A new supermarket at Lhasa Bakhor Street

Lhasa Bakhor Supermarket was the most local and diverse market in Tibet where a customer can buy anything they want and it was much of a business center of Tibet. Jokhang temple has the Buddha Sakyamuni which was invited from mainland China by Princess Wencheng.

Lhasa was a main pilgrimage place in Tibet and is considered as the place of Gods and Goddesses. That’s why people from three different provinces of Tibet come to pilgrimage in Lhasa. They bring different goods from their home to Lhasa and exchange it with local goods, some are especially offerings to monasteries, palaces, temples and nunneries. Nowadays, we can still see precious stones and huge golden tombs with amazing decorations in some monasteries which are donated by Tibetan people from other provinces.

At that time there were no currency or paper money, and all the people in Tibet used to exchange goods with each other at Bakhor Street or bazaar. The name of Bakhor was gradually known by travelers from mainland China, no matter they are doing Tibet train tour, Beijing Tibet tour or other kind of China Tibet tours. Other travelers from foreign countries would book a tour with a local Tibet tour agency, so they are able to get the Tibet Travel Permit to enter Tibet. Since 1980s, the name also became so popular around the world via international travelers. Hence, the Bakhor Street became the place for shopping and exchanging goods for locals and outsiders as well.

During late 2013, due to the over-crowded people around the popular street, the local government sorted it out by moving the old market to another area so that the popular street can be used by locals and tourists. This market is called Bakhor Supermarket which locates at the opposite of Banak Shoul Hotel. From Johkang temple, there’s only 200 meters away. Easy to find local-made staffs.