Nagoya City

A couple of years ago, there was some consternation amongst Nagoyans when the tall trees that lined Sakae’s Hisaya Odori Park were chopped down one by one. The two-kilometer long park was an oasis of green in an otherwise concrete landscape, and with the area slated for redevelopment as a shopping complex, many lamented its passing. However, judging by the current popularity of its replacement, the new Rayard Mitsui Shopping Park, it seems that the loss of the trees has been put to the back of many minds. About Rayard Mitsui Shopping Park Situated around Nagoya’s iconic TV Tower, the Rayard Mitsui Shopping Park is a complex of high-end restaurants, cafes, and stores, in which you can mill around the shops, enjoy a coffee or something stronger, grab a bite to eat, or simply enjoy the sunshine on the grass. The park is separated into four zones, each with its distinct feel and flavor. Zone 1, the most northerly area in the direction of Nagoya Castle, remains mostly parkland, as is Zone 2, though the latter does have a decent Korean barbecue restaurant in Yakiniku Tokugawaen, a few cafes, and a branch of Nagoya’s renowned sake bar Koji Marutani. Zone…