Food Market Tour @ Nishiki Ichiba Market, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto.

I think most people know by now that I love Japanese markets. Then again, how could you not? The food is good and cheap, the atmosphere is fun and unpretentious and no matter which one you go, you would definitely have a good time. And it is one of my go to spots for some local grub. And each city has its own big time market. In Kyoto, its Nishiki Ichiba Market, or Nishiki Market in short.

One of the many alley ways... food is further down. 

The market has a history of several centuries, and many stores have been operated by the same families for generations. It all started as a fish wholesale district, with the first shop opening around 1310. As it is an establishment that specialises in food, it was an obvious choice for me to visit.   Well, it is called "Kyoto's Kitchen" or "Kyoto's Pantry" after all. So lets get our chow on!

Refreshing!

Being quite thirsty during that time of the day, the first thing that came to mind was something cooling, fizzy and sugary. And not too long after, I have decided to have a melon soda pop. It was a bit pricey, standing at ¥450 but it was refreshing and was the sugar rush I needed to keep on going. 

Front of the house. 

One interesting side note is that this shop sells wallets and trinkets too. So it is more than just a pit stop for a drink and some ice cream. 

What do we have here? 

After some re-hydration, its time to begin the food binge proper. And since I had wagyu the first time round in Kuromon market, might as well try something more bizarre : eel liver! Pronounced as unagi no kimo (うなぎ の 肝), it tasted better than it looks and sounds.

Tastier than it looks. 

It does looked like the entrails from a creature from the deep, but give it a go and you will soon find out how delicious it is. Flavourwise, its does taste like eel, well, because it is. However, it has a deeper flavour and a more chewy texture. It had a sweet teriyaki glaze, a classic unagi cooking style. This was surprisingly filling  and would have gone really well with some hot rice. Highly recommended. This stood for ¥500.

Look at the variety!

Not too far away was a stall that sells fish cakes in various shapes and flavours. When I mean various, I am not joking. From onion filled, to noodles, cabbage and bacon, this place has it all. And they are huge! Like the size of my entire hand sort of huge. In the end, I selected the onion flavoured one, which stood for ¥250.

Hefty hefty!

You might think this is too pricey for a fish cake but you would be wrong. It was supple and chewy. The flavour was very intense, with the sweetness that is usually associated with seafood coming in at full effect. With bits of delicate and sweet onion? Now, that was textural and flavour contrast.

The front of the fish cake shop. 

Mentioned before in previous posts, soy products is a must. So being in Nishiki Market, soy doughnuts seems like an obvious choice.

Waiting in line for my fried treats. 

Soy beans may be healthy, but I probably believe this wouldn't be something a doctor would recommend. Deep fried to perfection, and glazed with a caramel sauce, these golden morsels were thoroughly enjoyable.

These are not just doughnuts, these are art pieces...

The insides were fluffy and airy, and the outside had a crispy crust tat was just way too good. A pack of 6 was for ¥300, for these caramel splashed treats. You can get a pack of 10 without the caramel for the same price. But then where is the fun in that?

Inside the senbei shop

Keeping to the theme of crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, I found a senbei shop that serves an interesting variant to the rice cracker, the soft version. Sold on a stick, one serving of the soft rice cracker is laced with interesting toppings, such as sesame, laver and seven spice. Well, why not have it all? 

Quite colourful no? 

It was an interesting take indeed. The inside was indeed chewy and the outside as sort of a wafer like crunch. Each topping has a unique colour on its own. I particularly liked the green one which is the laver, or seaweed for some people. And it was not too bad as one stick stood at ¥200 per stick. This shop also serves regular rice crackers, but I have a ton of that already. 

Whuuuttt...

Last but definitely not the least, was the octopus and eggs. This is a very unique treat is and is a Kansai specialty. And it is prepared in somewhat of an interesting way. Basically, a small baby octopus is stuffed with a quail’s egg inside the head.

How did that get in there?

It had a very interesting texture as the octopus flesh, though chewy and buoyant, has a different textural experience compared to the egg. And the sweet marinade of the octopus contrasts with that of the egg. Not too bad really, and it stood for ¥300 for 2 octopi. And after having so much, I think it was a great ending. 

You can buy flowers too, if you are into that sort of thing. 

 Located between Teramachi and Shinmachi, one  Nishiki Market is Kyoto’s largest traditional food market. But if you are not into street food, do not fret, as there are alot of things in store in the market. The alleys have a variety of items in stock and not just food to eat. There are some shops that sell pickles and small treats to be brought home as snacks. There are also florists and utensil shops too. It is a market after all, and you can probably buy most things here.

One of its many packed and colourful alleyways. 

Staying true to the classic shopping street feel, this market is a popular tourist attraction, but still honest and true to its core. Locals still come here to find great produce and food here is relatively inexpensive, and truly delicious. 

One of the main entrances of the market. 

And if you are ever in Kyoto, this is a definitely must visit. And if you do intend to do so, the address is as follows:

609 Nishidaimonjicho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8054, Japan