Nakamise Shopping Street

Nakamise Shopping Street in Asakusa is one of Japan’s oldest shopping streets, stretching about 250 meters along the approach from Kaminarimon Gate to the main hall of Sensō-ji Temple. Its origins date back to around 1685, when teahouses for temple visitors began to line the path. Today, approximately 90 shops stand side by side, offering a wide variety of traditional sweets such as ningyō-yaki cakes, kaminari-okoshi rice snacks, and senbei crackers, as well as Japanese-style goods and traditional crafts. The current buildings, reconstructed in 1955 after the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II air raids, create a unified and distinctive streetscape. As the gateway to Asakusa sightseeing, the street is always lively with visitors from Japan and around the world.