Discover a different side of Nagoya. A trip to walk around Mount Kakuozan and take home your favorites

Kakuozan is an area recommended for sightseeing due to its easy access, about 15 minutes by train from Nagoya Station. In addition to historical sites, it is also home to popular sweet shops and unique shops run by young creators, creating an atmosphere that blends retro and modern. We suggest a trip that not only allows you to experience the charm of Kakuozan, but also allows you to take home your favorites and enjoy them after sightseeing.

Take home some special sweets

"Kakuozan Fruit Daifuku Benten" is popular for its "moe cut"

Since its opening in 2019, "Kakuozan Fruit Daifuku Benten" has become an instant hit on social media as a "moe-dan" sweet, and its flagship store is located here in the Kakuozan area. Moe-dan refers to the beautiful cross-section that appears when you cut a sandwich or sweet into it.

This is the shop where the "mochi-kiriito" (a string used to cut daifuku neatly) was invented, and it sparked the recent fruit daifuku boom. It has become so popular that it has recently opened branches in Tokyo and Osaka, but if you happen to be in Kakuozan, be sure to stop by the main store.

The distinctive feature of "Benten" fruit daifuku is that it uses whole seasonal fruits. They are very particular about the fruits they use, and use fruits delivered directly from markets in Nagoya, so you can directly feel the deliciousness of the fruits. The thin-skinned and light-bean paste daifuku is hand-wrapped by craftsmen every morning and is made with high-quality habutae flour, giving it a chewy texture.

The classic strawberry daifuku is popular, and depending on the season, different varieties of strawberries such as "Benihoppe" or "Amaou" are used, so be sure to take home a seasonal treat.

The interior of the store is compact and has a modern atmosphere. There are always more than 10 types of products in the showcase. Popular products may sell out by the evening, so we recommend coming early.

Kakuozan Fruit Daifuku Benten Kakuozan Main Store

Trend-setter "Chef Shibata Nagoya"

The Kakuozan area is home to many trendy new establishments, and is lined with shops offering sweets that are not only delicious but also visually original.

Located on the approach to Nittaiji Temple, Chef Shibata Nagoya is run by Tokai's leading pastry chef, Takeshi Shibata, and reopened in February 2021 with the theme of "an unorthodox confectionery shop." Known for its beautiful, art-like sweets, it is a popular shop that always has a constant line of customers.

Of the 25 items on the menu at any one time, the one we highly recommend is "L'Timme Chocolat" (860 yen), created to commemorate the store's renewal. It is a fragrant chocolate cake made with two types of chocolate, bitter chocolate and milk chocolate from the Ivory Coast, and the world's finest Tahitian vanilla creme brulée. The rich taste and aroma of the chocolate spreads in your mouth, with a light aftertaste, and you can also enjoy the crunchy texture of the puffs and hazelnuts.

Starting in April 2021, the sweet potato cheesecake "Kakuozan Cheesecake" (1,850 yen) has been introduced, made with sweet potatoes (Beni-Azuma) from Kakuozan's long-established store "Yoshiimo" and Comté cheese from cheese restaurant "Maison de Fromage." With an illustration of Nittai-ji Temple on the packaging, this is a new specialty dish in the Kakuozan area that is garnering attention. It is only available at the Nagoya store, so don't miss it.

Chez Shibata Nagoya

"ZARAME NAGOYA" - Freshly made donuts are the highlight

Next up is ZARAME NAGOYA, also located on the approach to the shrine, with its retro and chic exterior of brick and emerald green walls. Its donuts and hamburgers are extremely popular, and it's a shop that can be used for a variety of occasions, including breakfast, lunch, afternoon meals, and takeout.

The donuts are especially recommended, as they are made by hand every morning with freshness as their motto. They are also made using wheat flour from Aichi Prefecture, giving them a chewy dough and a soft texture.

Although they are a little larger than regular donuts, their colorful appearance will have you reaching for one after another. Each donut is made with care, and you can't miss out on the standard flavors as well as the seasonal limited menu. One of the joys of traveling is being able to enjoy a variety of flavors by taking them home as takeout.

ZARAME NAGOYA

Take photos of unique scenery to take home

"Kakuozan Nittaiji Temple" where you can feel the connection with Thailand

"Kakuozan Nittaiji Temple" is about a 10-minute walk from Kakuozan Station. On the way to the temple, there are stylish general stores and sweets shops lined up, and there are plenty of things to see from the entrance to the temple, so please take your time to enjoy the townscape.

The place name "Kakuozan" is said to be derived from the name of this temple. "Kakuo" means Buddha, and "Nichi-Tai-ji" means a temple for Japan and Thailand, and was given when the temple was built in 1904. When it was decided that some of the Buddha's bones would be divided and sent from Thailand to Japan, there were many discussions about the temple to be built to house them, and it is said that Nichi-Tai-ji, which had prepared a site of about 330,000 square meters with the support of the entire city, was selected.

The most distinctive feature of Nittaiji Temple is that it is the only temple in Japan that does not belong to any sect and is "interdenominational," with the desire to protect the Buddha throughout Japan. In other words, it exists as a temple that accepts all Buddhists.

If you want to capture the dynamic beauty of the historic Nittaiji temple's magnificent gate in a photo, we recommend taking a photo from a slightly diagonal angle. Another point to note is that if you look up at the gate, you can see the words "Nittai Friendship Dojo."

To take photos with fewer people around, we recommend taking them between 7:00 and 8:00, or between 15:00 and 16:00. Also, the atmosphere changes depending on the time of day - the sunrise at 5:00 when the gates open, and the sunset at 16:30 when the gates close - so why not try taking photos at different times and enjoy the different expressions?

After worship, you'll probably want to take some photos of the dazzling and solemn main hall. The royal plaque handwritten by His Majesty Bhumibol reads "Shakyamuni Buddha" in Thai characters, and the main image, a bronze Shakyamuni Buddha donated by the King of Thailand, is enshrined here, making it a special space where you can feel the friendly relationship between Thailand and Japan.

The five-story pagoda, completed in 1997, is very large at 30 meters in height, so we recommend taking a photo from a little distance away from the pagoda. This will capture the entire pagoda and the trees together, and will really convey the atmospheric feel of Nittaiji Temple.

The statue of King Chulalongkorn of Thailand, erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Thailand, is located on the west side of the main hall. If you come here during the day, you can capture his facial expression in a photo.

On either side of the statue of King Chulalongkorn are elephants, the symbol of Thailand. Standing between the two and taking a commemorative photo is a perfect memory of your trip.

Kakuozan Nittaiji Temple

Yokiso, a famous piece of architecture representing Nagoya

Next is Yokiso, located about a five-minute walk from Nittaiji Temple. This was built between the Taisho and early Showa periods as the villa of the 15th president of Matsuzakaya Co., Ltd., Jirozaemon Sumitami Ito.

The grounds were once vast, covering approximately 33,000 square meters, but the buildings are now divided into the North Garden and the South Garden. In 2008, five of the buildings (Chōshōkaku, Yokisō Zashiki, Banka-ro, Sanshotei, and Hakuun-bashi Bridge) were designated as "City Tangible Cultural Properties."

The main attraction, Choshokaku, is a half-timbered building (a wooden structure with exposed framework such as pillars and beams) that uses natural wood for the exterior walls in the style of a mountain lodge, and its reddish red color shines brightly during the day. Its European-style appearance has made it a popular spot for taking great photos on social media. The angle of the shot makes it a stylish shot.

The interior design was inspired by the scenery and ideas that Yutami encountered during his travels to countries such as China and India, creating a space that exudes an exotic atmosphere.

Each room on the three above-ground floors of Choshokaku is a mix of international styles, while the basement is entirely in Indian style. The hall still features murals painted by students studying abroad at the time, so be sure to take some commemorative photos.

After your tour, you can take a break at the Bengara Rest Area. Enjoy a relaxing time sipping coffee or tea while taking in the view of the garden.

Yokiso

Higashiyama Water Tower, a landmark of Mount Kakuo

The last photogenic landscape we'd like to introduce is the landmark of Kakuozan. Located about a 15-minute walk from Kakuozan Station, the 38m-tall Higashiyama Water Tower is a landmark with its distinctive red pointed roof that can be seen from afar. It has also been designated as one of Nagoya City's "Important Landscape Buildings."

Although it is not possible to get up close to the tower, its fairytale-like appearance is popular with camera enthusiasts, and many people search for nearby photo spots. In particular, taking photos from the "Tenma Suido Bridge" (please inquire as it is closed during construction) is recommended as it captures the entire tower.

As the sun sets, you can see a beautiful sight shining in the setting sun. In fact, you can also see the pointed roof from Nittaiji Temple, so why not consider Nittaiji Temple as a potential photo spot?

Higashiyama Water Tower

Bring home your favorite items

Odd Optical: A collection of unique glasses

Kakuozan is also home to many shops that are visited by fashion enthusiasts from inside and outside the prefecture.

At Odd Optical, a shop that specializes in unique and stylish eyeglasses, you can pick up a favorite pair to take home as a souvenir for yourself.

The store is lined with international brands of glasses from Belgium, America, Italy, France, and other countries, as well as made-in-Japan items from brands such as "Enaroid" from Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, and "Boston Club" from Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture. The store is proud of its collection of glasses, which ranges from standard to unique, with a variety of frame shapes and innovative colors.

The store has a relaxed atmosphere, allowing you to browse the products at your leisure. You may be confused by the large selection, but if that happens, feel free to ask the store owners, Mr. and Mrs. Takigawa. They are long-time eyeglass wearers, and will provide you with detailed counseling to suggest the best items that you will want to wear for a long time.

If you have the chance, why not take a commemorative photo in the glasses-shaped photo frame available in the store? Enjoy the communication that can be created through glasses.

Odd Optical

Kakuozan Apartment: A treasure trove of unique goods

We especially recommend "Kakuozan Apartment" to those who love art. This place is filled with shops run by creators, and is overflowing with unique works and cute miscellaneous goods. You're sure to find a one-of-a-kind item.

The approximately 70-year-old building houses 10 stores, including a second-hand book cafe, a wire art shop, and an accessory shop.

Kinokobo HARORE is a shop that stocks unique accessories and miscellaneous goods with motifs of mushrooms, dinosaurs, and more.

"sincere." is a silver accessory and flower shop that is popular for its warm, handmade designs.

The Tapiras Pochibukuro envelopes on display at Kakuozan Gallery Sobo have a warm, handwritten feel and are a delight to receive and give.

The masks from Mame*Mame, which offers a range of heartwarming and cute items, feature a design of the Higashiyama Water Tower and are the perfect souvenir from Kakuozan.

On the second floor, there are many other items perfect for souvenirs, such as stickers and badges with the word "Kakuozan" printed on them, all with a local feel and a "relaxed and cute" feel.

At Kakuozan Apartment, you can get unique items that you can't find at other souvenir shops. It's a must-visit spot after enjoying a "different Nagoya trip."

Kakuozan Apartment

Walking around Kakuozan allows you to enjoy a new side of Nagoya. If you find something you like, why not share it with someone close to you? It will be a great way to talk about souvenirs and have fun after your trip.

*Some content was updated on August 17, 2022.

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