Nakatanidou

If you’re visiting Nara, you absolutely cannot miss Nakatanidou. We came here specifically to see the famous high-speed mochi pounding performance, and honestly, seeing it in person is so much more intense than the TikTok videos! The speed and coordination of the masters as they pound the dough are just incredible—it’s like a blur of green and wooden mallets. But the real star is the mochi itself. We got the Yomogi Mochi (mugwort mochi) for only 200 JPY, and it’s easily the best 200 yen I’ve ever spent. It’s worlds apart from the pre-packaged stuff you find in convenience stores. Since it's freshly pounded, the dough is impossibly soft, warm, and has this crazy elastic stretch to it. The outer layer is coated in a really fragrant, nutty kinako (roasted soybean) powder, and the red bean filling inside is sweet and smooth without being overpowering. It literally melts in your mouth. Pro-tip: Don’t wait to eat it! Eat it the exact second they hand it to you while it’s still steaming and at its softest. There’s usually a crowd watching the show, but the line moves super fast, so don’t let the queue put you off. Truly a 10/10 experience and a total core memory for our Japan trip!

This is the famous mochi pounding spot where one person moves the mochi around quickly, and the other pounds it with a mallet quickly. It’s like a synchronized dance - so impressive how they manage to avoid all kinds of things going wrong when they’re moving so fast. The performance is very cool, but I would recommend trying the freshly pounded mochi afterwards. I had one of the pieces, which was dusted in soybean flour and filled with red bean paste. It was good. I wouldn’t say it was on an another level compared to other mochi i’ve had in Japan, but I still liked the taste. Very not-sweet. The highlight is how stretchy and chewy this mochi gets. Overall, you’re more there for the experience, but the mochi is pretty good too. 8/10

Based on what I’ve seen on social media, I was so excited to try Nakatanidou, known for their rapid mochi-pounding show and fresh warm mochi. We didn’t make it to the shop until around 4:00P, when they were already done pounding mochi for the day, but it was still bustling with customers! As we approached, before we even had a chance to browse all of their goods, one of the employees kindly asked how many pieces we wanted and then handed them to us, already packed in a box. We quickly pulled out our yen and were all set in less than a minute. While I enjoyed the mochi, perhaps my expectations were super high from all the online hype. The mochi texture had a great stretch and chew, but the taste of the red bean filling was more subtle than anticipated. Instead, the roasted soybean powder that covered each mochi gave it a strong nutty flavor. Perhaps if we had arrived earlier and eaten it hot, that would have made a difference. We also tried one of their mochi crackers wrapped in seaweed and flavored with wasabi. It was super crunchy, light and had that sharp hit of spice. Get one of these if you’re looking for a savory snack! Overall, it was worth stopping by for a quick bite, but I’d recommend visiting earlier in the day for the full experience.

The mochi tasted nice- it contained a plentiful red bean filling on the sweeter side that complimented nicely with the peanut powder exterior coating. The filling bursts in your mouth on the first bite, and there is a nice firmness to the mochi (not too sticky). However, with my limited mochi-tasing experience, I thought the taste and quality was average. Maybe it was because the mochi I purchased wasn’t truly fresh. I wasn’t able to see the mochi being made, but go at 1pm to see the pounding live!

​A visit to Nakatanidou is a total sensory experience. Watching the high-speed mochi pounding is a must-see—the energy and skill of the staff are incredible to witness! ​The Signature Snack: Their Yomogi (mugwort) mochi is served warm and is incredibly soft. It’s filled with smooth red bean paste and dusted in nutty kinako flour. ​The Taste: It’s the perfect balance of chewy, fresh, and not-too-sweet. ​Value: At around ¥200, it’s a delicious and affordable treat. ​The line moves quickly, so don't be intimidated! Eat it immediately while it's still warm and pillowy for the best experience.