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Malls in Toyama
Favore
Making life just about bearable for us dedicated shoppers stranded in Toyama is Favore, a shopping mall just a short car ride out of Toyama city. With about 60 shops, 10 restaurants and a cinema, you gotta love this place!
The 1st floor is where most of the restaurants are located. If you just want something small to eat (such as pizza or yakisoba) the 2nd floor’s food court may be worth a look.
Restaurants in Favore include Capriciossas (an Italian restaurant with good food and large portions), various Japanese places, an Indian restaurant with very friendly staff and a great lunchtime buffet, a Chinese restaurant and of course, the obligatory McDonalds.
The 1st floor has a small supermarket and a wide range of shops, including several that stock items to decorate apartos with. There is also a large stationary/ book store where you can buy fun stationary and gifts on the ground level. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have English books.
The 2nd floor has some very cheap girl’s clothes in bright colours and interesting styles. This is the place to find tops with great “Engrish’” slogans with which to amuse your friends.
The cinema on the 2nd floor has lots of posters outside so even if you can’t read the Japanese titles you can figure out what is showing! You can phone 076-466-1700 or go to http://www.favore.jp/index.html for cinema information.
Shops worth a mention:
Muji The (no brand) shop may already be familiar to some of you as they now have branches in some major British cities. They have a wide selection of clothes (but only in small sizes), food, kitchenware and home furnishings. 1st floor.
Benetton Women’s clothes up to a UK medium. 1st floor.
Exiting Bookstore Lots of strange kitsch and some imported snacks, although the stock varies. 2nd floor.
Getting There: Favore is 50 mins from Uozu by car, 30 mins from Takaoka, 30 mins from Tonami and 15 mins from Toyama station when the roads are not busy. 15 mins walk from JR Hayahoshi. You can also take a bus from Toyama Station, which takes about 30 minutes. Beware though! The last bus returns to Toyama city around 5:00 making it difficult to see an evening movie.
Green Mall
Located in the Minami Toyama area, this mall doesn't have a great variety of shops like Favore does, but it is more conveniently located for most Toyama-shi JETs. The mall was recently remodeled inside, and many of the shops keep changing. However, there is a 100 yen store, a good Engrish t-shirts shop, and a grocery store here. There is also a McDonald's and what looks to be some sort of drug store or variety shop.
The reason most JETs find themselves going to Green Mall, however, is that they have a great rental shop for snowboards. The equipment at this shop seems to be better quality than that found at the Apia rental shop, and was comparable in price. You are able to choose between different quality levels of boards (and different price levels). Rental for a season (including board, bindings, and boots) starts at around \6000 and runs to upwards of 10,000 for the really nice boards. They will offer you insurance for an added fee, which is probably a worthwhile investment, as boards easily get scratched up during the season, especially with beginner boarders!
Mister Donut shares a parking lot with Green Mall, and across the street you'll find a Shidax karaoke place, as well as a really good Korean restaurant.
Getting There: BY BICYCLE/ON FOOT – From the south exit of Toyama Station, follow the tram line to the east ( left, towards the central post office and the McDonalds). As it turns the corner and heads towards Nishi-cho, the road becomes Route 43. Traveling south, follow 43 along the tram tracks, through Nishi-cho, past the Nepalese restaurant, until you get to Tateyama-dori (if you want to take the tram to this point, you can get off at the "Koizumicho" stop, which is just south of the Tateyama-dori intersection). There is a curry restaurant on the corner of 43 and Tateyama-dori, which makes for a good landmark. Go east on Tateyama-dori and just keep going straight. After awhile, you'll pass a video rental shop on your right, and will cross over the train tracks near Oizumi station. Green Mall will be ahead of you on your left.
BY TRAIN – From the private (Dentetsu/Chitetsu line) station, buy a ticket for 200 and take a train bound for Minami Toyama Station. You will exit at Oizumi station, which is the 3rd stop (the one just before Minami Toyama). From the station, go out to the main road (Tateyama-dori) and turn right. Green Mall will be ahead on your left.
Book Off
Ok, ok, so it isn’t a mall, but it’s such an awesome store with so much crap that it gets put here! Book Off’s selection of stuff is truly amazing!! You can get manga, books, cds, movies, etc. in the Book Off section of the store. Next to this store is B Life. B Life has clothes, a lot of clothes, all discounted. This place is a thrift store, so most stuff is used, but it’s Japan, so it is all in great condition! They have both men’s and women’s clothing and some shoes in sizes from tiny to big. There is also a small section in the store with a variety of bath, kitchen, and home goods. Next to the B Life section of Book Off, is Kimono Off!! I have bought several yukata here for under 2000 yen, some for less than 500 yen. They also have kimono material and obi for sale.
Getting there: Book Off is on Route 41 on the way to Favore. It is the last store on the left before the freeway.