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Toyama Station and Around
Toyama Station
Above Toyama station there are several small souvenir shops for omiyage (presents bought back for co-workers from various travels) and you can find lots of Toyama related kitsch to send back home if you so wish. The newspaper stand inside Toyama station sells some newspapers in English (the Daily Yomiuri and the Japan Times) for Y120 each. On Sundays the Daily Yomiuri prints sections from the Guardian, a British broadsheet.
Next to Marier is a small pharmacy with very helpful staff stocking all the usual bandages and headache tablets. Underneath the pharmacy is a Hi Tomato supermarket for all your grocery needs! At the station there is also a Vie De France bakery, Lotteria (Japanese hamburger place), Doutor Coffee and a convenience store. If you need a highway bus ticket to Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto for cheap, you can purchase one through the bus office next to the Dentetsu station.
Marier
Next to Toyama station’s central exit is Marier, one of the main department stores in Toyama. It caters to women under 30, and most of the clothing boutiques only stock tiny Japanese sizes. This may not be the rule but as you go up the escalator, the prices become cheaper(5th floor being the cheapest). There is a Horikukru and “green” bank machine located on the 1st floor. If you like “pirukura” (small sticker pictures taken with your friends) there is an elevator on the outside corner of Marier (near the tram stop). This magic elevator will take you to 4 floors of picture club heaven!
1st Floor- Lots of expensive handbags, shoes and jewelry intermixed with a few clothing stores. “Watashi No Heya” (My Room) has nice gifts and houseware, if you can afford it.
2nd floor – Pseudo-American cookie shop (eat in or takeaway), which is a little on the expensive side unless you order a set. More women’s clothes.
3rd floor- A kimono shop, ladies underwear store (Japanese sizes only).
4th floor- More clothing stores and a large 100Y shop.
5th floor – Lots of small random shops selling everything from stationary and birthday cards to luggage, with a Sanrio store thrown in for good measure (the place to go if you are a Hello Kitty fan.) There is also a shop on this floor that sells familiar brand name cosmetics, such as Maybeline, as well as some other good beauty products. You can find Muji here too. There’s also an eye clinic, optometrist, dentist, information counter, JTB travel agent and a massage clinic called Raffine.
6th floor – Restaurants (see guide for more information).
CIC
CIC is pronounced ‘shikku’ and stands for ‘City In City’, if you were wondering! Opposite Toyama station’s central exit, it houses a variety of services and stores.:
Basement – The basement houses a 100 yen store. A great place for stationery, food and things to send as presents to people back home. There is also an internet/comics place where you can look at Japanese magazines while you print, photocopy and check your e-mail. There is a trendy hair place called “Hamasaki” which has received good reports from JETs.
1st floor – Seattle’s Best Coffee! A great place to hang out and see other JETs. If you bring your computer you can take advantage of their free wireless internet service. To your right as you enter the main building, you can also find several bank machines which are open 7 days a week but, as with all cash machines in Japan, close stupidly early at night. Jewelry, cosmetics and high end clothing stores can also be found here.
2nd floor – An optometrist selling glasses, contacts and contact supplies. There is also a spa with separate areas for men (Dandy House) and women (Miss Paris). There is also a small ladies shoe store with some “interesting” styles.
3rd floor – Toyama International Center, library and open study area. The staff at the main desk are friendly and speak English. You can take Japanese lessons here, learn about community activities and get a “What’s Happening” bulletin. To the right of the elevators you can check your email for free (you need to sign in with your gaijin card) or use the library (Japanese books only).
4th floor – The FOOD floor. There is a food court selling curry, Korean food and ice cream. Saizeriya (see restaurant guide) has cheap Japanized Italian food and a wine, & drink bar!
5th floor- A variety of Japanese souvenirs. If you are looking for some quality Japanese paper crafts, pottery or wood work they can be found here, although the selection is limited. There is also a place around the corner where you can buy or blend your own tea. This is a good place to take visitors to Toyama, since it’s free and they have large photos and displays of all the things that make Toyama so darn famous.
6th floor- A nice looking Japanese restaurant. No JET’s have actually reported eating there but supposedly the menu is Y3000 per person.