Nakatanidou — Restaurant in Nara

Overrated TikTok tourist trap with mochi that you can get anywhere else and will most likely taste much better. What you can’t get anywhere else though is the shop owner hitting you and grabbing your money out from your hands before you even order your mochi.

The mochi itself is soft and chewy like mochi should be and the red bean paste is chunky, not overly sweet. As the mochi is made with mugwort, it gave the mochi skin a very distinct taste which I’m not a fan of but that’s just my personal preference.

We came on a Sunday afternoon with around 10 people in line, and when there were 2 more groups of customers before us, the owner came over to me and started aggressively hitting my purse shouting get ready. Didn’t really understand the meaning of this as it’s not as if I’m not ready to order? I had my purse out and it will take a maximum of 1 sec for me to take out a 1000yen note so unless the owner wants me to be shoving money in his face, then maybe he needs to indicate this on his shop front and at the start of the queue.

When it came our turn “to order”, there was no acknowledgment nor words exchanged, just the owner grabbing your money when you’re still taking it out of your wallet (before you even order the number of mochis you want), giving a huge sigh of disgust and shoved us away. The female staff then passed us our mochi after we’re shoved away. You won’t know it’s your turn to order because they don’t say a word, they just want your money and you get given however many mochis they’d liked to give you seems to be what they’re going for.

I’ve never experienced anything like this before where rudeness from staff members or in this case, the shop owner, involved physicality when I’m just here to get some mochi. But like the other reviews mentioned, this just seems to be the norm for this place where the owner can scream and be physical with you. He just wants your money given to him in less than a millisecond or he’ll start yelling at your inadequacy at buying his less than average mochi. The one sec he wasted on me taking my money out was a precious one sec he’s not grabbing money out of somebody...

I recently visited Nakatanidou, the famous mochi shop in Nara, and while I didn’t catch the iconic mochi-pounding demonstration, the experience was still absolutely worth it.

Located just a short walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, Nakatanidou is known for its yomogi mochi—a soft, green rice cake made with mugwort and filled with sweet red bean paste. When I arrived, there was already a line forming, despite there being no mochitsuki (pounding) performance at the time. It’s clear that even without the show, this shop has built a loyal following based on the quality of its products.

The mochi was incredibly fresh. Warm to the touch, slightly springy, and dusted in a light layer of kinako (roasted soybean flour), it had the perfect balance of earthy mugwort flavor and the smooth sweetness of the red bean filling. It was also surprisingly affordable—only about ¥130 per piece.

Even without the spectacle of live mochi making, the atmosphere at Nakatanidou was lively. The staff worked quickly and cheerfully, and it was fun to see how efficiently they packed mochi for customers buying in bulk. I also appreciated that the shop opens relatively early, making it a great stop before exploring nearby attractions like Nara Park and Todai-ji Temple.

While I was a bit disappointed not to see the famous high-speed pounding in action, the mochi itself was so delicious that it didn’t feel like a letdown. In fact, the calmness of the shop without the crowd gathering for the show made it easier to enjoy the food and take in the surroundings.

If you’re in Nara, don’t skip Nakatanidou—pounding or not, their mochi is some of the best...

Nakatanidou, located in Nara, Japan, is renowned for its freshly made mochi and the high-speed, traditional mochi-pounding demonstrations performed by the owner, Mitsuo Nakatani. These captivating performances, known as mochitsuki, have garnered significant attention and are a major draw for visitors.

The shop's signature offering is the yomogi mochi, a green-hued rice cake flavored with mugwort and filled with sweet red bean paste. Many patrons praise its soft, chewy texture and balanced sweetness. A reviewer on Tripadvisor noted, "I tried some mochi, and they were surprisingly delicious, with a rich red bean flavor and a chewy yet soft mochi skin that I really enjoyed."

Visitors often highlight the mochi-pounding demonstrations as a highlight of their experience. One reviewer mentioned, "The presentation is really nice. We watched them on how they make the mochi the traditional way. Very entertaining and the mochi itself is very nice!"

Given its popularity, Nakatanidou can become quite crowded, especially during demonstration times. Some visitors suggest checking the schedule in advance to catch the live performances. Despite the crowds, many find the experience worthwhile, both for the entertainment and the quality of the mochi.

In summary, Nakatanidou offers a unique blend of cultural performance and culinary delight, making it a must-visit spot for those traveling to Nara.

For a visual glimpse into the mochi-pounding process at Nakatanidou, you might find this video...