Fish shop by ellievanhoutte in Nishiki-ichiba, Kyoto

is a marketplace in downtown

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

, located on the east end of Nishikikōji Street, one block north and parallel to and west of . Rich with history and tradition, the market is renowned as the place to obtain many of Kyoto's famous foods and goods.

History

As early as the year 782 the sale of fish started in the area, thanks to the cold groundwater available at the site, which made possible to keep fish and other meats fresh in a location close to the

Kyoto Imperial Palace The is the former palace of the Emperor of Japan. Since the Meiji Restoration in 1869, the Emperors have resided at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, while the preservation of the Kyoto Imperial Palace was ordered in 1877. Today, the grounds are open t ...

. In 1615, for the first time the place officially received official permission from the Bakufu government to conduct the sale of fish, being this the first step for becoming a renowned market it is today. In 1883, after the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, due to the strong competition between establishments the number or shops was reduced to only 7. In 1911, a new association promoting the market as a place for the sale of fish and seafood As a result, the market saw a renewed vitality. In 1927, the Central Wholesale Market of Kyoto opened and many stores moved there from the Nishiki Market. In 1928, a new association promoted the opening of shops offering fruits, vegetables, meats and other food products. This marks the point from where the market began to be known as “Kyoto’s kitchen”. In 1984, the current cobblestone floor was installed and in 1993 the current arcade canopy was installed. In the year 2005 “Nishiki Market” was registered as a

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...

Present Day

Nowadays, the market continues to be located on Nishikikōji Street, running for approximately 400m between Takakura Street and

Teramachi Street is a historical street in Kyoto, Japan, running north–south from Kuramaguchi Street to Gojō Street, for about 4.6 km. History Present day Teramachi Street corresponds to the Higashi Kyōgoku Ōji of the Heian-kyō. At the time the Street ...

, as a narrow shopping arcade paved with cobblestone. The market is often called “Kyoto’s kitchen” for its abundance of shops (about 130) offering fruits, vegetables, fish, dry foods and more.

Shops

Aritsugu Aritsugu is a Japanese knife and cooking utensil producer and store, founded by Fujiwara Aritsugu in 1560. It is one of the oldest knifemakers in Japan. Aritsugu was involved in the production of swords and was appointed a supplier for the I ...

is famous for its hand-crafted knives. It was founded by Aritsugu Fujiwara, a master swordsmith, in 1560. * Daiyasu is known for their raw oysters. * Nishiki Takakuraya, seller of Kyoto-style

Tsukemono are Japanese preserved vegetables (usually pickled in salt, brine, or a bed of rice bran). They are served with rice as an ''okazu'' (side dish), with drinks as an '' otsumami'' (snack), as an accompaniment to or garnish for meals, and as a ...

. * Nishikikōji Maruki, traditional restaurant offering dishes such as

Oyakodon , literally "parent-and-child donburi", is a ''donburi'', or Japanese rice bowl dish, in which chicken, egg, sliced scallion (or sometimes regular onions), and other ingredients are all simmered together in a kind of soup that is made with soy sa ...

and Nishin

Soba Soba ( or , "buckwheat") is a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or hot in a noodle soup. The variety ''Nagano soba'' includes wheat flour. In Japan, soba noodles can be found i ...

. * Mori, seller of

Kyoyasai Kyōyasai is the term for heirloom vegetables originating in Japan's Kyoto Prefecture. According to the research of the Laboratory of Health and Environment of Kyoto, Kyoyasai have more minerals, fibers and vitamins than many other vegetables. Acc ...

. * Masugo Higashiten, seller of Kyoyasai, vegetables and Kyoto-style

. * Touan Nishikikōjiten, seller of

Kyō ware is a type of Japanese pottery traditionally from Kyoto. It is therefore also known as ''Kyoto ware''. History Pottery in Kyoto dates back to the late 5th century. In the 17th century, Nonomura Ninsei set up a kiln opposite the Ninna-ji. He es ...

References

External links

*
Nishiki Market in Kyoto , JapanesquestJapanesquest

Japan-guide.com
Buildings and structures in Kyoto Retail markets in Japan Tourist attractions in Kyoto {{kyoto-geo-stub