Naramachi is an area in the centre of Nara City of side streets with small shops and cafes. The main shopping street has an arcade cover, which in the middle of summer was a most welcome escape from the heat of the sun. We spent several hours wandering along this street, browsing and buying. The Japanese love their handicrafts, some of which, like Origami, are famous the world over. In the Naramachi streets you will find all sorts of handmade crafts on sale.
This was our favourite shop, we spent a long time looking round and even returned back later in the day to buy something else that we’d seen.
It was a wonderful little artisan store selling locally made art and crafts. We bought several fabric print posters depicting scenes from in and around Nara. We also picked some Omiyagi for the family back in Mie. Omiyagi are gifts, often of food, given when returning from travelling, to apologise for going away
There were so many different handicrafts on sale in Naramachi, in this shop I bought the fluffy sheep seen in the window as Omiyagi for my 9 year old daughter, this was made from the wool of local sheep.
There were many side streets leading off from the main thoroughfare, it didn’t get overly busy even though it was a Saturday morning.
There were several really nice places to take lunch, a few traditional Japanese Izakaya style restaurants with fine looking menus.
Eventually we stopped for something to eat ourselves, settling for a regular café, I had a Curry with potato and pork and Chiho had Omurice with cream sauce. This is an omelette filled with rice and come with a Cod roe sauce which is known as cream sauce in Japan, both dishes were great and cost around ¥1000 each.
Often, in a café, you will find a basket underneath your seat, this is there for you put bags out of the way while you dine and is much appreciated.
At one point we stopped for a cold drink in another café, this one was called Treasure Island. I had a grapefruit tea, which was made by brewing English tea with some grapefruit juice in it, serving over ice with a slice of grapefruit, it really was just what I needed to cool me down and something I will be trying to re-create back at home.
On one of the Naramachi side streets we found an old style tea shop, selling all kinds of tea blends, it felt a bit like we were in a museum. We bought some tea as Omiyagi and for ourselves to take back to London.
There were countless side street cafes and izakaya’s in and around Naramachi.
There was even a shop that hosted the local radio station which was broadcasting while we were there.
It is possible to spend hours wandering around the streets of Naramachi, we loved it and next we go there we will take the children because I know they will love it, it was a really great way to spend a day.