Visit Mastumoto

Nakamachi Street is a street of merchant houses that flourished in the Edo period (1603–1868) along the Zenkoji Temple road. A large number of clay-walled buildings in the style of traditional kura storehouses, with white and black namako walls made of plaster, were built here to protect the street from great fires at the end of the Edo period and during the Meiji period (1868–1912), and still remain today, creating the feel of the Matsumoto of the past.

Old and new stores coexist in Nakamachi Street, which preserves the vestiges of the old wholesale district (tonyagai). It’s loved by many people of all ages for its Matsumoto Mingei Kagu showroom, craft shops, fashionable cafes, and restaurants. You’ll find wells throughout the merchant area, quietly telling of life in a castle town.

Every Saturday from April to December, a morning market is held from 9:30 AM,  where local farmers sell fresh vegetables and seasonal flowers. The spectacle of what is known as “Japan’s shortest morning market,” which can sell out in just 10 minutes, is another of Nakamachi’s attractions.

We recommend visiting this street together with Matsumoto Castle and Nawate Street.