Are you looking for the perfect Japanese souvenir? Do you need the latest high quality Japanese gadgets and goods, or a taste of Japan’s delicious food and sweets? From covered pedestrian only arcade markets to giant malls, great shopping is yours for the taking in Nara!
Higashi-muki Shopping Arcade
Owing to its location just outside Kintetsu Nara Station, just a couple hundred meters west of Nara Park, the Higashi-muki Shopping Arcade is one of Nara’s most fun and accessible places to shop. The Higashi-muki runs north-south from the Sanjo-dori shopping street to the Noborioji Street, one of the main thoroughfares in Nara, and then continues into the Higashi-muki Kita (North Higashi-muki) after that. It was established shortly after the capital was moved to Heijo Palace in 710, making it one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan. As the Higashi-muki is located on the edge of Kofukuji Temple’s grounds, and religious views at the time held that it was disrespectful for the backside of a building to face a temple, all of the shopping street’s original structures were built on the west side of the street facing the temple. This gave the shopping street its name, “Higashi-muki” meaning east facing. The Higashi-muki is now a covered shopping arcade that is home to 81 stores and restaurants, selling traditional arts and crafts, omiyage, sweets, kimonos and other Japanese goods and a variety of different cuisines. The main branch of Nanto Bank, at the south end of the Higashi-muki, offers foreign exchange services, and the Daiso ¥100 store, in the middle of the arcade, sells a huge variety of everyday goods, snacks and toys for just ¥100 (¥108 after tax)!
The Mochi-idono Shopping Arcade
The Mochi-idono Shopping Arcade is one of the oldest shopping streets in Nara and Japan with a history stretching back 1,100 years. According to legend, a nun from Todaiji Temple, Rigendaishi, and 8 young men left from Nara on a quest to kill a giant snake that was terrorizing the local people. They carried mochi rice cakes and dried rice to give to the people in Nara and other areas who had been effected by the snake’s attacks. In honor of their efforts the people of Nara named the Mochi-i-dono street for Rigendaishi and her followers using the kanji characters for rice cakes (mochi - 餅), rice or “meal” (i - 飯) and an honorific title for people of respect (dono - 殿). They also erected the Munakata Shrine to honor Rigendashi in particular. The shrine stands to this day and can be found on the 1st floor of the supermarket in the middle of the Mochi-i-dono.
The Mochi-idono shopping street is home to over 100 stores and restaurants including the historic Nakatani-do mochi shop (and the scary but amazing mochi pounding show the proprietors put on every Tuesday), a supermarket, and several shops selling traditional clothes and goods. The Mochi-idono Shopping street extends from the Sanjo-dori Street (just past the south entrance to the Higashimuki Shopping Street) south for about 400 meters through the neighboring Shimomikado shopping arcade to the next main street. It’s just 10-minutes walk from JR Nara Station and about 5-minutes walk from Kintetsu Nara Station.
Nara Family Shopping and Entertainment Complex
Nara Prefecture is home to 4 large shopping and entertainment complexes the most accessible of which is the Nara Family shopping center just outside of Kintetsu Yamato Saidaiji Station’s north entrance. The complex is a combination of a Kintetsu department store and an AEON mall shopping center (AEON is a nationwide shopping mall chain) with upward of 130 tenant stores and restaurants including clothing and goods stores and a large outlet of the famous Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo.
All Kintetsu Line trains departing from Kintetsu Nara stop at Yamato Saidaiji Station. The train fare is ¥210 and the ride takes about 5 minutes. Alternatively one can get a “Heijo Palace Site Daigokuden Hall” bound bus from the #12, #13 or #14 bus stops at Kintetsu Nara Station and get off at Yamato Saidaiji Station. The bus fare is ¥340.
AEON Mall Yamato Koriyama
The AEON Mall in Yamato Koriyama City, just south of Nara City, is one of the largest shopping centers in Nara Prefecure. It has 171 stores and restaurants spread across 3 floors. International brands such as Starbucks, KFC and Godiva, and high quality and popular Japanese outlets like Uniqlo, GU, Joshin electronics and Sports Mitsubishi are all represented at AEON Mall Yamato Koriyama. Tax-free shopping is also available at a number of stores. There is also a Sunshine Cinema movie complex playing some of the latest and greatest pictures from Hollywood and Japan, and includes an impressive iMax theater. The mall also hosts events throughout the year in designated areas in its halls and courts.
AEON Mall Yamato Koriyama is accessible by bus from the #12 bus stop at Kintetsu Nara Station or the #7 bus stop at JR Nara Station. The fare from either station is ¥370. Alternatively, one can go to JR Koriyama Station (one stop south of JR Nara Station, 4 minutes and ¥160 fare) and catch the ¥100 AEON Mall bound bus from there.
AEON Mall Kashihara Aruru
The AEON Mall Aruru in Kashihara City is the largest shopping center in Nara Prefecture, with 231 tenant business including giant Sports Authority, Toys R’ Us/Babies R’ US, H&M and Uniqlo outlets, several fine dining, budget and cafe restaurant options, and a Toho Cinemas theater complex. The mall hosts various exhibitions and events through out the year, and with over 200 individual stores the chances of finding good deals are high.
AEON Mall Aruru is accessible by bus from Kintetsu Yagi Station (¥290 adults, ¥150 children). The train from Kintetsu Nara Station to Yagi Station costs ¥440 each way (Limited Express trains incur an additional ¥510 reserved seat surcharge) and takes 23-45 minutes with a train change at Yamato Saidaiji Station. Or, Aeon Mall Aruru is a 10 minute walk from JR Kanahashi station on the Man-yō Mahoroba Line.
AEON Mall Takanohara
The AEON Mall Takanohara has the fun and unusual quirk of being right on the border of Kyoto and Nara Prefectures. There is even a line across the floor of the mall marking where the border actually is, though the mall’s address puts it in Kyoto despite this fact. The mall is home to 133 stores and restaurants and a movie theater spread across 4 floors. The mall is right next to Kintetsu Takanohara Station, an easy ¥260 and 11-minute train ride from Kintetsu Nara Station.
Works consulted:
http://www.japan-hotels.ws/nara/shopping.htm
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%B1%E5%90%91%E5%95%86%E5%BA%97%E8%A1%97 (Japanese)
http://www.mochiidono.com/center_map.html
http://www.mochiidono.com/index.html
http://ameblo.jp/fflapper/entry-10783053968.html
http://www.mochiidono.com/kinrin073.html
http://en.aeonmall.global/shop/detail/5
http://yamatokoriyama-aeonmall.com/
http://kashihara-aeonmall.com/
http://en.aeonmall.global/shop/detail/106
http://www.aeon.jp/sc/takanohara/
Photo Credits:
“Yamato Koriyama Aeon Shopping Mall Exterior.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image is from user Maxy111 and is freely available at https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Aeon_mall_yamato-koriyama.jpg under the cc A 3.0 license.
“Aeon Kashihara Aruru.” This public domain image is from Wikipedia user Tokumeigakarinoaoshima and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%C3%86ON_MALL_Kashihara_1.JPG
“Aeon Mall Takanohara Exterior.” This public domain image is from Wikipedia user Tokumeigakarinoaoshima and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AEON_MALL_Takanohara_3.jpg
“Aeon Mall Aeon Cinema.” This public domain image is from Wikipedia user Tokumeigakarinoaoshima and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AEON_CINEMA_Takanohara.JPG
“Aeon Mall Takanohara and Train Station.” This public domain image is from Wikipedia user Tokumeigakarinoaoshima and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%C3%86ON_MALL_Takanohara_1.jpg
“Higashi-muki Shopping Arcade North Entrance.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Kochizufan is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Higashimuki_Mall_in_Nara.jpg under the cc by sa 4.0 license.
“Higashi-muki Shopping Arcade South End.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Degueulasse is freely available https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20150927_Higashimuki_Street.jpg under the cc by sa 3.0 license.
“Higashi-muki Kita South Entrance.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Kochizufan is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Higashimuki_Kita_Mall_in_Nara.jpg under the cc by sa 4.0 license.
"Mochi-idono Shopping Street.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Degueulasse is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015092702_Mochiidono_Street.jpg under the cc by sa 3.0 license.
“Mochi-idono Shopping Street Entrance.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Degueulasse is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015092701_Mochiidono_Street.jpg under the cc by sa 3.0 license.
“Nakatani-do Mochi Shop and Visitors.” This Photozou creative commons image from (C)Hidewaki is freely available at http://photozou.jp/photo/photo_only/216071/37313480 under the cc 2.1 license.
“Nakatani-do Mochi.” This Photozou creative commons image from (C)Hidewaki is freely available at http://photozou.jp/photo/photo_only/216071/37313472 under the cc 2.1 license.
“AEON Nara Family.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Tokumeigakarinoaoshima is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nara_Family_at_8th_October_2016.jpg under the cc by sa 4.0 license.