Standing at an intersection in the heart of Nagoya’s Sakae shopping district, with the warm winter sunlight shining on the crosswalk, I looked up at the super eye-catching giant Ferris wheel on the left. Its colorful rotating gondolas, paired with the yellow Don Quijote penguin sign on the right, gave the entire neighborhood a full-on stylish urban vibe.
After crossing the street with the crowd, I casually wandered into the mall and happened to catch a lively mini LIVE by an underground idol group on the atrium stage. Looking down from the glass railing on the second floor, I saw the girls singing and dancing with all their energy while the fans below waved their light sticks in perfect unison. The air was filled with a passionate enthusiasm for the music and cheering them on.
There was something so immersive about walking through the busiest streets of Nagoya—taking pictures of the landmark Ferris wheel one moment, then being drawn into a powerful local subculture scene the next—that I couldn’t help swaying along to the rhythm.
I highly recommend visiting Sunshine Sakae in person. Whether you’re capturing the classic street view of the Ferris wheel or experiencing an electrifying underground idol performance inside the mall, it will definitely leave you with a uniquely energetic memory of your trip!
