Just a short walk from Zenkoji Temple, Patio Daimon Kuraniwa is a cluster of beautifully restored kura (traditional earthen-walled storehouses) that once held miso, sake and everyday goods during the Edo and Meiji eras. These kura have been transformed into a charming open-air complex of shops, cafes and restaurants. A perfect place to take a break and sample some local specialties during your visit to Nagano.
Enjoy a Walking Tour in Nagano City
Patio Daimon Kuraniwa is one of the highlights of our walking tour in Nagano City. Starting at Nagano Central Square, your guide will bring the city’s history to life as you make your way to Zenkoji Temple, visit a former sake brewery, and sample freshly made oyaki. Kuraniwa makes for a fitting final stop, a quiet corner of old Japan where you can relax and sample some excellent local food and drink.
>> NAGANO CITY WALKING TOUR
The Best Places to Sample Local Food and Drink
- Ogawanosho Oyaki Restaurant
Oyaki are a Nagano specialty. Round dumplings typically filled with vegetables, sweet beans, or pickled greens. They have been a part of the local diet for centuries, originally made in mountain farming communities as a practical, filling meal. At this traditional Oyaki restaurant, you can sample fresh oyaki after watching them being made and cooked over an irori (sunken hearth).
- Happa Café
Happa Café is a small bar that specializes in regional Nagano sake, with a knowledgeable staff who can walk you through the differences between local breweries and styles. It’s an afternoon only venue with a relaxed atmosphere.
- Sake Imanishiki
Located inside the Kanten Papa shop, this liquor store sells products from Yonezawa Sake Brewery based in southern Nagano. High quality products such as Imanishiki and Nenrin, made from the clear, clean ground water of the Southern Alps are available. Tastings are also available. Makes an excellent souvenir or gift.
>> NAGANO SAKE & OYAKI TASTING TOUR
- Zenkoji Pudding
Zenkoji Pudding is a Japanese-style pudding shop with an attached teahouse. They sell a variety of flavours including a tea pudding made with tea leaves grown in southern Nagano Prefecture. Take part in a traditional tea ceremony which includes a sweet (often matcha pudding) to balance out the bitterness of the matcha itself.
>> ZENKOJI TEMPLE & TEA CEREMONY TOUR
Other Food Experiences
Yamabuki – Offers set meals featuring seasonal foods. They also sell onigiri from a small window next to the entrance.
Engawa Café – Enjoy a coffee, locally sourced tea or apple juice and dessert. Information about Nagano City is available.
Monzan Terrace Enya – A stylish Japanese restaurant with a terrace for outdoor dining, counter and sofa seating inside. Menu features a wide range of Japanese and western cuisine.
Mendou Kirinji – A popular ramen restaurant open for lunch only. 11am-3pm.
Oldies Bar My Life – A bar featuring live music. Anyone can play the instruments that they keep on hand.
Yorifujiayu – A Japanese restaurant specializing in unagi (eel) and ayu (sweetfish). The ayu is sprinkled with salt and roasted whole on skewers.
Morino Coffee Shop – Specializes in in-house roasted coffee and homemade waffles.
Syunka – Kaiseki cuisine served in private rooms. Reservations only.
Tsumugi – Features kaiseki cuisine and soba. Reservations required.
Campanella – French and Italian cuisine prepared with seasonal ingredients in a relaxed atmosphere. Pet friendly outdoor dining is available.
Moritaro Western Food Restaurant – Western style food such as omurice and hamburger steak prepared with locally sourced ingredients.
Mushinan – A tea room built in the Meiji era. Available to rent for tea ceremonies. Tea ceremonies in this style of tea house are very formal. It is rare for Japanese people to experience tea in this way. They usually enjoy tea in a more casual way at home. You can experience a formal tea ceremony in Nagano City in a traditional teahouse along with a samurai experience.
>> SAMURAI & HOME-STYLE MATCHA EXPERIENCE
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