Zenkoji Omotesando

The Omotesando approach to Zenkoji Temple in Nagano runs about 2 kilometers from Nagano Station to the main gate, and the street has been feeding and supplying pilgrims along this route for centuries. The morning market, held at dawn each day, draws locals and visitors for miso, pickled vegetables, walnuts, and freshly made oyaki dumplings. Soba restaurants, sake sellers, and shops selling Buddhist goods fill the buildings on either side. The stone pavement and traditional shopfronts give the street a sense of continuity with its long history, and walking it early in the morning before the crowds arrive is one of the better ways to start a day in Nagano.