Nagoya Sightseeing – Osu Kannon Temple and Osu Arcade Shopping Street Walk (Recommended for Daytime Drinking)

For tourists who want to fully experience Nagoya, one recommended city sightseeing route is walking through “Osu Shopping Street” starting from “Osu Kannon.”

While retaining the look of a historic place of worship, once you step into the arcade you find a multi-hobby shopping street that suits people of all tastes: multinational street food, retro culture, izakayas that bustle from daytime on, and several maid cafes. That is Osu Arcade Shopping Street.

Based on the author’s own experiences, this article introduces the charms of “Osu Shopping Street” starting from “Osu Kannon.”

Charms of Osu Kannon and Osu Arcade Shopping Street

Worship at Osu Kannon and Its Historic Appearance

As a symbolic spot of the Osu area, “Osu Kannon” is a temple known for its vivid vermilion main hall. Although it is by no means large, it is just right for stopping by to pray.

Because it sits right next to Osu Shopping Street, many people stop by to pray between walks, making it a temple visited by many whether on weekdays or weekends.

At shrines, the rule is “two bows, two claps, one bow,” but since Osu Kannon is a temple, you pray by “quietly joining your hands together (gassho).”

Location

Osu Kannon is located in Naka Ward, Nagoya City. For access, take Exit 2 of “Osu Kannon Station” on the Subway Tsurumai Line, and it is right in front of you. Access from Nagoya Station and Sakae Station is also good, and because it sits next to the shopping street, it makes an easy starting point for walking.

A Vast Arcade Street with Everything and Playful Monuments

Starting right next to Osu Kannon, a huge “Osu Shopping Street” arcade stretches out for a total length of about 1.7 kilometers.

The passageways are dome-shaped with high ceilings and an open feel. Diverse shops across every genre—drugstores, clothing stores, multinational eateries, and more—crowd together, keeping up a lively space where people of all ages and genders come and go.

As a particular cultural feature, there are many “secondhand clothing stores,” including plenty where you can buy rock-style clothing, giving the sense that it influences the fashion culture of many Nagoya locals.

Coming across unique monuments that catch your eye in various parts of the shopping street is another feature. The giant “Maneki-neko” (beckoning cat) in the plaza gets playful touches—such as wearing a wig depending on the season or event—making it one of Osu’s standard meetup spots.

Banshoji Temple (Kagakurin Banshoji), Highlighted by a Dragon Piercing Through a Building

As you walk through Osu Shopping Street (arcade), a giant white dragon monument—installed as if piercing through the wall of a building joined to a modern structure—suddenly appears before your eyes.

The main hall has an advanced design incorporating digital high-tech, and at first glance it does not look like a temple—but it firmly has a main hall and is a temple. A huge LED monitor stands in front of the main hall, creating a striking scene unique to Osu where the atmosphere of a traditional temple and modern technology mix.

At shrines, the rule is “two bows, two claps, one bow,” but since Kagakurin Banshoji is a temple, you pray by “quietly joining your hands together (gassho).”

Dango and Desserts for Women, and Izakayas for Drinking from Daytime for Middle-Aged Men!

In areas popular with young people and women, shops selling cute-looking dango, the latest trending sweets, and desserts perfect for eating while walking stand side by side with long lines. There are also streets lined with traditional izakayas hung with red lanterns, standing bars, and multinational food stalls. In Osu, you can also see adults casually enjoying beer or sours from daytime on weekdays.

A Town with Surprisingly Many Eye-Catching Maid Cafes

Osu is also a subculture holy land called “Nagoya’s Akihabara.” As you walk through the town, maid cafe signs and maids handing out flyers surprisingly catch your eye.

Numerous shops, from long-established famous stores to unique concept cafes, gather around the arcade, creating a unique culture street. Enjoying Osu this way seems interesting too.

Location, Access, and How to Get to Osu Arcade Shopping Street

Location

Osu Shopping Street is located in Osu, Naka Ward, Nagoya City. Because the arcade spreads across a vast area, the following two subway stations serve as bases for a walk:

• Subway Tsurumai Line “Osu Kannon Station” (short walk from Exit 2)
• Subway Meijo Line / Tsurumai Line “Kamimaezu Station” (short walk from Exits 8 and 9)

Summary: Osu Kannon and Osu Arcade Shopping Street

While retaining the look of a historic temple town, the Osu area is an extremely energetic town that has developed its own culture and food culture.

The fun of Osu is that it shows completely different faces depending on the visitor’s purpose. With outstanding access of about 10 to 15 minutes by subway from Nagoya Station or Sakae Station, it makes a recommended city sightseeing option where you can catch a glimpse of Nagoya character and Nagoya’s everyday life.