Strolling along “Naramachi” street

I visit Nara for a music festival for recent years as I wrote about in my previous blog, and I go to one place each year between the events. I have visited Kofukuji Temple, Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine and, this year I strolled “Naramachi” street, not a shrine or a temple.

 “Naramachi” is located on the south side of Nara Park and 15 minutes walk from Kintetsu Nara Station. The area used to be in the precincts of Gangoji Temple Gokurakubo and the extra section of the ancient capital in Nara called Heijokyo.

There are temples that were founded in Nara period, tradesmen’s houses since the late Edo period and modern new shops in Naramachi, so you can enjoy both old and new in the quiet and the somehow familiar area where has a lot of narrow alleys. Also, in June, cat-lover shopkeepers in Naramachi appeal their affections for cats display their products which have the motif of cats.

So, if you are a cat lover, why don’t you come to Naramachi in June? (H.S)

   The five-story pagoda of Kofukuji Temple can be seen from Sarusawa Pond. 

                          Information board with its back to the bloomy oleanders.

The main shop of Yu Nakagawa(Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten), which I extends across the country such as at GINZA SIX and famous department stores. 

There are deers on either side of the shop logo.  

                There are beautiful tradesmen’s houses with a lattice door like this. 

I had “Black curry with black rice and locally grown vegetables” for lunch in Nara 

at a cafe where I perchance saw, it was pretty good and not that spicy. 

Black rice is a kind of ancient rice. The cafe grows black rice by themselves.