NiigataLeisure

Joetsu City Takada Honmachi Shopping Street

Flow of the course

Previous stop: In summer, the highlights are the lotus flowers covering the moat and the reconstructed three-story turret

About 20 min from the previous stop

About 35 min here

About 5 min to the next stop

Next stop: Into the festival night honoring Echigo's hero, Uesugi Kenshin

About this spot

This shopping street conveys the history it once flourished as the castle town of Takada Castle, and still retains the wooden covered walkways called 'gangi,' unique to this heavily snowy region. Along streets lined with old townscapes—including the Takada Sekaikan, known as one of the oldest movie theaters in Japan—eateries and restaurants are scattered about, making it a good time for dinner. You can fuel up before the festival while enjoying Takada's distinctively retro town atmosphere.

Tips

The surrounding roads can get crowded during the festival period, so allow plenty of time to get around. The gangi-lined street is also easy to walk even in rainy weather.