A morning in Kyoto’s Nishiki Market
Pickles, grilled squid, tamagoyaki and the art of eating while standing still. How to spend a slow morning in Kyoto’s Kitchen.
Elena Marsh2 min read
Nishiki Market is five blocks long and barely four metres wide, and it has fed Kyoto for four hundred years. Locals call it Kyoto's Kitchen. By eleven it is shoulder to shoulder; at nine, when the stalls are opening, it is one of the most pleasant streets in the city.
Arrive early, eat slowly
Most stalls open between nine and ten. Come with an empty stomach and no plan. The market rewards grazing: a skewer here, a sample there, a cup of tea when you need to sit down.
What to try
- Tamagoyaki — sweet rolled omelette, often sold warm on a stick.
- Tsukemono — Kyoto is famous for its pickles. Many stalls offer tastings of a dozen varieties, from mild pickled turnip to fiercely sour plum.
- Ika — small grilled squid, sometimes stuffed with rice.
- Yuba — delicate tofu skin, a Kyoto speciality, served fresh with soy.
- Soy-milk doughnuts — cheap, warm and dangerously moreish.
After the market
At the eastern end, the market meets the covered Teramachi shopping street and the small Nishiki Tenmangu shrine. From there it is a short walk to the Kamo River, where you can sit on the bank and watch the herons while you digest.
Keep reading
48 hours in Lisbon, entirely on foot
Seven hills, one pair of comfortable shoes and no taxis. A two-day walking route through Lisbon’s best viewpoints, bakeries and tiled streets.
Elena Marsh3 min read
Hut to hut in the Dolomites
Five days on the Alta Via 1, sleeping in mountain refuges and eating like a king at 2,000 metres. Route, bookings and what to expect.
Tomas Lindqvist2 min read
Iceland’s Ring Road in winter: a sensible guide
Short days, empty roads and the northern lights. How to drive Route 1 safely between November and March — and when not to.
Tomas Lindqvist2 min read