Osu Shopping District: Plan a Smarter Half-Day in Nagoya

You’ll find vintage clothing, old Famicom games and miso pork cutlets within a few doors of each other in Osu. You won’t find one single shopping street here. Instead, you’ll explore covered arcades and side lanes between Osu Kannon Temple and Banshoji.

I moved to Osu in summer 2000 and lived above the skating rink until 2007. After 25 years in Nagoya, I’ve learned that a little planning can save you time and money. You’ll enjoy Osu more if you know roughly where you want to go before you start walking.

Official tourism material often compares Osu to a mix of Harajuku and Akihabara. You can still see why. From the 1970s, improved subway access helped Osu become one of Japan’s three major electronics shopping areas. It ranked alongside Tokyo’s Akihabara and Osaka’s Nipponbashi.

As major retailers moved that trade elsewhere, Osu shifted towards vintage clothing, anime, manga and other subcultures. That is the version you’ll mostly see today.

When I first lived there, you could still find more traditional Japanese shops and small independent businesses. Today, you’ll see more chains, ¥100 shops and international food stalls. Even so, you can still find enough eccentricity for Osu to retain its distinctive character.

Pro tip: Avoid Wednesdays as many shps are closed

Whether Osu Fits Your Trip

If you’re hunting for secondhand clothing, watches, anime merchandise, manga, retro games or cheap food, Osu gives you plenty of choice. You’ll find specialist stores alongside quirky independent shops, although prices and quality can vary even on the same street.

If you prefer quiet, predictable luxury shopping, you’ll probably find Sakae a better fit.

Weekday mornings and afternoons are noticeably quieter across the district. Weekend afternoons and public holidays are the busiest times, so a weekday visit or an early weekend start both make for an easier walk through the arcades.

Most independent shops open somewhere between 10am and noon, so there is little reason to arrive before mid morning.

Getting There and Finding Your Bearings

You can reach Osu from two nearby subway stations, with a third a short walk from the eastern edge. Osu Kannon Station on the Tsurumai Line puts you about three minutes from the temple via Exit 2. If you’re new to Osu, you’ll probably find this the simplest place to start.

From Kamimaezu Station, you can reach the arcades within a few minutes from Exit 8. The Tsurumai and Meijo lines both stop there. You can then walk through the shopping streets to Osu Kannon Temple in another five to ten minutes. If you approach from the east, you can also use Yaba-cho Station on the Meijo Line.

Search for 大須観音 and 万松寺 on Google Maps and use them as your two main landmarks. You’ll keep your bearings more easily with these landmarks than with individual shop pins. You’ll find a network of covered streets and side lanes rather than one simple shopping strip.

If Google Maps sends you through a building, return to the nearest main arcade and try another route.

You can still see the building above the Osu skating rink where I lived for several years. It sits about five minutes on foot from Osu Kannon Station.

You might appreciate one of my favourite memories from that time. I once bumped into Mao Asada in the convenience store downstairs before she became an Olympic silver medallist. The convenience store is now a Komeda coffee shop but the rink is still there. That small memory shows you just how long Osu has been part of my life.

What to Shop For

Vintage Clothing

You should judge vintage pieces by their fabric, construction, label, condition and fit, not age alone. A faded designer label does not automatically make an item valuable.

Compare a few shops before you buy anything. You can also photograph measurements as you browse, especially when fitting rooms are limited.

Secondhand Luxury at KOMEHYO

You’ll find KOMEHYO across several adjoining buildings at 3-25-31 Osu. It sells new and secondhand jewellery, watches, bags, branded clothing and casual clothing.

The building usually opens around 10.30am. You can walk there in about five minutes from Osu Kannon Station or Kamimaezu Station.

Because stock changes quickly, you’ll get more value from comparing items than searching for one specific piece.

During the second half of 2026, you’ll find the ground-floor jewellery section undergoing phased renovations. The rest of the building continues trading as normal. KOMEHYO plans to reopen the whole section in winter.

Anime and Manga at Mandarake

You can visit Mandarake at 3-18-21 Osu every day from midday to 8pm. The store covers four floors of secondhand manga, figures, toys and other collectibles.

You’ll find the main toy section on the second floor. You can browse older figures across the first, second and fourth floors.

The shelves can get packed, and item condition varies considerably. Give yourself enough time to browse properly rather than planning a quick visit.

Retro Games at Super Potato

You’ll find Super Potato Nagoya Store on Akamon-dori, about five minutes on foot from Kamimaezu Station. It opens daily from 11am to 8pm and sells retro consoles, cartridges and accessories. You’ll also find a Kirby merchandise section that the store is currently expanding.

If you plan to take an older Japanese console overseas, check its power and video requirements before buying. Japan uses 100-volt electricity, so UK and European buyers will usually need a suitable replacement power supply or transformer. You may also need an adapter or upscaler to connect older consoles to a modern television.

Where and When to Eat

You are spoilt for choice in Osu when it comes to food.

Personally, whenever I visit I either grab some street food and eat it outside where I bought it or while walking.

Yes, Japanese do this too in some areas.

There are also lots of Taiwanese, Korean and Asian options all over the place.

From little cafes, bubble tea (called Tapioca milk tea here), Thai, Vietnamese, along with cheaper and upscale Japanese izakayas.

Miso Katsu

You can try Nagoya-style miso katsu, a pork cutlet topped with fermented soybean miso sauce. Yabaton is one of Nagoya’s best-known names for the dish.

You’ll find Yabaton’s original honten in Yabacho, just outside the main Osu arcades.

Near Osu Kannon Temple, you can visit a separate retro-style branch called Mukashi no Yabaton. It focuses more on miso oden and kushikatsu than the main restaurant’s miso-katsu menu.

You can sit down inside, including in private rooms, or use the takeaway counter. That makes it handy if you want to keep exploring the arcades.

You’ll often see lunch queues build around midday, especially at weekends. Eat before noon or after about 1.30pm if you want to reduce your waiting time.

Avoiding Common Time Wasters

You’ll usually get better value from regular merchandise than novelty souvenirs or mystery grab bags. A dramatic display does not make an item rare. Check at least two shops before you buy anything marketed as limited.

You can pay by card or mobile in many shops, but some smaller independents still prefer cash. Carrying some yen can save you from hunting for an ATM.

From 1 November, you’ll pay the full tax-inclusive price in store. You can then receive the consumption tax refund after customs confirms the goods are leaving Japan. You’ll generally need to complete this within 90 days of purchase.

From November, you’ll no longer need sealed packaging for consumable goods. However, you must still take the goods out of Japan with you. If you open or use them before departure, you could lose your refund.

You may find tiny changing rooms in secondhand clothing shops, while some shops have none at all. You’ll also find that vintage items are rarely returnable. Check measurements and condition carefully before you pay.

If you visit on the 18th or 28th, you can browse Osu Kannon Temple’s flea and antique market. The market runs from early morning until around 4pm, although some stallholders leave earlier. On the 28th, you can also visit a related market at Banshoji.

Two Routes to Follow

If Osu is one of several stops, you can cover the main area in around 90 minutes. Start at Osu Kannon and walk east through the main arcades towards Banshoji.

Spend about 30 minutes on what interests you most, such as collectibles, retro games or vintage clothing. Use the remaining time for food and a quick look around the main shopping street near Banshoji.

A half day version suits anyone treating Osu as the main event. Begin near Osu Kannon, walk toward Banshoji, and aim to eat before the midday queues build. From there, work through KOMEHYO, Mandarake or Super Potato depending on what you are shopping for, and keep at least forty five minutes unplanned.

Pairing Osu with Sakae

You can combine Osu and Sakae without rushing between them. From Kamimaezu Station, you can reach Sakae on the Meijo Line in about three minutes.

Yaba-cho is the only stop between them, so you won’t need to change trains. You can also walk between Osu and Sakae in around 20 to 25 minutes.

If the weather allows, walking gives you another easy option. You’ll usually get more from both areas by giving each one half a day.

Frequently Asked Questions