For Books, Magazines, and other stuff shop at and other Niigata, Japan Shopping Tips

Name of Shop: Kinokuniya

Kinokuniya is the only bookstore in Niigata (the largest bookstore chain in Japan) that carries a significant number of foreign (mostly English) books, magazines, and other print media.

It`s also a good place to pick up some books and study materials for those who are studying Japanese.

(For cheaper prices you can try amazon.com)


What To Pay: Foreign books and other foreign print media are expensive through Kinokuniya (Kinokuniya seems to have a monopoly in this area in many parts of Japan).

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Theme: Books
Phone: 025-245-5281 Fax: 025-242-2747
Directions: Located across the street from either McDonald`s or Starbucks on Galvaston Street (no street sign) in Bandai City in the Bandai Silver Hotel Building on the 2nd floor.
Website: http://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/english/index.html

Name of Shop: Billboard Place

Billboard Place is a good location for shopping. There's a number of good restaurants located in the area. There's a movie theater across from Billboard. If you're
looking for clothes that'll fit a foreign man then you can go to Eddie Bowers or a number of other shops in this mall.

What To Buy: One shop in Billboard place has a variety of over 100 kinds of tea. Another restaurant has a menu that will meet every vegetarians desire. I don't think they serve meat there. It's located on the second floor of Billboard Place in the back of a clothing store.

What To Pay: It really depends on what you buy.

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Theme: Men's Clothes
Address: The mall (Billboard Place) is in Bandai.
Directions: Bandai 'City' is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Niigata station. Walk down the main road and you can eventually come to the Bandai shopping area located just before Bandai Bridge.

Name of Shop: Dekki 401 Mall

Dekki 401 is the other good mall in Niigata.
This is a good place to shop if you're looking for cheaper clothes and other items. The Mall contains a good 100 YEN STORE,
various cheaply priced clothing stores,
McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken,
other restaurants, a good bakery with a very wide selection, a great Uoroku Supermarket (this one actually looks like a supermarket rather than simply a grocery store) with a wide selection of food choices, Toys R Us,
and most important of all, Dekki Theater, Niigata's best theater with big screens and American style movie theater food. The downside about the theater and most others in Niigata is that they are a bit expensive. But, there are cheaper rates. The usual price is 1,800 yen for a movie. But at Dekki, ladies can go on Friday for 1,000 yen. And guys can go on Monday for 1,000 yen.

Dekki also has convenient and free parking.
Also notable, there are a large number of good restaurants located near here.

What To Buy: See above

What To Pay: Depends on the store. Check out the 100 Yen store for miscellaneous nicknacks, all of which cost only 100 yen each.

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Theme: Department Store
Directions: Dekki 401 Mall is located about 3 blocks from Niigata Kenchou. It's about a 10 minute drive coming from Niigata station.

Name of Shop: Toriya

This is the place to get yourself a turkey in Niigata. The turkeys are pretty small compared to American sized ones but just as tasty. You can either have them cook it or you can do it yourself. If you do it yourself it's cheaper.

I felt the price of the turkey is worth it. After my girlfreind and I finished off most of the turkey we used the remains to make a delicious turkey soup that lasted several days. YUM YUM!!!

What To Buy: Besides Turkey you can also get a Cornish hens and more.

What To Pay: Depending on whether you're the one cooking the turkey. Expect to spend between 1500 - 3500 yen.

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Theme: Food and Drink
Address: Across the street from Mediya in Furumachi

Name of Shop: Yamaya

This is the place to shop if you want to pay a lot less for tea, sweets, cereal, crackers, wine,
cookies, and the like.

A good portion of Yamaya's food stuff are imported from all over the world. Regardless, the stuff is actually a lot cheaper than more popular famous American brands or Japanese brands of the same type found in stores like Uoroku, Josco, Cupid, Shimizu Food Center, and others.

This is where you ought to go if you just don't feel like wasting money that you really don't need to waste.

What To Buy: You can also get tortilla chips, tortillas, chilli beans, Thai food stuff, Indian curry, ... basically, a load of stuff from all over the place.


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Theme: Food and Drink
Directions: Yamaya is located in Kobari on Route 116 on the way toward Niigata University on the right hand side going away from Niigata Island.