Nagano's most iconic sightseeing spot, Zenkoji Temple, is a temple with a history of nearly 1,400 years. One of the highlights of visiting is strolling and sampling street food along Nakamise-dori and Omotesando, the streets leading up to the main hall.
In this article, the FUN! JAPAN editors introduce popular gourmet foods they personally tried and selected, along with reviews. There are also products perfect as souvenirs, so be sure to check them out.
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Editor's Picks! Zenkoji Temple Monzen Town Street Food Guide (with Tasting Reports)
Now, let's dive right in as the FUN! JAPAN editors introduce their recommended street foods in Zenkoji Temple Monzen Town, all personally tasted and selected.
1. [Shichimi] Long-established Shichimi Togarashi Shop Since the Edo Period: "Kongen Yawataya Isogoro Main Store"
Shichimi is a spice blend made by mixing seven ingredients, including chili pepper as the base, along with sesame seeds, sansho pepper, and others. At "Kongen Yawataya Isogoro Main Store," you can find retro and cute canned shichimi, and even create your own custom blend to suit your taste, making it popular among young people today.
💬 Editor's Report
I bought the "Trial Shichimi" as a souvenir for myself and my friends. It contains eight single-use packets of shichimi. My friends enjoyed choosing which one to try, having fun while deciding!
Kongen Yawataya Isogoro Main Store
- Address: 83 Daimon-cho, Nagano-shi, Nagano Prefecture
- Access: About 6 minutes on foot from Zenkoji Sanmon Gate
- Business hours: 9:00–18:30
- Closed: Open daily
- Official URL
2. [Cafe] Directly Managed by the Long-established Shichimi Shop: "Yokomachi Cafe"
At the "Kongen Yawataya Isogoro Main Store," there is an adjoining "Yokomachi Café" where you can enjoy curry, desserts, and gelato made with shichimi. Among the offerings, the most popular is "MISOGORO," where you can create your own miso soup by choosing from three types of dashi broth and ten types of miso. Finish it off with a sprinkle of shichimi for your very own original miso soup.
💬 Editor’s Report
I ordered the MISOGORO and the spice gelato made with ingredients found in shichimi. Surprisingly, the spicy kick from the spices on the table paired perfectly with the sweet gelato—it's addictive! The MISOGORO, which lets you enjoy miso soup almost like coffee, had a comforting and healthy flavor that helped relieve my travel fatigue.
Yokomachi Café
- Address: 86-1 Yokomachi, Nagano-shi, Nagano Prefecture (adjoining Nemoto Yawataya Isogoro Main Store)
- Access: About a 6-minute walk from Zenkoji Sanmon Gate
- Hours: 10:00–17:00 (Last order 16:30)
- Closed: Open daily
- Official URL
3. [Apple] Freshly Baked Apple Pie is a Must-Try! "Shinshu Ringo Kashi Kobo BENI-BENI"
"Shinshu Ringo Kashi Kobo BENI-BENI" is a shop offering sweets made with Shinshu’s famous apples. Their "Shinshu Custard Apple Pie," made with 100% apples from Shinshu, and their soft serve topped with special apple sauce are perfect for eating on the go. The cute packaging also makes these treats great as souvenirs.
💬 Editor’s Report
The "Shinshu Custard Apple Pie" is a highly satisfying treat, packed with big chunks of apple and plenty of custard cream! I took a few home, and while the freshly baked pie had a crispy texture, after some time the apple and cream blended into the crust, creating a well-balanced flavor—both were delicious.
Shinshu Ringo Kashi Kobo BENI-BENI
- Address: 484 Motozencho, Nagano-shi, Nagano Prefecture
- Access: About a 4-minute walk from Zenkoji Sanmon Gate
- Hours: 9:00–18:00
- Closed: Open daily
- Official URL
4. [Oyaki] Traditional Flavor Grilled Over an Irori Hearth! "Ogawa-no-Sho Daimon Store"
Oyaki is a local dish from Nagano Prefecture made by wrapping fillings such as vegetables or sweet bean paste in chewy wheat dough and grilling them. At "Ogawa-no-Sho Daimon Store," you can sit around a traditional irori (sunken hearth) (a sunken square hearth in the floor) and enjoy freshly made oyaki. You can also try your hand at making your own oyaki—a memorable experience for your trip.
💬 Editor's Report
A local dish you should definitely try when visiting Nagano. Its simple flavor makes it a relatively healthy snack. Packed with ingredients and so delicious, I ended up eating two in no time. I arrived late, so unfortunately I couldn't try the freshly made oyaki that you can make yourself, but I definitely want to come back and try it again!
Ogawa-no-Sho Daimon Branch
- Address: 53 Daimon-cho, Nagano-shi, Nagano Prefecture (inside Patio Daimon)
- Access: About 9 minutes on foot from Zenkoji Sanmon Gate
- Business Hours: 9:00–17:00
- Irori: 10:00–15:00
- Oyaki Experience: From 13:00, weekdays only
- Closed: Wednesdays
- Official URL
5. [Miso] Japan’s Soul Food Onigiri “Monzen Miso Suyakame Zenkoji Branch”
“Monzen Miso Suyakame Zenkoji Store” is a long-established miso shop with over 120 years of history. It’s a famous store often featured in the media and highly trusted by locals. Here, you can enjoy creative miso-based menu items such as “Nori-maki Yaki-musubi” and “Miso Soft Serve,” centered around Shinshu miso.
💬 Editor's Report
The “Nori-maki Yaki-musubi,” a rice ball grilled on the spot and generously coated with miso, was absolutely delicious. Its small size makes it perfect as a snack without making you too full. Since they are only available until sold out, I recommend visiting early in the day.
Monzen Miso Suyakame Zenkoji Branch
- Address: Niohmon-kita, Motozen-cho, Nagano-shi, Nagano Prefecture
- Access: About 3 minutes on foot from Zenkoji Sanmon Gate
- Business Hours: 9:00–17:00
- Closed: Wednesdays
- Official URL
6. [Wagashi] Good Luck Carp-shaped Sweets! “Fujita Kuemon Shoten”
In the mountainous Shinshu area, where Nagano Prefecture is located, it is said that people traditionally ate carp to celebrate special occasions. That’s why at “Fujita Kuemon Shoten,” they sell “Koi-yaki,” a carp-shaped version of taiyaki. These palm-sized koi-yaki are filled with sweet bean paste made from locally grown flower beans in Shinshu.
💬 Editor's Report
The slender, curved shape of the “Koi-yaki” is so elegant. The retro-cute wrapping paper is also very photogenic. There were eight flavors to choose from that day, and I had a hard time deciding because they all looked delicious! Both the dough and the filling are carefully crafted, making not only the appearance but also the taste high quality.
Fujita Kuemon Shoten
- Address: 400-2 Higashinomachi, Nagano-shi, Nagano Prefecture
- Access: About 4 minutes on foot from Zenkoji Sanmon Gate
- Business Hours: Usually 6:30–until sold out / Winter (December–March) 7:00–until sold out
- Closed: Irregular holidays
- Official URL
7. [Sweet Potato] Savor the Natural Sweetness at "Oimo Biyori Shinshu Oimo Kobo Zenkoji Nakamise Street Shop"
"Oimo Biyori Shinshu Oimo Kobo" is a specialty shop for sweet potato desserts. You can fully indulge in sweet potato treats like Imo Kenpi (crispy sweet potato sticks), Yaki Imo (roasted sweet potato), Daigaku Imo (candied sweet potato), and more. Among them, the Mont Blanc Soft, where the Mont Blanc is piped right in front of you, is a popular dessert that looks great on camera.
💬 Editor’s Report
The Mont Blanc Soft, which lets you taste two types of sweet potato, is finished right in front of you, making the experience even more enjoyable. Of course, the taste is outstanding—the simple sweetness of the sweet potato Mont Blanc blends smoothly with the soft serve ice cream for a blissful treat. In the colder seasons, they also offer a hot Mont Blanc, so you can enjoy it in different seasons as well.
Oimo Biyori Shinshu Oimo Kobo Zenkoji Nakamise Street Shop
- Address: 484 Motoyoshicho, Nagano-shi, Nagano Prefecture
- Access: About 4 minutes on foot from Zenkoji Sanmon Gate
- Business Hours: 10:30–16:30
- Closed: Irregular holidays
- Official Website
Good Manners to Know for “Tabearuki” (Eating While Walking)
When enjoying tabearuki around Zenkoji, please eat in front of the shop where you purchased your food. It is considered good manners to refrain from eating and drinking within the temple grounds or near the main hall of Zenkoji. Also, please return any trash to the shop where you purchased your items or take it home with you.
[Money-Saving Tip] How to Use the “Zenkoji Omotesando Tabearuki Ticket”
The “Zenkoji Omotesando Tabearuki Ticket” (700 yen per ticket) is a great-value ticket that can be used at souvenir shops and eateries along the Zenkoji approach. Depending on the price of the items, you can exchange the ticket for one to three items, and after using up your ticket, you’ll receive an original bag.
However, please note that the ticket can only be used at 19 participating shops.
👉Click here for details on the Tabearuki Ticket (available in Japanese only)
If you visit Shinshu Zenkoji in Nagano, be sure to enjoy not only visiting the temple but also trying tabearuki in the temple town!
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