Sakae is the name of Nagoya's downtown district, which is located less than two kilometers east of Nagoya Station.

The district's old landmark is the Nagoya TV Tower, which was completed in 1954 and was the first TV tower built in Japan. The tower is 180 meter tall and houses an observation deck with views from 100 meters above ground. Although tall for its era, the Nagoya TV Tower has been surpassed by the JR Central Towers which has an observation deck at 240 meters.

Sakae's new landmark is the futuristic looking Oasis 21 complex, which was opened to the public in 2002. Oasis 21 accommodates Nagoya's highway bus terminal and several shops and restaurants. Various events are held on the "Milky Way Square", the public space below the building's intriguing "Water Spaceship" roof.

Furthermore, Sakae offers a large array of shopping, entertainment and dining opportunities, including various department stores. A relatively recent addition to Sakae is Nadya Park, a small city within the city, containing a design center and museum, a Loft department store, Kinokuniya Bookstore and various other shops and restaurants, as well as business and office space.