Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Nara Main Store
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
- Kintetsu-Nara Station · 7 min walk (Kintetsu Nara Line)
- Hours
- 10:00–19:00
- Admission
- Free
- Time needed
- 30–60 min
Hours can change on holidays — check the official site before travelling.
About
Housed in the sleek Shikazarukitsune Building, this flagship store of a 300-year-old Nara brand is a design-lover's dream. It beautifully blends traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern lifestyle goods, offering high-quality textiles, kitchenware, and Nara-exclusive souvenirs. Beyond shopping, you can enjoy a matcha espresso at the on-site Sarutahiko Coffee or participate in hands-on craft workshops.
What Japanese guides note
The flagship complex sits inside the narrow historical alleys of Ganriinchō, immediately west of Sarusawa Pond and the southern grounds of Kōfuku-ji. While the modern Shikazarukitsune Building houses the retail sales floor and eateries, it directly connects through an inner courtyard to the former Nakagawa family residence and historic storehouses. Visitors planning to join textile workshops or building history tours must register online beforehand, as sessions require 24-hour advance booking and operate strictly in Japanese.
Details from local sources
- The complex is named Shikazarukitsune after the three tenant brands: the deer of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, the monkey of Sarutahiko Coffee, and the fox of the sukiyaki restaurant Kitsune. [source]
- Architect Hiroshi Naito designed the three-story building using steel framing configured with traditional 3.6-meter column intervals and tiled eaves to integrate with the surrounding historic machiya streetscape. [source]
- Behind the modern facility, two converted century-old storehouses house Tokigura, which showcases company archives dating back to 1716, and Nunogura, where visitors can experience traditional hand-spun and hand-woven hemp textiles. [source]
- Opened on the first floor in October 2024, the Nara Fudo Information Desk offers roughly 60 free thematic cards covering 100 staff-recommended local destinations that visitors can assemble into a customized travel booklet. [source]
Insider Tip
Head to the second floor for Nara-themed items like local deer-embroidered handkerchiefs, which make perfect, packable souvenirs.
Frequently asked
Does Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Nara Main Store have on-site parking?
No dedicated customer parking or validation discounts are available at the Shikazarukitsune Building. Visitors arriving by car must use neighboring coin-operated pay lots in the Naramachi district, such as Naramachi Parking 1 or Mochiidono Parking, both situated within a two-minute walk of the entrance.
How do you book the heritage building tour and textile workshops?
Guided building tours and textile workshops in the Nunogura storeroom require advance reservations through the official website at least 24 hours before the scheduled time. Unfilled slots may occasionally be booked by phone on the day, but sessions are held strictly in Japanese.
What exclusive products are sold only at this main store?
The store stocks exclusive goods featuring the three-animal Shikazarukitsune motif—a deer, monkey, and fox—collaborating with resident tenants. It also carries specialized lines of traditional Nara crafts, such as Akahada ware ceramics, Yoshino cedar homewares, and locally woven mosquito-netting (kaya-ori) cloths unavailable at regional branch stores.
Our Nara walking tours
On the same walk
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