AEON MALL: Enjoy Local Cuisine and Popular Eateries During Your Trip!

AEON's Food Court Is Ideal for Eating During Your Trip!

One of the great pleasures of traveling in Japan―a place filled with many delicious foods―is deciding where and what to eat. But having so many options to choose from can also present some challenges.

For example, even when choosing a spot from such a large number of restaurants, you still might feel a little anxious that the shop's atmosphere could be different from what you were expecting.

Also, everyone in your group might be unable to agree on the same food―one person may want ramen and another person Japanese-style. Then searching for a restaurant in an unfamiliar location can take some time and maybe even wear you out before you actually sit down to eat.

When traveling as a family there can also be many things to worry about. For example, whether or not the restaurant has chairs and cutlery suitable for children. Or whether your restless child might cause a disturbance for other diners, and so on.

At times like this you can rely on AEON MALL, a shopping facility that is found in every region of Japan. Not only will you be able to enjoy shopping to your heart's content, but their food court will become your travel companion.

At AEON MALL you can easily savor delicious cuisine from every part of Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. During breaks in your travels, you can relax and unwind while enjoying moments that delight all five of your senses.

Enjoy Japan's Regional Specialties at AEON MALL!

One of the true joys of traveling is trying foods that are unique to the area you're visiting. However, to enjoy all this local cuisine you'll need a well-thought-out plan and maybe even some long distance travel.

But luckily, AEON MALL can save you from all that time and trouble. Inside the same building you can easily enjoy local foods that represent a particular region of Japan.

Next, we introduce the delicious cuisine found at AEON MALL locations all across Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

Hokkaido: AEON MALL Asahikawa Station Square

If you visit Hokkaido, you absolutely have to try the local seafood dishes. The food court at AEON MALL Asahikawa Station Square serves up seafood bowls (kaisendon) using freshly caught ingredients delivered directly that very day.

With just one bite, the delicious umami flavor spreading through your mouth will conjure up scenic images of Japan's northern seas.

In addition to tasty seafood, we also recommend AEON MALL for meat lovers.

On the mall premises you'll find Kikuyoshi, a shop specializing in Hokkaido meat dishes. Visitors here can enjoy a pork bowl (buta don), a long-time favorite from the nearby town of Obihiro. A bowl of rice is generously topped with thick slices of charcoal-grilled pork. The pork, coated in a special sauce with an exquisite sweet-and-savory balance, goes perfectly with the rice!

Tohoku Region: AEON MALL Natori

Picture courtesy of Sendai Gyutan Fukusuke

If you visit Sendai City you definitely must try their soul food, beef tongue (gyutan). At Sendai Gyutan Fukusuke, diners can enjoy a set meal featuring the finest beef tongue. The thick and tender meat is carefully grilled by their dedicated and skilled chefs.

At AEON MALL Natori, we also recommend a local confection called Zunda Mochi and their milkshakes, both made with generous amounts of mashed edamame soybeans. With a distinct gentle sweetness and the aroma of the soybeans, you can try a flavor that's unique to Japan's northern region of Tohoku.

Picture courtesy of AEON MALL

After savoring beef tongue, Sendai's soul food, let's enjoy some tasty confections at a famous Tohoku tea shop, Kikusuian NAGOMI.

Their matcha ice cream, using only specially selected matcha green tea, features a rich and deep fragrance together with a smooth mouthfeel. The matcha has a perfect balance of sweetness and slight bitterness, making this particularly irresistible for matcha lovers!

Chubu Region: AEON MALL Matsumoto

If you come to Nagano Prefecture, also known as the Fruit Kingdom, be sure to visit Fruit Dining SHUN. This is a fruit specialty shop at AEON MALL Matsumoto.

Here you'll find homemade deluxe parfaits and fruit sandwiches made with fresh seasonal fruit, as well as fruit juices. With just one bite, the natural sweetness of the ingredients spreads throughout your mouth. The shop has many cute and delicious menu items including mascot grapes that sparkle like jewels, and also peach parfaits.

Kanto Region: AEON MALL Makuhari New City and THE OUTLETS SHONAN HIRATSUKA

Picture courtesy of AEON MALL Makuhari New City

If you visit AEON MALL Makuhari New City―one of Japan's largest shopping malls―please check out Kanazawa Maimon Sushi, Kanazawa's extremely popular conveyor-belt sushi shop.

The seafood that's delivered directly from the Hokuriku Region is fresh and plentiful. You can also enjoy top-quality ingredients that are unique to Kanazawa and Toyama Bay such as blackthroat seaperch (nodoguro) and white shrimp (shiro ebi).

By the way, who said that Hokkaido specialties can't be enjoyed in the Kanto Region? Rojiura Curry SAMURAI, a curry specialty restaurant in Sapporo with endless lineups outside, has opened a location at THE OUTLETS SHONAN HIRATSUKA. This shop lets you experience the delicious taste of Hokkaido right here in the Kanto area.

The curry's gently simmered soup is well seasoned with spices and has a deep, rich flavor. It's made with plenty of carefully prepared, colorful vegetables. After only one bite, the sweetness of these ingredients spread throughout your mouth. The soup, together with the tender and tender chicken thigh meat, is an exquisite combination that allows diners to enjoy a dish that's both healthy and satisfying.

Kansai and Kinki Regions: AEON MALL KYOTO

If it's Kyoto's food culture that you want to experience, then please visit Ni-no-na TERAO in AEON MALL Kyoto.

This shop specializes in obanzai, Kyoto's traditional home-cooked cuisine that uses mostly locally sourced ingredients. Dozens of different dishes made with Kyoto's fresh seasonal vegetables are served buffet-style in the restaurant. The restaurant serves up a wide selection of healthy and satisfying dishes, each one lightly finished to bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients.

Chubu Region: AEON MALL Okayama and THE OUTLETS HIROSHIMA

AEON MALL Okayama, directly connected to the train station, is home to a top-notch wagyu beef yakiniku restaurant called Nikusho Matsuya. The wagyu beef is surprisingly tender and its fine marbling is so beautiful that it looks just like a work of art.

When you watch the pink meat slowly rendering off the fat as it cooks, your anticipation will start to build. Then when you take a bite, the meat's perfect harmony of tenderness and juiciness creates a moment of bliss that unfolds right before your eyes. This dish is ideal for soothing your tired body after a long journey.

Picture courtesy of Bukkake Furuichi

If you're visiting Okayama and want to savor Japan's popular gourmet food, then be sure not to miss Bukkake Furuichi, a famous restaurant that originated in Kurashiki City.

Bukkake Udon, an Okayama specialty, features chewy noodles together with a special soup broth. This dish is finished off with tasty toppings including tempura and a hot spring egg (onsen tamago). The smooth and firm texture of the noodles combined with the rich aroma of ginger will soon have you digging in with your chopsticks.

Also, if you come to Hiroshima City in Japan's Chugoku Region, you'll definitely want to try the area's soul food―okonomiyaki.

Teppanya Benbei is a popular shop inside the THE OUTLETS HIROSHIMA. Visitors here can enjoy authentic Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki cooked by their skilled chefs.

Every seat comes equipped with its own teppan griddle. The sizzling sounds of meat on the cast iron hot plate and the fragrant aroma of the sauce wafting in the air will soon whet your appetite!

After the okonomiyaki is topped with mayonaise and a light sprinkling of dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi), all that's left is to enjoy it while it's still piping hot. With the delightful aroma and umami flavor you won't be able to stop eating!

The okonomiyaki stays warm on the griddle even after it's served, so you can enjoy it hot up until the very last bite.

Kyushu Region: THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU

Picture courtesy of THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU

Fruit Factory Mooon―a famous Kitakyushu shop―now has a location inside THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU.

Their fruit parfait, filled with a passion for fruit, is just like a work of art. This dessert is generously topped with ripe, seasonal fruit, and its vibrant colors are absolutely eye-catching. It's so gorgeous that a single glance will soon lift your spirits.

Picture courtesy of Curry Honpo

Kitakyushu City is the gateway to Japan's Kyushu Region and home to a dish called yaki curry. This is B-Grade Cuisine, or food that's popular with the masses, combining both nostalgia and oginality.

At Curry Honpo, inside THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU, visitors can enjoy this yaki curry.

This dish features rich-tasting curry rice topped with plenty of cheese and a raw egg, which is then baked in the oven until it's fragrant. The curry, cheese, and soft egg yolk mix together in every bite, creating a flavor that will warm your soul.

Okinawa: AEON MALL Okinawa Rycom

Picture courtesy of BLUE SEAL

Mention the taste of Okinawa and BLUE SEAL often comes to mind. BLUE SEAL ice cream originated in America but is also very popular in Okinawa.

When you take a bite of local ice cream flavors such as salted chinsuko and purple sweet potato, your heart will dance with joy and make you forget about the area's hot climate. The vibrant colors and unique flavors of BLUE SEAL evoke the energetic island culture of Okinawa.

Experience Gourmet Food and Hospitality at AEON MALL

AEON MALL is lined with specialty shops where not only can you experience unique regional flavors, but also fully enjoy the charms of Japanese food culture. At each and every restaurant you can feel their committment to quality ingredients, their passion for cooking, and their heartfelt hospitality.

Specialty Shops Featuring Popular Japanese Cuisine

Picture courtesy of PIXTA

All the dishes at these specialty shops reflect the popular flavors of Japanese cuisine. These include sushi made with the freshest fish, attractive tempura with its thin and crispy batter, pork cutlets (tonkatsu)―crunchy on the outside and juicy inside, and also their signature ramen that features a rich and tasty broth.

AEON MALL has a variety of specialty shops which serve these dishes, allowing guests to easily enjoy some of these authentic Japanese flavors.

Enjoy Premium Japanese-Style Sweets at This Cafe

Picture courtesy of Saijoen Matcha Cafe

When you get a little tired from all your shopping, taking a well-deserved break at a cafe is also a good option. In addition to chain stores, AEON MALL also has shops where you can feel their unique local flavor.

For example, AEON MALL Nagoya Noritake Garden is home to Saijoen Matcha Cafe, a long-established confectionery shop with a history dating back 137 years.

The menu lineup here includes soft ice cream, cakes, and drinks using premium matcha green tea. A gentle sweetness spreads throughout this matcha's rich, slightly bitter taste, making this a sophisticated flavor you can fully enjoy. This spot is perfect for a relaxing afternoon teatime.

Don't Miss the Food Court and Supermarket Deli Section!

Picture courtesy of PIXTA

The food court is a lively spot where you can experience Japanese food culture in a relaxed kind of way. Please enjoy the bustling surroundings as you sample takoyaki, yakisoba, and other tasty items within this festival-like atmosphere.

You also don't want to miss the supermarket deli counter.

This is a gourmet treasure trove featuring a wide variety of items including assorted sushi platters, fried foods, and Japanese-style deli items.

All items are high quality yet reasonably priced, making it easy to take them back to your hotel for a tasty late-night snack, or as an accompaniment to your favorite alcoholic beverage.

A Shopping Spot That's Perfect for Families and Kids!

AEON MALL has many thoughtful features to ensure that guests―even families with children―can have a comfortable, worry-free visit. Convenient services and well-equipped facilities allow all members of the family to have a relaxing mealtime together.

A Spacious and Comfortable Food Court

Picture courtesy of AEON MALL

The food court is spacious and offers plenty of seating. So hungry diners can easily find a place to sit even during peak hours. Then the fact that each family member can find their favorite food is also a big plus.

For example, Dad has ramen, Mom has pasta, and the kids have hamburgers. Each person can order something at their favorite restaurant and then eat together at the same table.

This system allows everyone to be satisfied without any unnecessary stress, even if each family member wants something different to eat.

A Full Lineup of Services and Facilities Especially for Children!

Picture courtesy of AEON MALL

AEON MALL is also considerate to families with children. Many eating establishments have children-friendly chairs and special cutlery with safety in mind.

Some AEON MALLS even have a small children's play area next to the food court. So after a meal, children can run around to their heart's content and the family can spend some relaxing time together.

The food court and the restaurants inside AEON MALL offer a wide range of food choices―from inexpensive menu items all the way to more hearty dishes. So they can meet the various needs of all customers.

Next, we've listed the approximate cost for eating establishments inside AEON MALL. Please feel free to use this as a reference when planning your next travel itinerary.
・Food Court: About 800 to 1,200 yen per person
・Restaurants (Lunch): About 1,500 to 3,000 yen per person
・Cafe and Sweets: About 500 to 1,000 yen per menu item
・Supermarket Deli Section: Sushi (1 pack) about 600 yen and up, fried foods (1 pack) about 300 yen and up

Whether you want to experience Japan's regional cuisine or even more sophisticated fare at a specialty restaurant, AEON MALL can meet a diverse range of customer needs. You won't need to worry about choosing where to eat at your travel destination. AEON MALL has a wide variety of eating establishments, from affordable local cuisine all the way to popular restaurants, so you can choose a spot that suits you the best.

Mealtimes can often become lasting travel memories just on their own. AEON MALL's spacious and comfortable environment and well-equipped facilities will definitely enhance this enjoyment even further. So on your next trip, how about adding AEON MALL to your itinerary of places to see and visit?