NiigataLeisure

Chuo Shopping Street (中央商店街)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: A quiet moment at a shrine cherished as Sanjo's guardian deity

About 15 min from the previous stop

About 50 min here

About 20 min to the next stop

Next stop: A summer festival in a town of craftsmanship, alive with night stalls on Honmachi-dori and fireworks over the Igarashi River

About this spot

This is a shopping street spreading along Honmachi-dori in Sanjo City. During the Sanjo Summer Festival, children's kite-bayashi dance and a procession of hexagonal rolled kites by the Sanjo Kite Association take place on this street, followed by a citizens' folk-dance circle set to the Sanjo Ondo and Sanjo Okesa songs, staged along the shopping street. Finishing an early dinner before the main festival begins lets you enjoy the street, lively with dancers, at a relaxed pace.

Tips

The area gets crowded from evening onward on the day of the festival, so entering early is recommended. Since many shops mainly accept cash, be sure to have some small change ready. If you plan to move to the riverbank to watch the fireworks, allow plenty of time.