Nabari: Literature, History, and Autumn Traditions

Nabari offers several ways to explore its history: the town is associated with the writer Edogawa Rampo, old houses line the historic Hase-Kaido in the town center, and an annual autumn festival is a regular date on the calendar. There is also a historic family residence and a shadow theater of its own. For your trip, you can choose from different cultural highlights rather than getting to know Nabari through just one theme.

Edogawa Rampo and the Hase-Kaido

The writer Edogawa Rampo, considered the founder of Japanese crime fiction, was born in Nabari in 1894. In 1955, Nabari residents erected a monument at his birthplace. This connection between a literary figure, his birthplace, and later recognition firmly places Rampo in the town’s history. Visitors interested in literature will find a concrete connection to Nabari here that goes beyond the fame of his name.

The town center offers a different picture: old houses line the historic Hase-Kaido, lending the streetscape a nostalgic feel. The street and its houses are another reason to experience Nabari as a town that has grown over time. Together with Rampo’s story, they offer two distinct perspectives: the literary legacy of an individual and the historic character of a street in the town center.

Historic Site and Autumn Festival

The residence of the Nabari Tōdō family is another historic point of interest. It is a historic site and is designated as a prefectural monument. This designation makes it particularly interesting for travelers who want to learn about the history of the Nabari Tōdō family and the town’s historic heritage. It complements the literary story with another theme: the history of a family and its residence.

The autumn grand festival at Uruhushine Shrine is a tradition with a clearly defined date. It takes place every year on the last weekend in October. If you would like to visit Nabari at this time of year, you can take this date into account when planning your trip. The festival offers a seasonal point of interest, while the historic houses, the memory of Rampo, and the residence offer other themes that are not tied to this October weekend.

Shadow Theater and Trip Planning

At Hanabishian, a street museum inside the Sumita liquor store in Furumachi, Nabari, a 170-year-old tatami room and a garden are opened for performances of a historic shadow theater of its own. What makes this special is the combination of the performance and the historic setting: not only the shadow theater, but also the room and garden are part of the described backdrop. This adds another cultural experience to the literary and architectural themes. For your trip, you can consider whether you would prefer to focus on literary history, historic sites, the autumn festival, or the shadow theater.

These different themes offer a practical guide for planning without reducing Nabari to a single attraction.

One time-sensitive note concerns Yanaseyado: due to renovation work, it will be closed from April 1, 2026, for up to one year. If your stay falls within this period, you should take this closure into account when planning what to expect from Nabari.

Find more destination pages for Shima, Owase, Yokkaichi, Kumano, Iga, Ise, Tsu, and Odai.

For the main travel overview: Mie Prefecture.