Shopping · Nara · Japan
Shopping in Nara
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
Shopping in Nara focuses on traditional crafts and food: calligraphy ink and brushes, deer-themed goods, sake and pickles, mostly in the arcades near Kintetsu Nara station and in Naramachi. Best souvenirs: Nara sumi ink, Nara brushes and Nara-zuke pickles.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 0
- Top souvenir
- Nara sumi ink
Where to shop
Higashimuki and Mochiidono arcades
Covered streets near Kintetsu Nara station with souvenir shops, pickles, sweets and crafts.
Sanjo-dori
Main street from JR Nara to Kofuku-ji with pickle, mochi and souvenir shops.
Naramachi
Craft galleries, sake shops and design stores in old townhouses.
What to buy
Nara sumi ink
Nara produces most of Japan's calligraphy ink sticks, made from soot and animal glue.
Nara brushes
Fine calligraphy and make-up brushes from local brush-makers.
Nara-zuke pickles
Sake-lees pickles in gift packs, with samples in many shops.
Deer-themed goods
Deer biscuits, towels and figures, sold all around the park.
Local sake
Bottles from Nara Prefecture's breweries, sold in Naramachi sake shops.
Nara sarashi cloth
Fine hand-woven linen-style cloth made into towels, handkerchiefs and dish cloths.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Neighbourhood · Naramachi
Naramachi
Lanes of wooden machiya townhouses south of Sarusawa Pond, where the Naramachi Koshi-no-Ie model house shows a merchant's home and red monkey charms (migawari-zaru) hang under the eaves to ward off misfortune.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
- Shopping
- Architecture
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Nara-zuke pickles, Yomogi mochi, Kuzu sweets and Shaved ice. Pickle shops on Sanjo-dori, Higashimuki and in Naramachi, often with samples. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| JR Nara and Sanjo-dori | $$ | Second rail gateway with business hotels and a shopping street to the park |
| Naramachi | $$$ | Old merchant quarter of narrow lanes, machiya townhouses and cafés |
| Nara Park and Noborioji | $$$$ | Hotels and ryokan beside the park, a short walk from Todai-ji |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in JPY. Tipping is not practised in Japan. Ryokan and some hotels include a service charge.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in June and December–February; the busiest months are April and November.
- August: Nara Tokae — candle lantern festival in Nara Park (usually early to mid-August)
- September: Uneme Festival at Sarusawa Pond (usually around the September harvest moon)
Staying near the shops
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Nara?
Nara sumi ink, Nara brushes, Nara-zuke pickles and Deer-themed goods.
+Where is the best shopping in Nara?
Higashimuki and Mochiidono arcades: Covered streets near Kintetsu Nara station with souvenir shops, pickles, sweets and crafts.