Shopping in Higashimuki and Mochiidono

Higashimuki and Mochiidono are the two covered shopping arcades in the centre of Nara and the natural starting point for shopping in the city. Higashimuki, a covered passage about 250 metres long with a glass roof, starts from Kintetsu Nara station itself and concentrates souvenir shops, local sweets, kimono items, accessories and restaurants. It is ideal for rainy days and for buying last-minute gifts. Connecting with it, Mochiidono is a parallel passage, quieter and more rooted in local commerce: here you will find ceramics shops, ittobori dolls carved in wood (a typical Nara craft), brushes and ink sticks, deer-leather items (a very popular souvenir) and traditional fabrics. Neither of the two arcades has commercial chains: all the establishments are local and independent. Entry to both arcades is completely free and they are usually open from 10:00 to 19:00, although each shop has its own hours. The most typical products to take home from Nara include: shika-senbei crackers, narazuke, sake from the Miwa region, deer-shaped leather products and Akahada-yaki ceramic tableware.