In the heart of Kyoto between two main roads sits Nishiki Market: five blocks of food vendors, restaurants and shops that have been a staple of the city for more than 400 years.
Nishiki Market, also known as Kyoto’s Kitchen, has become world famous because of the seemingly hundreds of shops fitting into such a small area.
After getting used to the massive crowd of tourists and locals moving both directions, what will catch the eyes of a visitor? The most obvious stands will be the food, from street food vendors to stores that sell fresh seafood and beef to take home.
Some of the food choices you’ll find are Kobe beef wagyu skewers, grilled sea urchin, fresh sushi and strawberry deserts. At any of these given stalls, customers can expect to pay 1,000 yen (about USD $7) to 3,000 yen (about USD $21). Feel free to go up and down the Nishiki Market several times and get whatever catches your eye for lunch one day while you’re visiting Kyoto. The quality of the food in these businesses will be on par with the street food but will cost more money.
What other stores can be found at Nishiki Market? You’ll find a mixture of souvenir shops, the occasional anime store and famously Japanese cookware shops. In the souvenir shops, you’ll find more tourist focused goods like postcards, replica katanas, shirts and mascot-based merch from brands like Sanrio and Chiikawa. The anime stores advertised having figures for shows like Naruto, One Piece and Spy x Family. The cookware stores were the most impressive with hand crafted Japanese knives and pans displayed.
The light-catching metal of the knives makes for an amazing display. If you cook at home, seeing the qualities of these products is such a treat. If you plan on purchasing something, beware you can expect to easily spend 36,000 yen (about USD $250) or more. The handmade chopsticks with free custom engravings can make fun and more affordable souvenirs, which can cost up 4,600 yen (about USD $31.40).
Overall, Nishiki Market is a truly unique stop that anyone should visit if you find yourself in Kyoto. Between the amazing food and one-of-a-kind atmosphere, it’s a truly unique experience.
Just being present in such a high foot-traffic area with vendors encourages you to try their food or to step inside their shops isn’t something a lot of Americans get to experience in everyday life.
So, do yourself a favor and go to Nishiki Market to try some food you wouldn’t normally eat and let yourself become immersed in Kyoto’s culinary landmark.
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