The bustling Sanjo-dori Street comes alive with the rhythmic, high-speed pounding of mochi at Nakatanidou, a vibrant heartbeat in the heart of historic Nara.
高速餅つき屋 中谷堂 × Minolta MC 50mm f1.4
高速餅つきの中谷堂ですが、最近高速餅つきやっていないのか、全然見なくなりましたね…
観光客が多すぎて人だかりができすぎるので、控えているのかな…毎日人だかりが凄いことになってますね…ここ。
Minolta MC 50mm f1.4はノスタルジックな写りで夕暮れ時とかは、オールドレンズで撮ると雰囲気が出ます。
Minolta MC 50mm 1.7に比べると結構こってりした色で、よりオールドな雰囲気が出るレンズ。名玉だと思いますが、今オールドレンズって流行ってるといっても、値崩れしてると思うんですよね…
このレンズは1970年代開発だと思いますが、Minolta MC/MDレンズ（ロッコールレンズ）はライカと技術提携していたみたいで、ロッコールカラーはその特徴なのかもしれませんね…湿り気があって色乗りが芸術的というか…難しい表現になりますが。
Nakatanidou’s High-Speed Mochi-Pounding & the Magic of Minolta MC 50mm f/1.4
I used to visit Nakatanidou for its famous high-speed mochi-pounding, but lately, I rarely see it in action. I suspect the massive crowds of tourists make it difficult to perform safely, as the area is constantly packed. It’s a shame, but understandable.
On a brighter note, I’ve been shooting with the Minolta MC 50mm f/1.4. Its rendering is wonderfully nostalgic, especially during the golden hour, where it captures an atmosphere only a true vintage lens can. Compared to the MC 50mm f/1.7, the f/1.4 version offers richer, “heavier” colors that really lean into that classic vintage aesthetic. It’s an absolute masterpiece of a lens, though I suspect even with the current vintage lens craze, it’s still undervalued.
Developed in the 1970s, these Minolta MC/MD lenses—the famed “Rokkor” glass—are said to have been born from a technical partnership with Leica. That might explain the “Rokkor color”: that signature moisture and artistic color density that is so difficult to put into words, yet so unmistakably beautiful.
高速餅つき屋 中谷堂
高速餅つきが有名な中谷堂。過去テレビとかにも出ていたような気がします。
パフォーマンスではなく、とにかく手を抜かず、美味しいもちをつくるためにやっているとのことで、あの味ですから本物ですね。猿沢池のすぐ近くの奈良三条通りの代名詞の一つ。
Nakatanidou: The Heart Behind the High-Speed Mochi-Pounding
Nakatanidou is famous for its high-speed mochi-pounding, which I believe has been featured on television many times over the years. But it’s important to note that this isn’t just a performance; they pound at that speed out of a genuine, uncompromising commitment to crafting the most delicious mochi possible. Given the incredible quality of their mochi, it’s clearly the real deal. Located just steps from Sarusawa Pond, Nakatanidou has become synonymous with Nara’s Sanjo-dori Street.
