Naramachi and Local Food in Nara
Part of the Nara travel guide — see every topic in All Nara Guides.
Naramachi is the old merchant quarter of Nara, just south of the busy station area. Its narrow lanes are lined with wooden townhouses, many now used as cafes, small shops and guesthouses. It is a good place to slow down after Nara Park. This guide covers the streets, the famous fast mochi pounding at Nakatanidou, and local foods to try, such as kakinoha-zushi.
The old merchant streets
Naramachi is about 10 to 15 minutes on foot south of Kintetsu Nara Station. Its lanes are narrow and quiet, with few cars. The old townhouses, called machiya, have narrow fronts and go deep back from the street, with wooden lattice windows. Merchants once lived at the back and worked at the front. Koshi-no-Ie is a restored townhouse that you can walk through for free to see the rooms and small inner garden. Many machiya are now cafes, craft shops and small galleries.
Mochi pounding at Nakatanidou
Nakatanidou is a small shop on Sanjo-dori, the main shopping street between Kintetsu Nara Station and Naramachi. It is famous for very fast mochi pounding. Two workers beat hot rice with large wooden mallets and turn it by hand between the blows, shouting to keep time. The show is short and happens a few times a day, at no fixed time, so you may need to wait. The shop sells yomogi mochi, green mochi made with mugwort, filled with sweet red bean paste and dusted with soybean powder. Eat it fresh and warm. A crowd gathers fast, so stand to the side of the street.
Kakinoha-zushi
Kakinoha-zushi is a pressed sushi from Nara. A small block of rice is topped with a slice of salted fish, usually mackerel or salmon, then wrapped in a persimmon leaf and pressed. The leaf is not eaten, but it gives a light scent and helps keep the sushi fresh. Nara is far from the sea, so in the past people salted the fish to carry it inland. Shops near the stations and in Naramachi sell it in neat boxes of several pieces. It travels well and is a good food for a train ride or a picnic in the park.
Other local tastes
Narazuke is a local pickle. Vegetables such as melon and cucumber are pickled for a long time in sake lees, which gives them a dark colour and a strong, sweet taste. Try a small piece before you buy a big pack. Nara has a long history of sake making, and Harushika is a sake brewery in Naramachi with a tasting counter. Kuzu, a starch from a wild plant root, is used in smooth sweets and cool noodles in summer. Many Naramachi cafes serve local green tea with small seasonal sweets. Most shops close by around 5 or 6 pm.
Eating in the evening
Nara is quiet at night, because most day visitors go back to Kyoto or Osaka. Many restaurants close early, around 8 or 9 pm. The streets near Kintetsu Nara Station and JR Nara Station have the most choice in the evening, including izakaya, ramen and set meal places. If you stay the night, book dinner or plan to eat early. Naramachi has a few small bars and wine places in old townhouses. Some cafes in Naramachi close one or two days a week, so check before you go. Convenience stores near the stations stay open late.
Naramachi and Local Food at a glance
| Getting there | Naramachi about 10 to 15 minutes on foot south of Kintetsu Nara Station; Nakatanidou on Sanjo-dori on the way |
|---|---|
| Hours | Shops and cafes about 10 am to 5 or 6 pm; some close one or two days a week |
| Cost | Walking is free; Koshi-no-Ie townhouse free; snacks and sushi boxes are cheap |
| Best time | Late morning to afternoon; spring and autumn for walking |
| Try | Yomogi mochi, kakinoha-zushi, narazuke pickles and local sake |