Tokyo's Largest Shopping Mall Has Tasty Eats, Trendy Attractions, And Adorable Cafes

Tokyo is one of the world's premier shopping destinations, renowned for its diverse retail experiences. Many travelers stick to the city's main shopping areas, such as Ginza, Nihonbashi, Harajuku, and Shibuya, which are all close to the city's center and can typically be explored on foot. It may come as a surprise to learn that the largest shopping mall near Tokyo, and even in all of Japan, isn't in any of these well-known districts. Aeon LakeTown, which is essentially three interconnected shopping malls, is located about 20 miles outside the Japanese capital in the city of Saitama, part of the Greater Tokyo area. Split into three distinct sections — kaze, mori, and outlet – LakeTown may be best known for its shopping, but it's also a great place for quality dining and fun activities.

A good shopping mall has great shops. A great shopping mall has great shops, restaurants, and experiences. Aeon LakeTown proves this with multiple highly rated eateries and cafes. In the kaze section, you can tuck into Hawaiian-inspired meals at Kua Aina. This restaurant is ranked the fourth best out of over 1,470 restaurants in Koshigaya on Tripadvisor. The menu features a range of burger and sandwich options, as well as side orders of onion rings, popcorn shrimp, clam chowder, cobb salad, and soup. Wash it all down with a refreshing Kona draft beer.

In the mori section, Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu is a traditional shokudo Japanese restaurant, offering a casual setting with affordable meal sets. You can dine on various gyukatsu, a classic Japanese dish involving deep-fried steak cutlets. Gyukatsu can be eaten on its own or dipped in various sauces, such as chili miso or wasabi-infused soy, for extra flavor. The restaurant at Aeon LakeTown mori, rated 4.4 stars on Google with over 400 reviews, serves various beef cuts, plus salmon and prawn katsu.

While Aeon LakeTown doesn't have haunted vending machines, one of the five types of unique vending machines to try in Japan, it does have some machines ideal for a quick snack or drink. Or you could take your time in one of the mall's most adorable cafes. Shibuya may be the trendiest area in Japan for animal cafés, but LakeTown mori has its own Cat Café Mocha to slow down and spend a little time with friendly and relaxed cats as they sleep, play, and roam the café's various feline-inspired structures. The café doesn't serve food, but you can bring in or order drinks. Pay for only 10 minutes or stay the entire day, working, reading, or simply enjoying the company of cats. You can also purchase treats to feed these furry friends or time your visit for one of two feeding sessions each day.

One of Aeon LakeTown's biggest draws is its indoor playground, VS Park, located in the mori section. Designed for both big kids (aka adults who love to play) and little kids, the indoor park has over 20 activities based on viral social media stunts and trends or popular Japanese game shows. These activities range from platform jumping challenges and segway racing to virtual handball and giant ping pong.

Aeon LakeTown is about 20 miles from the center of Tokyo, which can take over an hour by car and around one hour using the train lines. Along with dining and entertainment, the mall offers a range of shops from various countries, including Australian, American, Japanese, and European fashion brands. If it doesn't satiate your retail cravings, check out Odaiba, a man-made island with Tokyo's best shopping.