashima area (in Mie Prefecture). Nearby this mall are a spa and other tourist attractions and leisure facilities, allowing visitors to have a very full day of fun and pleasure.
Supermarkets
Nagoya has many supermarkets where foodstuffs, clothing, and daily necessities can be cheaply purchased. Many also offer dry cleaning and photo processing services. With their wide array of foodstuffs and goods unique to Japan, supermarkets make ideal places to search for souvenirs and gifts.
Convenience stores
Because of their large number, convenience stores can be easily found everywhere in Nagoya. They sell a wide range of items from newspapers and magazines, obentolunches and side dishes, to underwear, daily necessities, and stamps, and most are open 24-hours a day, making them very convenient. Some convenience stores also sell alcoholic beverages and cigarettes.
Station shops and Kiosks
Stand-like shops and kiosks can be found in the JR, private railway, and subway station buildings and on train platforms. They mainly sell newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, beverages, and candy. In large terminal station buildings and in Shinkansen stations, there are also shops selling special obento(box lunches) that include the special foods of the area (sold in train stations, these obentoare meant to be eaten on the train) and local confections, and these shops are very convenient for long train journeys.
