Naramachi is the old town area in the central Nara City. Eriko, our guide member for Nara, suggests walking in the area on the route shown by the map below, where the street is lined with variety of shops, restaurants, museum and old style houses. The route length is 1.4km, and it takes about an hour and a half if you stop at some spots.



View Walking route of Naramachi old town in a larger map

  1. Begin with Sarusawa pond
    Sarusawa pond is a home to many tortoises rather than fish. From the southern part of the pond, people can have a photogenic view of the second highest pagoda of Japan in Kofuku-ji temple in the Northeast.
  2. Take a narrow way to the Mochiidono market street
    Mochiidono street is the roofed market street along which there are typical Japanese teisyoku restaurant, shops of informal cotton kimono/yukata and special slippers/geta, tempura of minced fish meat, etc.
  3. The arcade ends and the name of the street changes to Shimomikado. Cross the street at the signal and continue following the same street.
  4. Turn left to the direction of Naramachi Museum. There must be a sign to the museum and the Naramachi monogatarikan Hall so people will not miss.
  5. Turn right at the corner of Naramachi Museum to the direction of Koshindo Hall. Koshindo Hall has hundreds of substitute monkeys/Migawari zaru which are the charms against misfortune and are believed to protect the families inside from disease and disasters.
  6. Passing the well-known and delicious Tofu cuisine restaurant called Kondo and the Building of local radio station and turn left (The way bends toward left so people may not notice they are turning left)
  7. Turn right to Naramachi Lattice House. It is on the Kamikaido street. Naramachi Lattice House is newly constructed reproduction of a typical traditional townhouse for a middle class merchant.
  8. Retrieve the way to the corner of Naramachi Museum and turn right.
  9. Turn left in between Naramachi Kobo and the café called Kanakana as if people had a look at the shops of Naramachi Kobo. Then at the end of a very short trip to the world of traditional handicraft, people reach in front of Daijoin Temple Garden Cultural Hall. This will be the last destination of the journey.