Kyoto's Tourist Attractions] Enjoy delicious food at Nishiki Market.

Have you ever visited Nishiki Market?
Nishiki Market is located one street north of "Shijo-dori," the main street in Kyoto City, and is a shopping street lined with stores mainly selling food products along Nishikikoji-dori from Takakura to Teramachi.
It is 390 meters long from east to west, and is called the "kitchen of Kyoto," and is affectionately known as "Nishiki" by the local people.

History of Nishiki Market

It is said that the market originated in the Heian period (794-1185), when a market already existed in this area. Later, in 1615, the Edo shogunate granted Nishiki Market the title of fish wholesaler, and the history of Nishiki Market as a fish market began.
At that time, it was a thriving fish market with exclusive rights to sell fish.

The names of the streets along Nishikikoji Dori such as "Higashi Uoyamachi," "Naka Uoyamachi," and "Nishi Uoyamachi" still exist today, which are vestiges of those days.

However, the privilege was abolished in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and stores were relocated in 1927 with the creation of the Kyoto Central Wholesale Market, the first market in Japan, which led to a decline for a time.
However, it has reemerged as a retail market, responding to the needs of the times, and is once again bustling with activity.
This time, I will guide you from Takakura to Yanagibaba, a street I pass by frequently!

Jakuchu and Nishiki Market

On the east side of Nishiki Takakura-shita-ru, just after you enter Nishiki from Takakura-dori, on your right, you will find a monument and an explanatory note that reads "Site of Ito Jakuchu's birthplace".
Actually, the birthplace of Jakuchu Ito, a painter active in the mid-Edo period, was Masuya, a wholesale store of green goods in Nishiki Market. Jakuchu was born in 1716 as the eldest son of Masuya, and although he took the name of Genzaemon Masuya (Ito), the fourth head of the family, at the age of 40, he gave the reigns to his second brother and went into retirement to devote himself to painting.

However, when Nishiki-koji Market was shut down in 1772, the town elder Jakuchu and others took up an application to reopen the market, negotiated with the Higashimachi Magistrate's Office, and in 1775 the market was reopened. The market was reopened in 1775, and is still praised today for this achievement.

Also, if you walk around Nishiki Market in the morning or at night when the stores are not yet open, you will see paintings by Jakuchu Ito, a painter active in the mid-Edo period, on the shutters.

The frequent appearance of vegetables and fruits in Jakuchu's paintings may have been related to his circumstances.

Enjoy a lively store tour

Let us now introduce some of the stores as we continue east from Nishiki Takakura!
After passing Nishikiri (Kyoto-style tsukemono) and Nishiki Gyoza, which opened relatively recently, you will see chili peppers hanging upside down on your right. This is the restaurant,Ochakonoko saisai saishiki.It is.

It is a store specializing in chili peppers, and anytime I pass by, I see people tasting them, and their voices are full of energy, saying, "Delicious! Karakko!" are the most common words heard in the store. The "Maiko Han Hi~Hi~Hi~" series of chili peppers has been attracting the attention of hot chili peppers lovers!
The spiciness is characterized by a lingering aftertaste and is made from domestically produced habanero chili peppers. Other original products include "Yuzu Shichimi" and "Black Shichimi," as well as "Kyo-Rayu Furikake" that goes great with rice.
The main store is located on Sanneizaka, and there are also stores in Arashiyama and Kyoto Tower Sand.

Next stop.fujia 錦店and has been serving fu to the Kyoto Imperial Palace for many years, and is a representative fu specialty store in Kyoto.

The fu manju, a staple of the standard, originated at this store, and the combination of fu flavored with green laver with the pleasant aroma of bamboo grass and smooth sweet bean paste is irresistible.

The "taiyaki fu manju" is also a new Nishiki specialty.
In addition to a variety of fu such as yomogi fu, awa fu, and temari fu, it is also nice to be able to buy white miso from Yamatoshi, a famous miso store and supplier to famous ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurants) and Kyoto sweets shops.

Two houses east of it is."The vessel is a clay pot."It is.
There is an earthenware storehouse in the back of a traditional Kyoto townhouse, and the couple sells ceramics made in their kiln! It is also a direct sales outlet for Tanzan Sake Brewery, a brewery in Kameoka, located upstream from Arashiyama.

I like ceramics, but I like sake even more ♡, so I tasted about 10 different kinds of sake one after another. After listening to their detailed explanations, I was surprised at how good the sake was. I was able to learn a lot about sake from the sake tasters.

Among them, I liked the sake called "Ten (Kiwami)". It is a junmai daiginjo with a rice polishing ratio of 40%, and has a gorgeous ginjo aroma and a robust rice flavor.
Whenever the store is open, I am allowed to sample many different kinds of food, and I am grateful to find a flavor that I like.

Next, we would like you to stop by,Kyo tsukemono UCHIDA pickles, Nishiki-koji branchIt is.

Uchida Pickles is a pickle shop established in 1940.
In addition to the standard pickles such as Shibazuke, Onbu-zuke (pickled radish with kelp and bonito), Yuzu-daikon, Betara-zuke, Takuan, etc., my favorite here is "Nagaimo Wasabi Flavor".

The crunchy texture and tangy flavor of wasabi is pleasant when you bite into the pickles, a taste I first learned about when it was served at a Japanese restaurant near Nishiki Market. It is a very rare pickle, so it makes a great gift for acquaintances far from home.

Next recommendation,Kyo Nishiki Chopsticks Ya Mansaku, Neko MashiguraIt is.

As the name suggests, half of the store is a chopstick store and half is a cat-themed Japanese goods store.
In addition to chopsticks and chopstick rests selected from all over Japan, you will find a wide variety of cat goods. There is no better place to buy souvenirs for cat lovers.

Incidentally, there is a huge cat on the side wall! Because of its large impact, it has become popular as an Instagram spot★.

Lastly, I would like to introduce you to a new restaurant that just opened at the end of April this year.Taco and highball."It is.
The signature menu item is takoyaki and highballs! Both take-out and eat-in are available, and there are many varieties, including the "Kokuma Sauce," which is a combination of thick, fluffy takoyaki and rich sauce, and the "Kujo Negi Mayo," which is accented with Kyoto-grown Kujo leeks and sauce mayo! This is a hot spot, with lines forming and the place bustling with customers every day.

We have introduced six stores that add color to the old and new Nishiki from Takakura to Teramachi on Nishikikoji Dori.
Why not take a stroll in Nishiki and enjoy the encounter with delicious and fun things?

■ Store Name:Ochanoko saisai Nishiki
Address: 4972 Naka-Uoya-cho, Nishiki-cho Nishiiru, Nishiki-koji-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City
Phone number: 0120-831-314 (toll free)

■HP:https://www.ochanokosaisai.com/f/shop/nishiki

■ Store Name:fujika 錦店
■Address: 534-1 Kikuya-cho, Nishiki-koji Sakai-cho corner, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Phone number: 075-221-4533

■HP:http://fuka-kyoto.com/store/

■ Store Name:mixture of both literary and colloquial (language)
Address: Nishikishikoji-dori Sakai-cho Higashi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Phone number: 075-231-5820

■HP:https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/stores/kidoairaku/

■ Store Name:Uchida Pickles Nishiki-koji Store
Address: Nishikikoji-dori Yanagibaba Nishiiru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Phone number: 075-221-5609

■HP:https://www.kyoto-uchida.ne.jp/shop/

■ Store Name:Kyonishiki Chopsticks Ya Mansaku, Cat's Headlong
Address: 478-6 Naka-Uoya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City
Phone number: 075-754-8428

■HP:https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/stores/hashiyamansaku_neko/

■ Store Name:Octopus and highball
Address: 456 Jumonji-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Phone number: 075-354-5152

■HP:https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/stores/tako-hai/

If you would like to know more about Nishiki Market, please also check out Youtube below!