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On July 11, 2024, a new commercial complex called "monaka" opened at the entrance to Sakanamachi Arcade in Morioka City, with one basement floor and four above-ground floors .
-ness , with tenants that are a bit different from the large national chain shopping malls, including a market where local shops that support the local community gather, and delicious local gourmet food and sweets .
In this three-part article, including this one, we will introduce "monaka," which has been visited by many people every day since its opening, bringing new excitement to Sakanamachi Arcade Shopping Street!
What is "monaka"?
Map of the Monaca area. Kawanami district with many tourist attractions. Walk straight to the right (west) for about 30 minutes to reach Morioka Station
This place is located in the middle of an area in Morioka city where you can particularly feel the "Morioka-ness."
Where the fun begins
A place where you can have exciting conversations
A place where you can relax and unwind
The name " MonakaMorioka ," " Sakanachō ," " Nakanohashi ," and " Kanan ," and it also embodies the desire for the store to be a place that is firmly rooted in the local community.
Monaka seen from Sakanamachi Arcade. There is a bench in front of the illustration representing Morioka where you can relax and enjoy the view
It is a place where everyone can feel free to spend time, from local children to the elderly, and even those visiting Morioka for the first time
The image character is the cute "Mona-chan"!
Mona-chan welcomes you at the escalator that leads directly to the second floor
Mona-chan " painted on the exterior and interior walls of the building
Mona-chan warns people to be careful near the parking lot entrance
Mona -chan is a third-grade elementary school student who lives in an apartment in Sakanamachi and loves monaka and the Sakanamachi shopping district.
Mona-chan is everywhere inside the building
She loves shopping with her mother and chatting with classmates, neighbors, and shop staff in the shopping district, and she hopes that Monaka will always be bustling with customers
Hotline Sakanamachi and Morioka Bus Center
View of the arcade from the side of Monaka
The Kawanami area, where Sakanamachi Shopping Street is located, has a history as a commercial town dating back to the Edo period
Hotline Sakanamachi , the longest arcade in the northern Tohoku region, covered by a 365-meter-long all-weather arcade. This shopping district allows you to shop without worrying about your footing even in the snowy winter.
Hotline Sakanamachi is home to approximately 80 stores, and was selected as one of the "77 Most Hardworking Shopping Districts
Morioka Bus Center, diagonally opposite Monaca, is home to restaurants and a hotel
Although it is a little far from Morioka Station, the Morioka Bus Center is located nearby, making it easily accessible from both inside and outside Morioka city, and it is a shopping street that many local residents visit by bus to shop
Iwate Bank Red Brick Building (former Iwate Bank head office, later Nakanohashi branch)
The Nakatsugawa River flows nearby, where sweetfish and salmon swim upstream, tourist attractionsMorioka Castle Ruins Park (formerly Iwate Park), which was the castle of the Nanbu clan, the former lords of Morioka, the Iwate Bank, famous for its Western-style brick architecture , Morioka Hachiman Shrine .
Looking back at the birth of "monaka"
Where Monaca now stands, there used to be three commercial facilities, all of which were beloved and well-known by locals
The opening ceremony on July 11th, with the countdown followed by the ribbon cutting and the moment the paper lantern was popped
A rest booth in the gallery and space on the third floor of Monaca. The gallery is currently hosting a "Morioka City History Photo Exhibition."
Many Morioka residents who were nostalgic for the past called for the revival of the Sakanamachi Arcade commercial facilities, and the birth of "Monaka" was eagerly awaited
Kawatoku
Parc Avenue Kawatoku , a long-established department store in Saien, Morioka City, which will soon celebrate its 160th anniversary of operation, operated in the same location as Monaka for 105 years, from 1875 (Meiji 8) to 1980 (Showa 55).
Many Morioka residents over the age of 60 still remember Kawatoku, which was located in Sakanamachi
Third year of junior high school
Nakasan, headquartered in Aomori, acquired Kawatoku's former store in May 1981 and opened its Morioka store
However, with the expansion of large American-style shopping centers into the northern Tohoku region, sales fell and many of the stores in the area were closed.The Great East Japan Earthquake was also a distant cause, and the Morioka store was forced to close in 2011 (Heisei 23)
Nanak
Nanak (Nanakku) Source: Wikipedia (File name: Nanak.jpg Photographer: Hirosegawa)
The Nakasan Morioka store had been closed, but in October 2012, Tokyo-based Milestone Turnaround Management took over the business and opened Nanakku
Like Monaca, it was a convenient facility housing a fresh food store, restaurants, general stores, and more. However, due to the building's aging, maintenance costs and the need for earthquake-resistant reinforcement work, as well as financial difficulties at the head office, it closed in June 2019
Introducing the "monaka" floor!
1F Monaka Square
Each floor from the 1st to the 3rd floor has its own theme and is home to many tenants
There is a wide variety of things to do, including markets with a wide selection of food, general stores selling daily necessities, 100-yen shops, restaurants where you can enjoy the flavors of Morioka, cafes where you can take a break and relax, medical facilities and pharmacies to protect your health, chiropractic clinics, and cram schools
1F "Food Marche"
1F Monaca Marche
In addition to long-established, locally loved fresh fish, produce, and meat stores such as Tasei Fish Shop ," " TOMATOMA Totsuka ," Niku no Yokozawa which were also located in "Nanaku," the is bustling with other stores, including Shokusai KoboIppuku which sells Sanriku prepared foods
1F Iwaizumi Gelato, where long lines formed from the first day
the bakery " R Baker ," the apple pie shop " kawaii ," the sweet potato parfait shop " Fukufukudo ," and the Iwaizumi gelato shop " ViTO x IWAIZUMI ," as well as cafes, soba noodles, takoyaki, Nanbu senbei rice crackers, coffee, and Japanese tea.
Around Iroha Terrace, facing the arcade, you and new flavors Gyutan Shokudo Yoshida, Shin Morioka Reimen and Hittsumi Kutaya which serves , and the locally famous Italian restaurant Chaton
Hotline Sakanamachi as seen from the 2nd floor Iroha Terrace
to the cafe and general goods store " Cafe Cantina & La Barca 2 ," the 100 yen shop " Seria, " and the pharmacy " Donguri Pharmacy and events are held in the gallery space of Morioka's local information magazine " Tekuri
The third floor houses clinics for dentistry, neurology, nephrology (urology), pediatrics, and more, as well as a women-only fitness club and osteopathic and chiropractic clinic, where you can come for a short visit. This floor offers a quieter atmosphere than the first and second floors, allowing you to care for your body
The rest area on the third floor is a quiet place, a stark contrast to the bustle of the first and second floors
There are also three cram schools located in the quiet area, where students can concentrate on their studies in peace and quiet. Each school is promoting its own unique teaching methods and recruiting students
There are two parking lots: the underground parking lot on the first basement floor (approximately 80 cars) is open from 7:00 to 23:00, and the outdoor East Parking Lot next door to the east is open 24 hours a day (please check the official website for parking fees)
The fourth floor is an office floor, but as of July 16, 2024, it is still vacant
So far we have given you an overview of " monaka," but next time we will introduce in detail the more than 40 tenants of "monaka," including long-established Morioka stores and new entrants with new concepts, which are fun to just look around!
monaka <Information>
Facility name: monaka
Facility location: 1-6-8 Nakanohashi-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 019-622-0168
Business hours: 10:00-19:00 (Please check the official website for restaurant business hours)
Access: 1 minute walk from “Morioka Bus Center” or “Morioka Bus Center Mae” bus stop on Iwate Prefectural Transportation and Iwate Prefecture Kita buses
Parking: Basement 1st floor (approximately 80 spaces) and east parking lot next door to the east (61 spaces, 24-hour entry and exit), and a designated affiliated parking lot nearby.
I am a former Edo guy who loves Morioka, loves the six prefectures of Tohoku, and loves history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing. We'll introduce you to some interesting, delicious, and good things about Tohoku!
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