Imai-cho Town

Japan’s Best-Preserved

Samurai-Era Townscape

Tucked away in Kashihara City, Nara, Imai-cho Town is often called a “living museum” of the Edo period. Once a wealthy merchant town fortified during the 16th century, Imai-chō boasts over 500 traditional wooden buildings—many of which are still homes, shops, or workshops today. With narrow lanes, latticed facades, and centuries-old warehouses, the town offers an authentic step back in time.

Designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, Imai Town is a rare destination where Japan’s feudal past is not just remembered, but still lived. Strolling through this remarkably preserved townscape provides visitors with a glimpse into a bygone era of samurai, merchants, and temple life—without the tourist crowds often found in larger cities like Kyoto or Nara.

Explore the Sights

See photos that bring Imai-Cho Town to life.

Traditional Japanese building with dark wooden beams, white walls, and tiled roof with ornate decorations.
Traditional Japanese building with wooden facade and tiled roof, featuring decorative lanterns hanging at the entrance.
Traditional Japanese building with wooden sliding doors, decorative elements, and a potted plant outside.
A quiet historical street in Japan with traditional wooden buildings, narrow pathway, and stone lanterns, under an overcast sky.
Traditional Japanese building with wooden exterior and tiled roof on a quiet street.
Interior of a traditional Japanese room with tatami mats, wooden sliding doors, and a low table with a kettle on it.
Interior of a traditional Japanese room featuring wooden walls, sliding shoji screens, and wooden furniture, with sunlight filtering through the windows.
Traditional Japanese-style building with white walls, sliding wooden gates, and tiled roof under a blue sky.
Image of a traditional Japanese building with wooden balconies, white walls, tiled roof, and hanging signs with Japanese characters.
A narrow alleyway with traditional Japanese wooden buildings on either side, with a clear blue sky above.
Traditional Japanese shoji doors open to a small outdoor garden with a large ceramic pot, a tree, and a wooden fence.
A traditional Japanese wooden building on a street with a bright blue sky and a few clouds. The building has a red banner with a tea leaf symbol and a menu displayed outside. There is a small entrance with a blue noren curtain hanging above it, and s
Traditional Japanese entrance with wooden lattice sliding door, gravel path, and stone steps.
Front view of a traditional Japanese wooden house with sliding doors, wooden porch, and a small garden with bushes and a rock.
Traditional Japanese building with white walls and gray tiled roof under a blue sky with clouds, outdoor pathway, small water feature in foreground, and trees around the building.
Interior of a traditional Japanese shrine or temple with wooden panels and colorful artwork, including many small paintings and some hanging ornaments.
A row of traditional Japanese shrine buildings with wooden structures, some with red painted parts, situated on stone bases, surrounded by a simple wooden fence, and set against a background of green trees and a clear blue sky.
Interior view of a traditional Japanese-style room with wooden walls, hanging paper lanterns, framed pictures, and small tables with various items, leading to an open area with natural light.
An interior of a Japanese sake shop with bottles of sake displayed on shelves, framed pictures, and certificates on the walls, illuminated by traditional shoji screens and a hanging paper lantern.
Traditional Japanese building with white upper walls, wooden lower walls, and a tiled roof against a clear blue sky.