[2024] 23 Kyoto food spots to try! Introducing areas such as Arashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and Nishiki Market

Nishiki Market area, known as "Kyoto's Kitchen"

Nishiki Market is said to have originated in the Heian period. With abundant underground water, it developed as a fish wholesaler in the Edo period, and in the Showa period, it became known as "Kyoto's Kitchen," stocking a wide variety of foods, and was loved by many people, from local families to professional chefs.

Shops line both sides of Nishiki-koji-dori, which stretches 390 meters from east to west from Teramachi-dori to Takakura-dori. Because it has an arcade, it's a spot where you can enjoy eating your way through the area even on rainy days.

*Eating while walking is prohibited in Nishiki Market. Please use the eat-in area or in front of the shops.

[Hamo Tempura] Nishiki Uo-riki: A place where you can easily enjoy the high-quality fish, hamo.

Nishiki Uoriki, a grilled fish specialty store that has been in business since 1919, is a famous store that you must visit when you come to Nishiki Market. When you pass in front of the store, the fragrant aroma of grilled fish wafts through the air, and you can't help but stop in your tracks.

It is particularly renowned for its sea bream and conger eel, and is famous for attracting large crowds during the New Year holidays who come to buy "celebratory sea bream," made from wild sea bream grilled to the perfect temperature.

Grilled fish, tempura, cutlets, and more are lined up in front of the store, but the most recommended dish is the conger eel tempura. Conger eel is an essential ingredient in Kyoto cuisine, and is in season around the time of the Gion Festival, which is also known as the "Hamo Festival."

At "Nishiki Uoriki," they deep-fry conger eel caught in the Seto Inland Sea for the reasonable price of 600 yen per piece. The freshly fried "Conger eel tempura" is crispy and fluffy, and goes perfectly with beer.

The store also has seating for eating in, so it's fun to buy a variety of items and compare them.

Nishiki Uoriki

[Takotamago] A quail egg inside a small octopus! "KAI"

Kai, located between Miyukicho-dori and Fuyacho-dori in Nishiki Market, is a shop that sells rice toppings, snacks, delicacies, shijimi clams, and other accompaniments to rice and alcohol. This shop has a gourmet dish that has been gaining popularity since it began selling it as a "delicacy sold by weight" in 2004.

This is "Takotamago" (500-1,000 yen per skewer), a unique skewered gourmet dish in which a quail's egg is placed inside the head of a soft Japanese octopus and lightly flavored with a sweet soy sauce-based broth.

When you bite into the head, the yolk of a quail's egg appears, making for an impactful delicacy. The softly boiled octopus becomes more flavorful the more you chew it, and when combined with the quail's egg, the deliciousness is further enhanced.

"Takotamago" was originally developed by a squid rice manufacturer in Hokkaido. It was first sold by "KAI" as a delicacy by weight in stores, which sparked the trend, and for a time it was sold in various stores in Nishiki Market. Be sure to stop by to try the original "Takotamago" from this store.

Kai

[Taiyaki Fu] The chewy texture you'll never have before will become addictive at "Fuka Nishiki Store"

"Fuka" is a Kyoto namafu specialty store with its main store located in front of the Kyoto Prefectural Office. It is a long-established store with records of supplying namafu to the Kyoto Imperial Palace during the Keio era (1865-1868). Namafu is still made by hand at the main store, and can be purchased at the retail store "Fuka Nishiki Store" in Nishiki Market.

The word "Taiyaki" dances on the eaves of the "Fuka Nishiki Branch." The "Taiyaki Fu" (280 yen) from this store is currently very popular.

The skin of the "Taiyaki Fu" is, of course, made of raw wheat gluten. It has a new texture that is chewy yet light in the mouth, and the inside is filled with sweet bean paste with just the right amount of sweetness, making it an easy-to-eat taiyaki even for people who don't like sweet things.

They are baked one by one in the shop after you order, so you can enjoy them hot and fresh. Their small size makes them perfect for eating on the go.

In addition to a variety of namafu, the store also sells original hand towels and other items. Take a look while you wait for your bread to be cooked.

The shop also has table seating for one group (up to two people), where you can eat your purchased "Taiyaki Fu" inside.

Fuka Nishiki Store

Related article

14 souvenirs you can only buy in Kyoto. From Japanese goods to innovative sweets, take home a variety of Kyoto culture!

In addition to long-established stores that preserve traditional techniques, new faces are constantly appearing as souvenirs in Kyoto. In Kyoto, where diverse cultures have been nurtured, you can enjoy a wide variety of new and old products. In this article, we have carefully selected "souvenirs that can only be purchased in Kyoto."

ontrip.jal.co.jp

11 recommended spots for viewing autumn leaves in Kyoto. Introducing light-ups and hidden spots you'll want to visit this fall.

Kyoto is especially beautiful in autumn when the leaves are colored red. We have carefully selected 11 places that can only be seen in Kyoto, including fantastically lit up spots and hidden gems. We will also introduce information on the best time to see the leaves.

ontrip.jal.co.jp