A beautifully preserved merchant street from the Edo period, lined with kura storehouses, white plaster facades, and quiet backstreets full of history.
MK Guide Recommends
Just west of central Nagoya lies one of the city’s most atmospheric heritage zones: the Shikemichi Townscape Preservation District. Originally laid out in the 1700s after a devastating fire, the name “Shikemichi” (literally “Four Ken Road”) refers to the unusually wide street designed to serve as a firebreak. Today, the area still maintains much of its original layout, complete with thick-walled kura (storehouses), lattice-fronted townhouses, and stone-paved alleys. Once a hub for wholesalers supplying nearby Nagoya Castle, Shikemichi now features a thoughtful mix of tea salons, gallery cafés, boutique shops, and cultural venues tucked into restored Edo buildings. It’s a peaceful place to explore on foot—less flashy than Kyoto but deeply evocative of merchant-era Japan. Especially beautiful at dusk, when lanterns flicker to life and history feels close at hand.
Facilities & Services
- Edo-period merchant houses and storehouses
- Boutique cafés and artisan shops
- Historical signage and preservation area markers
- Close to Endo-ji Shotengai and Kokusai Center Station
- Occasional cultural events and exhibitions
Contact
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