10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Nara

Higashimuki Shopping Street is a shopping arcade stretching in front of Kintetsu Nara Station, linking Noborioji to Sanjo-dori from north to south. Although there are many cafés, fast food restaurants, okonomiyaki and ramen noodle shops, it also has 100-yen shops, pharmacies, and souvenir shops, so you should be able to find whatever you need.

The reason it's called Higashimuki (meaning “eastward”) is because the eastern side of this area used to be entirely within the precincts of Kofuku-ji Temple. You can also get to Kofuku-ji Temple through this shopping street.

Mochiido Centre Town is located in the heart of Nara, linking the street of Sanjo-dori with the Naramachi area. It’s Nara's oldest shopping street, but in recent years it's been overflowing with a lively vibe thanks to the many unique shops that have opened here one after the other.

There’s also been an initiative (called Mochiido Dream CUBE) by this shopping street to revitalise the local community with a project designed to support young entrepreneurs. A number of stores have been set up through this project offering the use of an open, glass-walled store space at a discount for up to 3 years, and this has contributed to making the district more attractive.

Sanjo-dori, also known as Kasugasando (sando meaning “approach to shrine”), is the main street connecting JR Nara Station to Nara Park and Kasuga-Taisha Shrine. The street has a long history, beginning as Sanjo Oji under the town planning of Heijo-kyo, and still maintains much of the same route today.

The area in front of JR Nara Station is especially attractive as a shopping street, with wide pedestrian paths. It's a very walkable shopping street with a cheerful atmosphere, lined with many restaurants, izakayas, hotels, and souvenir shops.

Nara Family is Japan's first large-scale shopping mall with two main centres, having both a department store and a supermarket. It's a convenient one-stop shopping complex made up of the Kintetsu Department Store, Aeon Style, and zoro, which is a speciality shop area. The "Nara no Soranawa" rooftop sky garden offers a panoramic view of ancient capital Nara, including the Heijo Palace remains and Mount Kasuga.

Located just a 3-minute walk from the north exit of Kintetsu Yamato Saidaiji Station, it also has a food court and a wide range of dining options.

Ikeda Gankodo specialises in Nara uchiwa (traditional Japanese fans) with exquisite openwork designs. Shibu-uchiwa were originally made by Shinto priests from the Kasuga-Taisha Shrine in the Nara era, becoming more decorative in the Edo era and gradually developing into the modern form.

In a normal uchiwa, a single bamboo piece is split into about 30 pieces and used as the frame, but the Nara uchiwa has 60-90 pieces of framework. This makes them extremely flexible and allows air to be blown with very little force. These beautiful fans are the perfect souvenirs, as they're designated as Traditional Handicrafts of Nara Prefecture. You can even try making your own uchiwa if you have a couple of hours to spare.

Mi Nara is a popular commercial complex for both locals and tourists. Located in the historical centre of Nara's many tourist sites such as the Heijo Palace remains, Suzakumon Gate, Toshodai-ji Temple and Yakushi-ji Temple, it's a great place to use as a base for sightseeing trips around the area.

There are plenty of options for families and couples, such as the Lopia supermarket, Goldfish Museum, an extensive food court, clothing shops, and a bowling alley. Another convenient feature is the free shuttle bus service from Shin-Omiya Station, Kintetsu Nara Station and JR Nara Station.

Located in front of Todai-ji Temple Gate near Todai-ji Temple, Yumekaze Plaza is a cosy space where you can spend a relaxing time while sampling and exploring Nara's local delicacies. After visiting the Great Buddha, you can buy souvenirs here or taste the famous kakinoha zushi (pressed sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves) and sweets made from Yoshino kudzu (starch extracted from kudzu roots).

There's not much parking space around Todai-ji Temple, but Yumekaze Plaza has space for more than 60 vehicles. Bicycle parking for rental bikes is also available.

Aeon Mall Kashihara is one of the largest shopping malls in the Kinki region, made up of Aeon Style and 230 speciality shops. It has restaurants, cafés, clothing and electronics stores, banks and clinics, so you can find everything you need here for everyday living.

You could easily spend the whole day here, as there’s also a cinema and an amusement arcade. The building is designed to be accessible to everyone and has toilets for people with prams and wheelchairs, a playground for children, and baby rooms.

Hokuto Budougu in the town of Ikaruga is a shop where you can order original shinai (bamboo sword) bags and tare-name (hanging name signs) written by calligraphers for the martial art of kendo. The shop offers equipment not only for kendo, but also for iaido, judo, karate, aikido and all other kinds of martial arts.

If you're a fan of martial arts, this authentic martial arts shop is a must-visit and it's conveniently located near Horyu-ji Temple and Chugu-ji Temple, so you can easily drop by while sightseeing. The owner is also a fencer who teaches at the Horyu-ji Kendo Club.

Utsuwa Matsumori is a historical tableware shop founded in 1871. Located in Nara's oldest shopping street, Mochiidono Centre Town, here you'll find a wide range of ceramics, glassware, lacquerware, flower vases and cutlery.

Popular souvenirs to buy include furin (wind chimes), maneki-neko (beckoning cats), yunomi (teacups) and guinomi (sake cups). The shop also offers a "painting experience" in which you can try painting and writing on unglazed vessels with a paintbrush, and the shop can send your baked vessels directly to your home (booking required).