Shop the city: Nagoya

Nagoya tends to be overlooked in favour of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, but this is unfair for all sorts of reasons – one of the most prominent being shopping. From the glitzy malls of Sakae and the covered shopping streets of Osu to the high-rise complexes by Nagoya station and even temple markets, Japan’s fourth-biggest city serves up myriad ways to indulge in retail therapy.

Traditional crafts, brand-name bargains and gourmet treats – Nagoya has it all.

1. Osu Kannon Market and Osu Shotengai

Sometimes the best bargains to be had in Japan are found at temple markets – that’s true in Nagoya as well. Osu Kannon Temple, which has been a central part of the Osu district since the 1600s, hosts two small but worthwhile antique markets on the 18th and 28th of each month. Osu, a centuries-old merchants’ quarter, is also home to the sprawling covered arcades, boutiques and restaurants of Osu Shotengai shopping district.

Osu Kannon: 2 Chome-21-47 Osu, Naka Ward, Nagoya Osu Shotengai: 3 Chome Osu, Naka Ward, Nagoya

2. Miura Knives

Also located in Osu, Miura Knives highlights just how hyper-focused Japan’s culinary world can be. Stocking handcrafted knives from around the country, this store sells blades for every occasion, whether that’s prepping eel, slicing noodles or gliding through raw fish. If you are after something more practical to take home, the staff can also help you choose a gyuto or santoku – both are types of multi-purpose kitchen knife.

3. Komehyo

This Nagoya-born chain of thrift stores is proof that shopping for branded goods in Japan doesn’t have to be expensive. There are several branches in Osu alone, including one store dedicated to used kimono (the Kimonokan) and its seven-storey flagship, the Honkan. At the latter, the focus is on used luxury and designer goods, but there are bargains to be had on brand names such as Rolex, Cartier and many more.

4. Lachic

Run by the same company as the neighbouring Mitsukoshi Department Store, this sleek mall in Sakae is home to six floors of small boutiques. Between them, they cover clothing, jewellery and interior design representing a mix of international and domestic brands. If you need a lunch break, the building is capped by two floors of restaurants and cafés, with several outlets offering classic Nagoya flavours, such as the breaded miso pork cutlet (miso katsu) at Yabaton and the chopped char-grilled eel over rice (hitsumabushi) served by Bincho.

5. Nagoya’s depachika

The term depachika refers to the basement level floors in Japanese department stores, which typically are given over to mouth-watering deli counters, indulgent confectioners and all sorts of other edible goodies. Like other big cities, Nagoya has a fantastic collection of depachika that are a must for any foodie, ranging from Takashimaya above JR Nagoya station and Meitetsu at Meitetsu Nagoya station to Mitsukoshi in Sakae. All are great for grabbing an edible gift or souvenir to take home, like sweets, chocolates and cakes – alongside lunch on the go.

6. Noritake

One stop north of Nagoya Station on the Higashiyama subway line, Noritake Garden goes above and beyond a typical tableware shop. Occupying red brick warehouses from the early 1900s, when the company began making fine bone china, Noritake’s facility has retail space for its ornately decorated products, but also areas where you can paint your own porcelain, browse a collection of vintage dishes or watch artisans creating moulds, glaze firing and sketching complicated designs freehand onto plates and vases.

7. JR Central Towers and JR Gate Tower

Towering some 50 storeys above Nagoya Station, the twin Central Towers and adjoining Gate Tower together form one of Nagoya’s biggest urban complexes, packed with hotels, restaurants, offices and all kinds of shops. These include a plush branch of the Takashimaya department store and fashion outlets like Uniqlo and GU, plus home electronics giant Bic Camera and seven floors of Hands, Japan’s iconic variety store that sells everything from quirky party supplies and kitchen utensils to art materials, stationery and travel goods. If that weren’t enough, beneath it there’s a warren of stores in the Gate Walk underground mall. It’s an entire day’s worth of shopping at one location.

8. Nagoya crafts

As well as being an economic powerhouse home to Toyota, Nagoya has a rich history of traditional crafts. In Osu, these include Suehirodo and its sensu (folding fans), while in Endoji (halfway between Nagoya station and Nagoya Castle), there are the chochin paper lanterns crafted by Wazamon Chaya. Or head 20 minutes south out of the city centre on the Meitetsu-Nagoya line to find Arimatsu, a town home to the unique tie-dye technique shibori. Purchase beautifully coloured cloth items, from clothing to homewares, at shops like Kobo Yuhataya, which also holds occasional shibori workshops.

Suehirodo: 1 Chome-20-14 Shinmichi, Nishi Ward

Wazamon Chaya: 1-20-34 Nagono, Nishi Ward

Kobo Yuhataya: 1901 Arimatsu, Midori Ward