Hungry, in need of a coffee and you haven't even ventured out of Nagoya station? You can always go to one of the lovely cafes in the Takashimaya department store. The gorgeous Fauchon Cafe serves a lovely light luncheon (light being the operative word) for about 1400 Yen. It's a good way to indulge yourself if you're feeling you need one. Or a nice place to take your parents when they come to Japan and they're paying the bill.
If money is an issue, and let's face it, for most of us while we're here, it is, then head downstairs into the subway. The Cascade Bakery is my best find yet. I've been unable to find it on more than one occasion. It's on the B1F Minami Burokku (South Block) in the mall that's called TERMINA. It's just under the staircase that takes you to the Meitetsu and Kintetsu lines. You could always ask someone for those if you were desperate. Last time I found it by following my nose. The daughter of a pastry cook/chef I know I can trust my olfactory sense. Cascade is not unlike any of he other yummy western style bakeries in Japan. The good thing about this one is that there is plenty of bench space for you to stand at while you have your drink and snack. You cannot sit and the drinks come in paper cups , but it is unbelievably cheap. Hot and cold drinks at 100 Yen, cappuccino is in a separate category at a steap 120 Yen! Mouth - watering bread, sandwhiches, cakes, etc. at the usual prices.
For lunch of course there are heaps of places but Yoshinoya is probably the cheapest. There's one in Sakae - take the road that goes to Parco straight down from Mitsukoshi. You'll come to it just a little before you get to Parco, on the other side of the road. See the eateries section for a review.
While you're there, take a peep in at Parco. Despite its dirtied and tired looking 80's exterior, this is my favourite department store. It's a lot bigger than it appears to be. When I was talking to my ex "homestay mum" Hideko about it she told me it was most popular among teenagers. Pre---tty sophisticated teenagers I thought. Into Patrick Cox, Max Mara, Bulle de Savon.........mmm.... Then one day I found myself in totally foreign territory - shops selling colourful and useless contraptions, music stores that look like the site of a sorcerer's convention............. I was so out of my realm I can't even begin to describe it. Hence, I discovered it has a south, east and west section. Need I say, quite different. It's worth getting the shop index. If you can't read katakana and a little bit of kanji, don't bother.
Back up in the direction of Mitsukoshi is the Nadja Park Building where you'll find Loft, another department store for he younger crowd. Loft is fun - check it out. My favourite clothes shop, and one of Yasui sensei's as well is at the front of this building - opposite Loft. I cant remember its name at the moment but it's the only one. And the name is a French one. The shoe shop accross the road is huge- has an impressive range of sports shoes for men and women (go upstairs) and usually has some good bargains. The name? Excuse moi............
Keep heading back towards the subway and you can stop and have a good cappuccino at Mr.Donuts. Have I already mentioned this? Then you'll be ready to step inside Maruzen, go up to the foreign books section and buy all thoses extra books you need for the Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken. If you think you're going to buy more han a few books make sure you get yourself a point card. After you spend 10000 Yen they give you a 1000 Yen refund.
About the summer sales - for future reference - wait until the end of July. By this stage the stock in some stores will be reduced by 75%. By mid August most shops will have the new collections in store and the old either sold out or out of sight.
Back to Nagoya station. The underground mall called Fashion One has some interesting clothes shops, a great mixed Asian food products emporium amongst others. It's a lot more up-market than some of the other malls.