Local Secret · Kashihara
Imaicho 今井町
Whole Edo-period temple-and-merchant town near Asuka, with hundreds of preserved houses on a grid of lanes.
HoursInfo center 9:00-17:00
ClosedInfo center Dec 29-Jan 3
PriceFree
Getting thereYagi-Nishiguchi Station (Kintetsu), short walk; Yamato-Yagi Station, 10 min
Time needed1-2 hours
AddressImaicho, Kashihara, Nara 634-0812
About
Imaicho grew around Shonen-ji temple as a moated, self-governing town and later became a wealthy merchant community. Unusually, an entire town survives rather than a single street, with many machiya along narrow lanes. The 1650 Imanishi Residence (reservations needed), the Imai Machiya-kan and the Hanairaka information center are open to visitors.
Highlights
- Entire preserved Edo-period town
- Imanishi Residence (1650)
- Free machiya and info center
- Very few tourists
Tips
- Imanishi Residence needs advance reservation
- Combine with Asuka by rental bicycle
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-11
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Open in the appNearby
- Kashihara JinguShrine · 1.9 km away
- Asukadera TempleTemple · 4.1 km away
- Ishibutai KofunLandmark & Tower · 5.5 km away
- Asuka Historical National Government ParkPark · 5.5 km away
- Omiwa ShrineShrine · 6.3 km away
- Kamaage Udon SuzuanRamen & Noodles · 7.7 km away
- Umami Kyuryo ParkPark · 7.9 km away
- Tanzan ShrineShrine · 8.0 km away