[2024] Omicho Market Recommended Food Walking Map. 10 Popular Gourmet Selections from Seafood Bowls to Kanazawa Specialties

*Please refrain from eating while walking within Omicho Market and instead use the eating and drinking spaces adjacent to the stores.
*Prices include tax.
*Prices, offerings, and business hours are current as of July 2024.

What is Omicho Market, the Kitchen of Kanazawa?

Omicho Market, which has a history of over 300 years, has flourished with the times and is a historically valuable market that has supported Kanazawa's food culture. It is affectionately known as "Omicho" by locals because you can purchase seasonal ingredients at a bargain price.

Along the aisles, there are about 170 retail stores lined up in a tight space, including fresh fish stores, greengrocers, butchers, as well as stores selling flowers, confectionery, and clothing. The lively voices of vendors echo through the market, and you can enjoy shopping while also learning about cooking methods for seasonal ingredients in face-to-face sales.

There are shops where you can buy fresh sweet shrimp and oysters and eat them on the spot, so even just strolling around is an exciting spot. There are also a wide variety of restaurants, including sushi and seafood bowls, so you can enjoy the whole range of special Kanazawa gourmet. There can be long lines at the shops in the market at lunchtime, so if you want to avoid the crowds and take your time strolling around, we recommend stopping by in the morning.

Omicho Market

Omicho Market Recommended Food Walking Map

Enjoy plenty of seafood. If you would like to eat seafood bowls, this is the place to go.

Kanazawa is a treasure trove of seafood, and one of the must-try delicacies is the "kaisendon" (seafood rice bowl). This bowl, generously piled with a wide variety of ingredients, is a must-try. Many stores in Omicho Market offer their own specialty kaisendon (seafood rice bowls), but we will introduce some of the most recommended stores.

[Seafood bowl] Bold and extravagant! The overflowing seafood on the bowl creates a stunning visual at "Inoya"

First, we would like to introduce "Inoya," which is said to be the birthplace of seafood bowls at Omicho Market. Its voluminous seafood bowls are popular, and long lines that form before the store even opens have become a regular sight at Omicho Market.

The owner, Yoneda-san, was originally a sushi chef. He opened a seafood bowl specialty restaurant with the desire to make it easier for people to enjoy the fresh seafood of Kanazawa. When he first opened, he offered relatively affordable seafood bowls, but he received requests for more extravagant seafood bowls, so he added more and more luxurious seafood bowls to the menu.

The "Jo Chirashi Omicho (Special)" (3,450 yen) is a spectacular dish with a large, thick serving of ingredients so big it almost spills out of the bowl, and when it is brought to the table, cheers will be heard. It contains a whopping 20 different ingredients! You can enjoy Kanazawa's specialty, blackthroat seaperch, medium fatty tuna, salmon roe, sea urchin, local clams, and gas shrimp. The portion is more than worth the price, and you can feel the owner's boldness and generosity.

Inoya

[Seafood bowl] All the deliciousness of Ishikawa! Beautiful presentation is also a draw "Omicho Kaisendonya Hirai Ichibakan Branch"

Another popular seafood bowl restaurant that always has a constant line is Omicho Kaisendonya Hirai Ichibakan. The restaurant is popular for its colorful and carefully arranged seafood bowls made with fresh fish purchased at Omicho Market.

The restaurant has a relaxed and calm atmosphere, with counter seats and table seats. It is a great place for people from solo diners to families. There are about 20 types of rice bowls on the menu, and there is also a wide selection of a la carte dishes that allow you to taste Ishikawa's local sake and seasonal delicacies.

The most popular dish is the "Omicho Kaisendon" (2,700 yen). It is a luxurious seafood bowl filled with 14 kinds of fresh ingredients, including tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and salmon roe. Not only is the fish delicious, but the rice and vinegar used in the vinegared rice are also produced in Ishikawa Prefecture. You can really feel the restaurant's desire to let you experience all the delicious flavors of Ishikawa.

Omicho Seafood Bowl Restaurant Hirai Ichibakan Branch

[Seafood bowl] We are confident in the freshness of our seafood! You will be very satisfied with the fresh fish caught that morning at Ikikitei Omicho branch

Ikikitei is open from 7am, the earliest time you can enjoy seafood bowls at Omicho Market. In order to provide fresh fish at reasonable prices, the owner goes to Kanazawa Central Wholesale Market every morning and buys directly at the auction. He is confident in the freshness of the fish.

The shop is compact, with only 10 seats at the counter, and one of its charms is that customers are close to each other. When a staff member asks, "Where are you from?", you can see lively conversations breaking out all over the shop.

The shop's most recommended dish is the "Ikikitei Donburi World" (3,300 yen). The grandiose name comes from the fact that it uses tuna from the Mediterranean Sea. The 15 types of toppings, including yellowtail and sweet shrimp with roe delivered directly from Kanazawa Port, are all shiny and fresh to look at. The crunchy clams and the mellow, sweet gasu shrimp are particularly delicious.

The seafood bowl here is unique in that it has a double structure, with the seafood served on a plate and layered on top of the rice. The fish is cold and the rice is piping hot. You can either dip the ingredients in soy sauce and eat them as sashimi, or put them on top of the rice and eat them. It's a highly satisfying bowl that you can only get here.

Ikikitei Omicho store

[Seafood bowl] Pour in special broth and enjoy twice the flavor in one bowl! "Seafood bowl Hikariya"

If you want to try a slightly different seafood bowl, you should stop by Kaisendon Hikariya. It opens at 10am, has a wide selection of Ishikawa local sake, and offers a great lunchtime drinking set. Here you can enjoy two delicious seafood bowls for the price of one.

The "Kaisen Maruhi Don (Matsu)" (2,380 yen) was created to offer something a little different from other restaurants. In the center of the bowl, a mountain of ingredients is piled high, including a mix of bluefin tuna, seared tuna, sweet shrimp, Pacific octopus, and small scallops! It is also topped with salmon roe and snow crab. The key to the flavor is that it is served with a special sesame soy sauce sauce instead of soy sauce.

When you're about two-thirds through, pour in the piping hot bonito broth to turn it into seafood broth chazuke. The umami of the broth spreads softly, allowing you to enjoy a different flavor. It's smooth and easy to eat, so it's the perfect breakfast or a way to finish off a night of drinking. The energetic and cheerful service is pleasant, and it's a comfortable restaurant.

Seafood Bowl Hikariya

Enjoy local gourmet food unique to Kanazawa, such as oden and curry!

A treasure trove of food, Omicho Market is full of other delicious delicacies besides seafood bowls. You can also enjoy a variety of local delicacies that you definitely want to try when you come to Kanazawa, such as Kanazawa oden, Kanazawa curry, and traditional Kanazawa cuisine.

[Kanazawa Oden] Filled with carefully selected broth! Oden made with ingredients unique to Kanazawa at "Ichibameshi Amatsubo"

"Kanazawa oden" has become popular as a local gourmet food in Kanazawa in recent years. Kanazawa has developed a unique oden culture, and many restaurants offer oden ingredients made with plenty of local ingredients all year round. One of the famous restaurants for "Kanazawa oden" is "Ichibameshi Amatsubo." It is the second branch of the long-established izakaya "Amatsubo," which was founded in 1964.

The most important thing is the clear broth, made with kelp and bonito, seasoned only with salt and sake. Its simple yet elegant and deep flavor has captivated many people. There are about 40 types of oden ingredients in the lineup, mainly using ingredients unique to Kanazawa, such as wheel-shaped gluten, rock octopus, and clams. The broth is slowly simmered, allowing the ingredients to soak in and bringing out their delicious flavors.

The popular menu item for a great deal is the "Kanazawa Oden Set Meal" (1,680 yen). It includes an assortment of ingredients unique to Kanazawa, such as red rolls and wheel-shaped gluten, as well as standard ingredients such as daikon radish, eggs, and chikuwa fish cake, along with rice and side dishes. Each ingredient is large, making it a very filling and satisfying meal.

The oden, which has soaked up plenty of broth, fills your mouth with delicious flavor with every bite. Oden can be ordered as a single item, so we recommend adding your favorite items. There is also a wide selection of Ishikawa local sake, so it is also great to enjoy oden with sake.

Market Meal Amatsubo

[Kanazawa Curry] Rich and addictive! The locally loved "Curry Champion Omicho Branch"

"Kanazawa curry" is another local delicacy that you should definitely try. You can enjoy it at "Curry Champion Omicho Store" in Omicho Market. Located in the basement of Omicho Ichibakan, it has counter and table seating, making it an easy place to stop by. Founded more than 60 years ago, the store has continued to preserve the traditional flavors inherited from its predecessor, a Western-style restaurant, and is affectionately known as "Chankare" as the originator of "Kanazawa curry."

Kanazawa curry is characterized by its thick, rich curry sauce with a thick texture and a deep brown color. The vegetables and meat melt in the sauce, giving it a deep flavor that is different from regular curry. There are several other definitions for Kanazawa curry, such as it being accompanied by shredded cabbage, being served on a stainless steel plate, and being eaten with a fork or spork.

The signature dish that is synonymous with Chankare, the "L Katsu Curry" (960 yen), is rich and flavorful with a spicy aftertaste that will become addictive. The katsu is fried after the order is placed, so it's crispy. You'll want to keep eating it, so be sure to try it. Another great thing about it is that it is offered at a special price of 860 yen from 11am to 3pm on weekdays.

Curry Champion Omicho Branch

[Jibuni] Omicho Shokudo: Enjoy the thick and flavorful local dish "Jibuni"

One of the traditional dishes of Kaga cuisine, "Jibuni" is a taste unique to Kanazawa. "Omicho Shokudo", which opened in 1930, is a restaurant that has long been loved by local customers for its wide variety of dishes made with fresh ingredients at reasonable prices.

All ingredients are sourced from Omicho Market, and there is a wide lineup of fresh fish, such as sashimi set meals, seafood bowls, boiled fish, grilled fish, and a la carte dishes, so you can choose what you like depending on your mood that day. Kanazawa's local sake and craft beer are also available, and the appeal is that you can easily enjoy Kaga cuisine such as duck jibuni, Kaga vegetable tempura, and Kaga lotus root steamed in soy sauce.

"Duck Jibuni" (980 yen) is duck meat coated in flour and simmered with seasonal vegetables. The moist duck meat is coated with a thick sauce, and you can enjoy Kanazawa's unique sudare-fu, Kaga lotus root, and kinjiso (red kidney beans) together, making it a dish that is packed with the flavors of Kanazawa. All menu items can be made into a set meal for an additional 380 yen, so you can enjoy it as a set meal, or add a single item to the seafood bowl to enjoy the flavors of Kanazawa even more.

Omicho Restaurant

Take a break! Easy-to-enjoy sweets and drinks

After exploring the various areas of Omicho Market, why not take a break and enjoy some sweet treats? There is a wide selection of sweets and drinks available, perfect for refreshing yourself during your stroll.

[Gold Leaf Soft Serve] When you think of Kanazawa, you think of this photogenic dessert! A refreshing dish from "Soy Milk Specialty Shop Niroku"

When it comes to Kanazawa's famous photogenic sweets, it's got to be "gold leaf soft serve ice cream"! You can enjoy it at "Soy Milk Specialty Shop Futaroku" in Omicho Market. This shop offers a variety of products using their proud soy milk, which is made fresh that morning and is made only from domestic soybeans, in order to make soy milk more delicious, both nutritious and healthy.

"Gold Leaf Soft Serve" (market price) is a specially made soy milk soft serve ice cream covered in gold leaf. The glittering appearance will make you feel luxurious. This soft serve ice cream is not only beautiful to look at, but also tastes excellent. It is an original blend of soy milk and raw milk, with added soybean flour to add flavor, and has a refreshing aftertaste with the sweetness of soybeans. It is also recommended for those who do not like soy milk.

Other dishes you can enjoy include "Furing Toast" (300 yen), which is made by soaking wheat gluten in soy milk and baking it, and skewered yuba (400 yen). Why not take a break and enjoy the gentle flavor of the soybeans?

Soy milk specialty store Futaroku

[Suzume no Maruyaki] The crispy mochi texture is irresistible! Anko sweets from "Suzume Omicho Market Store"

Another must-visit shop is "Suzume Omicho Market Store," which has a lineup of Japanese sweets that have become a new specialty of Omicho Market. It is a direct sales store of "Rokusei," which is involved in the production, processing, and sale of agricultural products, and the store's name "Suzume" is said to contain the wish that Rokusei's Japanese sweets will take flight. Their signature product, Shiomame Daifuku, made fresh every day from home-grown glutinous rice, is exquisite.

The limited edition product that can only be purchased at the Omicho Market store is "Suzume no Maruyaki". Apparently, they have sold as many as 600 in a single day. It is an original sweet made by sandwiching red bean paste and mochi rice cakes between dough made from wheat flour and glutinous rice flour and baking it. The most popular item is the "Shiomame Azuki" (150 yen), baked with their proud mochi rice cakes, red bean paste, and black beans.

The chewy, crunchy dough and melt-in-your-mouth bean paste make this a perfect snack to take a break from your stroll. Surprisingly, the bean paste is also popular with foreign tourists, many of whom buy in bulk. In addition, Suzume no Maruyaki also offers flavors unique to Kanazawa, such as Kaga Bocha Milk Bean Paste, Kanazawa Yuzu Bean Paste, and Noto Beef Curry Minced Meat, so we recommend trying them all to compare the flavors.

Suzume Omicho Market Store

[Fresh juice] Fresh and easy to drink! "Fruit Sakano" fresh juice

If you want to refresh yourself between strolls around Omicho Market, you should stop by Fruit Sakano. This is a long-established fruit and vegetable store that was founded in Kanazawa more than 90 years ago, and the storefront is lined with fresh fruits that are carefully selected and purchased every morning.

In order to allow customers to easily enjoy seasonal fruits, they offer a wide variety of cut fruits and fruit juices that can be eaten on the spot. Popular items include the "Ripe Pineapple Stick" (200 yen), a fully ripe pineapple on a stick, and large strawberries on a skewer.

The most popular specialty product is the "100% Orange Juice" (400 yen). The juice is made by hollowing out a whole orange and squeezing it, and is characterized by its freshness, low acidity, and easy-to-drink taste. The visual of the orange with a straw is also very striking, and you'll want to take a photo of it. It's recommended as a post-lunch dessert or as a way to rehydrate when you want to take a short break.

Fruits Sakano

Omicho Market is a treasure trove of food, with many gourmet restaurants gathered together. It is a popular spot that continues to evolve every day, with new shops opening one after another while still retaining a retro atmosphere lined with long-established shops. Enjoy the lively atmosphere and sample plenty of delicious Kanazawa cuisine.

Originally posted: June 20, 2023
*Some content was updated on July 9, 2024.

Related article

Eating conveyor belt sushi around Kanazawa. A trip around the big three and restaurants recommended by locals

We've carefully selected the best conveyor belt sushi restaurants in Kanazawa that you should visit! We'll introduce you to the big three, such as "Morimori Sushi" and "Conveyor Belt Sushi Saemon," as well as famous restaurants frequented by locals. Let's go on a conveyor belt sushi tour and enjoy the seasonal flavors of Kanazawa.

ontrip.jal.co.jp

Souvenirs that can only be bought in Kanazawa. A carefully selected mix of new and old unique sweets and traditional crafts!

Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is a castle town that retains the atmosphere of the Edo period and is known for traditional crafts such as Kutani ware and Kaga Yuzen. In this article, we have carefully selected souvenirs that can only be purchased in Kanazawa, including popular items from popular Japanese confectionery stores, pickles, sake, and miscellaneous traditional crafts. Be sure to check it out before your trip.

ontrip.jal.co.jp