Zenkoji Nakamise Street (善光寺仲見世通り)

Flow of the course

About this spot

A temple-town shopping street lined with souvenir shops and eateries along the stone-paved approach leading from Nio-mon Gate to Sanmon Gate. The Shinshu specialty oyaki come with a wide variety of vegetable fillings, and biting into a freshly steamed one gives your stroll extra energy. There are plenty of treats kids love too, like soft-serve ice cream and manju buns, while adults can enjoy hunting for souvenirs such as shichimi chili pepper and Shinshu miso. For lunch, simply step into one of the temple-town soba shops, where the whole family can rest and enjoy fragrant Shinshu soba.

Tips

Budget around 1,500 yen per adult for street snacks plus a soba lunch. The stone-paved street is passable with a stroller, but go at a relaxed pace around lunchtime when it gets crowded. Eating what you buy at the benches or rest areas in front of shops helps avoid spills. Popular soba shops start to get lines after noon, so an early entry is recommended.

Best time to visit

About 1.5 to 2 hours. Finishing lunch by around 11am leaves the afternoon nice and relaxed.

Access & map

〒380-0851 Nagano Prefecture, Nagano City, Nagano-Motozenmachi ４８３