Looking for a place in Nagoya where you can enjoy dining, shopping, and picture-perfect spots all in one stop?

Step into Sakae, Nagoya’s bustling downtown district, and you’ll immediately notice a massive LED wall that seems to bloom like a never-ending flower garden. This is Maruei Galleria, a new landmark that opened in 2022. Inside, you’ll find Nagoya’s largest MUJI store, the popular yakiniku restaurant Jojoen, which draws international visitors, and even large-scale digital art by teamLab that you can enjoy for free—making it a favorite destination for tourists.

Maruei Galleria is directly connected to Sakae Subway Station and just a 5–10 minute walk from other attractions such as Chubu Electric MIRAI TOWER, Oasis 21, and Hisaya Odori Park. In just half a day, you can combine sightseeing and shopping across the Sakae area. With plenty of nearby hotels, many travelers drop off their luggage and head straight to Maruei Galleria for a meal to make the most of their time.

Let's take a closer look at the recommended shops and restaurants inside Maruei Galleria.

Recommended Shops at Maruei Galleria

MUJI, 2nd Floor: Nagoya’s Largest MUJI Store

MUJI has stores overseas, but shopping in Japan offers better value and access to Japan-exclusive items. For this reason, it’s a must-visit store for international travelers during their trip.

If you want to visit MUJI in Nagoya, Maruei Galleria is the place to go. This is Nagoya’s largest MUJI store, occupying an entire floor, which makes shopping more comfortable. With its extensive inventory, you’re more likely to find items that may be sold out or unavailable at other locations.

Maruei Galleria’s MUJI is the only store in Japan’s Central Japan region to carry MUJI LABO. MUJI LABO is the brand’s premium apparel line, emphasizing simplicity, high-quality materials, and meticulous attention to detail. It offers durable, top-quality clothing and is available at only 18 locations across Japan—one of which is right here at Maruei Galleria.

G-SHOCK, 1st Floor: Central Japan’s Only G-SHOCK STORE

The G-SHOCK watch brand was launched by Japan’s Casio in 1983, born from the unconventional idea of creating a watch that wouldn’t break. Known for its durability and reliability, it has earned fans both in Japan and around the world.

The only G-SHOCK flagship store in the Central Japan region is located here at Maruei Galleria. The shop carries a wide range of models, including G-SHOCK and BABY-G, with the popular G-SQUAD line designed for sports and fitness. The watches feature easy-to-read displays and can track steps, calories burned, heart rate, and more.

The flagship MR-G series combines traditional Japanese craftsmanship with precise metal design, offering robust yet luxurious timepieces that are fan favorites.

The store also features digital touch panels where you can browse watch styling examples from G-SHOCK STORE staff across Japan. In addition, professional technicians are available for battery replacements and repair services.

Recommended Dining at Maruei Galleria

Otaru Masazushi, 3rd Floor: A Luxurious Omakase Sushi Experience

Omakase sushi, which originated in the Edo period, is a dining style where skilled sushi chefs select the freshest seafood and seasonal ingredients of the day and serve them in their finest form. For international visitors who are less familiar with Japanese seafood, it’s a stress-free way to enjoy a meal while building anticipation and experiencing the delicate art of Japanese hospitality.

On the 3rd floor of Maruei Galleria, Otaru Masazushi is the only omakase sushi restaurant in the Tokai region that uses ingredients directly sourced from Hokkaido. Its main branch is in Hokkaido, allowing diners in Nagoya to enjoy rare seafood such as botan shrimp and uni at reasonable prices. Highly rated on Google, it’s a popular spot among international visitors.

The Premium Omakase begins with a warm soup to prepare your palate, followed by sashimi, shellfish, nigiri, abalone grilled with butter and soy sauce, squid somen (thinly sliced squid with uni sauce), uni, hand-rolled sushi, and dessert. Light dishes, rich dishes, hot dishes, cold dishes—the sequence is carefully orchestrated like a symphony with its intro, climax, and lingering finale.

The counter seats are highly recommended, allowing you to watch the chef skillfully prepare and craft each piece of sushi, turning the experience into a performance of edible art. Many international visitors can’t resist capturing the moment on their smartphones.

Another highlight of dining at Otaru Masazushi is the chance to interact with the chef right in front of you. There’s no worry about being intrusive—chefs happily engage with foreign guests and communicate as much as possible in English. Even a simple "delicious" or a small reaction is meaningful feedback for the chef.

To secure ingredients, reservations are strongly recommended. You can also indicate any foods you dislike when booking. Walk-ins may be accommodated if there’s availability, but it could involve a wait, and entry may be limited depending on ingredient availability.

Jojoen, 3rd Floor: A Highly Rated Premium Yakiniku Restaurant

Jojoen is a famous high-end yakiniku chain in Japan, known for its top-quality wagyu beef and elegant dining atmosphere. It’s a must-visit for international travelers. Aichi Prefecture has only two locations, and one of them, Jojoen Sakae, is in Maruei Galleria.

Popular dishes include salted tongue (tan shio) and premium short ribs (jo karubi), along with salads, kimchi, and fresh seafood. The lunch sets, which offer great value, are particularly praised by travelers.

The restaurant offers a variety of seating options, including circular sofa tables, tatami private rooms, table private rooms, and counter seats. The window-side seats overlooking Sakae add a romantic touch to your dining experience.

Kamadaki Gohan & Hamburg Taichi Shokudo, 3rd Floor: Grill Your Own Hamburg Steak

Kamadaki Gohan & Hamburg Taichi Shokudo, where diners grill their own Japanese-style hamburg steak, is a popular restaurant with long lines during lunch and dinner peak hours. Several points of pride keep guests coming back. The hamburg steak is made with 100% Japanese beef, guaranteeing exceptional quality. The rice is cooked to order in a traditional pot, giving it a glossy, fluffy, and slightly chewy texture. And because you can grill the hamburg to your ideal doneness, the juicy, beefy flavor pairs beautifully with the freshly cooked rice—creating a meal that's sure to bring a smile to your face.

Maruei Galleria is also home to more than ten other dining options. If you’re craving a late-night bite, Men-dokoro Guriko stays open until 1 a.m. and serves comforting bowls of tsukemen and ramen. If you’d like to experience Japan’s conveyor-belt sushi culture, Sushiro is a great choice. The Sushiro at Maruei Galleria features a large digital ordering screen with playful animations, making the ordering process feel almost like a game.

Must-See Giant Digital Art by teamLab

Outside Maruei Galleria, a massive LED screen displays an endless cycle of flowers blooming and scattering. Created by the art collective teamLab, the imagery is generated in real time, with the plants changing every second so that no two moments are ever the same. It feels like witnessing a fleeting moment of eternity, and many visitors stop here to take photos and enjoy the display.

Wrap-up

In the heart of the Sakae district, Maruei Galleria is a modern shopping complex where beauty is evident in every detail. Whether you want to enjoy shopping to your heart’s content or savor a leisurely, upscale meal, Maruei Galleria offers a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all visitors.