Don Quijote

The Best of the Weird

There’s a lot of culture and beauty to Japan… And then there’s a lot of what a Westerner might term “weird.” If you’re looking to experience a whole bunch of weird all in one place, I can’t recommend Don Quijote enough. Don Quijote is a chain, but the main Nagoya store is at the heart of Sakae, and you’ll know when you’ve found it by the 7-story light up wall that plays a colorful round of tetris and the giant blue penguin mascot gleefully waving to you from his perch above the store’s entrance. This particular store is open 24 hours, and boasts 7 themed floors of goods, as well as a casino and a cafe. While all the floors are part of Don Quijote, each floor has it’s own register and customers will need to purchase their selection before heading to another floor to browse more wares. Customers can find crazy foods (flavored kit kats to squid jerky), an impressive selection of liquors, imported makeup, experimental Japanese beauty products, costumes (year round), hair dryers and small kitchen appliances, toys and games, “ninja gear,” and of course, body paint and sex toys. It’s a crazy jumble, and it’s crazy fun to explore.