An old town that retains the elegance of the good old days of Japan
In 710, the capital was transferred to Heijo-kyo, and Naramachi was situated on the old temple grounds of Gango-ji Temple. Outside Heijo-kyo, the old town developed on the roads of that time. Developing from a town of shrines and temples to a town of commerce to a tourist town, the old streets retaining the nostalgia from remains of machiya longhouses from the last years of the Edo Era into the Meiji Era are exquisite. There are many famous tourist spots such as the shrines, and the cafes and restaurants converted from the longhouses are popular. Another attractive point is that Naramachi is within walking distance of Nara Park with its many wild deer and the World Heritage site of Kasuga-Taisha Shrine.
The architecture that evokes the history of Naramachi
The World Heritage site of Gango-ji Temple was once on the site of Japan’s first Buddhist monastery, Hoko-ji Temple (Asuka Temple), before its buildings were moved to Heijo-kyo and established in 718. The roof of the Gokurakubo main hall has the characteristic of a gyoukibuki roof with its pattern of overlapping curved and flat tiles, and part of the roof still has the tiles that were used at the time of its construction. The Naramachi House of Lattice Windows was built on the model of a machiya longhouse and can be visited to experience the feeling of an old lifestyle. With its narrow width and long length, you can learn about the functionality of the building through ways such as stairs which had storage spaces to effectively use the tight space and lattices which served a role in the use of ventilation and light. Admission is free and the admission office will distribute information on the places to see as well as maps. The Nara Craft Museum also has free admission, and you can view traditional crafts such as lacquerware, brushes, textiles and works made from animal horns.
Restaurants that evoke the feeling of the machiya
On the west side of Gango-ji Temple is Harishin, a Japanese restaurant that makes use of a 230-year-old machiya longhouse. With a “Wa-shoku” menu that makes use of an ancient Japanese cheese known as “so” and ingredients from Nara, the hearth seats of the sunken kotatsu are popular. The pioneer of machiya cafes, Kanakana, has popular Japanese set meals and homemade desserts. The 100-year-old Japanese confectionary, Nakanishi Yosaburo, serves wagashi sweets and matcha tea while customers view the garden.