The newest shopping mall in Nagoya is the talk of the city. With three floors and 217 shops, you're sure to find something that pleases you. You might think that all the malls are the same, just like all the AEON malls out there, but this one, Lalaporte, if even in a small way, seems like it is trying to be different.
First off, the entire interior feels very wide and spacious. I like the carpeted flooring on the upper floors, making a long day of shopping a little more comfortable for the legs.
If you've ever been looking around Japan for a Chapters or Indigo-like store, Lalaporte has the first one that I've seen. Just outside the entrance (on the right of the photo above) is the well-known Japanese book store Tsutaya. This one has a large Starbucks located inside where you can sit down with a warm coffee and read your favourite book without purchasing it.
The collections of stores may seem similar to the Aeon chain of malls, but I like that Lalaporte has a few chic zakka stores (selling home interior and various items), for example Zara Home or Loft. You can find things to use in your home that look modern but are very affordable.
Lastly, the restaurants in this mall stand out since many of them are firsts in the Tokai (central Japan) area. For example, there is a sit-down Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant that is all-you-can-eat. You don't have to fill up on only chicken though, there are salads, pastas, soups and desserts as well. Taiwan sweets are also becoming popular in Japan, and at this mall you can get your hands on some bubble tea. For a Nagoya sweets specialty, uiro (oo-ee-roh), go to the café 'Willows'; I just love that the English name is a play on the Japanese word for the sweet. The food court is not just all about burgers, sandwiches, and quick meals as you may be used to. This food court cooks up steaks on hot plates, puts together extravagant seafood sashimi rice bowls, serves up famous Michelin guide chef ramen and fries up slabs of beef as a different take on tonkatsu (pork cutlet).
Even though a mall is a mall, Lalaporte seems a little more modern and fitting for the generation and times. If you are in the Tokai area, I'd suggest checking it out instead of the widespread chain of Aeon malls. Getting there is easy, it's just a two minute walk from Minato Kuyakusho Station 港区役所. Just make sure to get on a Meijo line (purple city subway line) train that heads towards the tail sticking out of the circular line, otherwise you'll be going in circles!
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