Naramachi

Town Retaining Edo Period Atmosphere

Naramachi is a merchant town developed centered on the former precincts of Gangoji Temple. Nara townhouses resembling Kyoto machiya with latticed doors continue, with Nara people's living culture still breathing here.

Utilization of Old Townhouses

Recently, cafes, craft shops, craft goods stores, and guesthouses converted from townhouses have increased, making it a popular area for younger tourists. Many specialty stores handling Nara traditional crafts (Nara fans, Nara ink, Akahada ware) are also numerous.

Gangoji Temple

Gangoji (National Treasure) at the center of Naramachi is an ancient temple relocated from the Asuka Hoko-ji Temple of the Nara period. The Zen chamber and Gokurakubo main hall, with Nara period roof tiles still on the roofs, are precious buildings registered as UNESCO World Heritage.

Town of Jizo Faith

In front of "Koshin-do" in a corner of Naramachi, red cloth "migawari-zaru" (proxy monkeys) are hung. This custom with meaning as a ward against evil is known as a unique culture of Naramachi.