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Nishiki Market

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Nishiki Market

All the ingredients only Kyoto can offer! The market has supported Kyoto gourmet food for over 400 years.

3.40 10

Last update :
Supervised by :  Kyoto Nishiki Market Promotion Association

Nishiki Market is located on Nishikikoji Street, north of Shijo Street, Kyoto’s main street. The fish market thrived here, and in 1615, it received official permission from the Edo Shogunate to expand. It is called “Kyoto’s kitchen” and offers a wide range of foods such as Kyoto vegetables, fresh-water fish from Lake Biwa, Hamo (conger pike), Guji (tilefish), Sasakarei (half-dried flounder), Yuba (tofu skin), Namafu, and pickles. Most of Kyoto’s special ingredients can be found here.

The arcade stretches 390 meters from east to west, and is lined with about 130 stores on both sides. Among them are soy milk doughnuts, namafu buns, fish ball tempura, yuba cream croquettes, and many other Kyoto gourmet foods that are hard to choose from. The market prohibits eating or drinking while strolling, so you should take your purchases to an eat-in area. At Kyoto's antenna shop, “Tango TABLE” in the market, customers can bring in items from other stores by ordering at least one item per customer. And at “Nishiki Shokudo” near the market, customers can do the same by ordering one drink per customer.

This place has become known as a related place to Ito Jakuchu, an artist in the Edo period, who is popular overseas. He was born into a vegetable wholesaler in Nishiki Market, and there is a monument at the site of his birthplace. Also, some stores decorate their shutters with colorful and detailed paintings of Jakuchu, so taking a tour of the art on shutters would be entertaining.

Highlights

  • This market with a long history has been loved for over 400 years.
  • It offers a large selection of Kyoto ingredients and is used by professional chefs.
  • The eat-in area and lots of take-out foods are available.
  • Art on store shutters by Ito Jakuchu, an artist in the Edo period, entertains your eyes.

Photos

  • This colorful canopy makes shopping easy even on rainy days.

    This colorful canopy makes shopping easy even on rainy days.

  • At “Tango TABLE”, you can bring in your purchases from other stores. It offers specialties from Tango in Kyoto, such as craft beer and sausages.

    At “Tango TABLE”, you can bring in your purchases from other stores. It offers specialties from Tango in Kyoto, such as craft beer and sausages.

  • Even when the stores are closed, the art on the store shutters keeps your eyes entertained.

    Even when the stores are closed, the art on the store shutters keeps your eyes entertained.

Reviews

10

Some reviews are AI-translated.

  • Norton Liang
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    I highly recommend Kyo Tsukimachian in Nishiki Market, a Kyoto shop specializing in cute Japanese sweets and souvenirs (or the shop that often has a stall in Nishiki Market selling Fuku Daruma and mame cans).
    This high-quality little tin product is called a “mame can” (bean can), and its main features and highlights include:
    * The fun of mixing and matching: The shop offers a variety of palm-sized, beautifully made little tins printed with cute Japanese designs, such as Shiba Inu dogs, black cats, sumo wrestlers, Mount Fuji, and temples. Customers can choose their favorite tin and pair it with traditional Kyoto candy, konpeito, Fuku Daruma, or other small treats.
    * Great value and collectibility: The prices are very affordable (sold as individual sets), and because the designs are both refined and full of Kyoto charm, many people buy several in different patterns as souvenirs.
    * Eco-friendly and practical: After finishing the candy inside, you can keep the little tin for storing everyday items, such as earrings, coins, or small personal belongings. It's both attractive and practical.

  • 一個漸漸喜歡上慢旅的人
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    I had heard about Nishiki Market for a long time, so I made a special trip there this time. Unfortunately, there were just too many tourists, and it was so packed that it was a little difficult to really experience the local atmosphere.

    Still, we did as the locals do and tried the very popular tamagoyaki from Miki Keiran, which was soft, tender, and juicy. We also spontaneously picked an oyster shop and ordered fresh, delicious oysters with cold beer, which satisfied our taste buds. The prices were definitely geared toward tourists, and with the crowds, we just wandered around casually and didn't stay very long. Compared with such noisy and popular tourist spots, I still prefer the peaceful, quiet, and slow-paced mornings in the Japanese countryside.

  • wendy
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    Nishiki Market is definitely a stop you can't miss in Kyoto! Known as “Kyoto's Kitchen,” Nishiki Market has a history of more than 400 years. It stretches about 400 meters and is lined with more than 130 shops offering everything from Kyoto specialties, pickles, tofu, and seafood to all kinds of souvenirs. Walking through it gives you a real sense of everyday life in Kyoto.

    The market isn't just a place to “eat”—it's more like a food stroll through Kyoto. Every shop has its own specialties, and browsing and choosing foods you like as you go is really part of the fun! One important reminder when visiting Nishiki Market: don't eat while walking! The market street is fairly narrow, so to avoid getting food on other visitors and to help keep the market clean, it's best to eat purchased food in the shop's designated area or dine inside.

  • Linda Liao
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    Whenever I come to Kyoto, I always think of taking a stroll through Nishiki Market~ Known as “Kyoto's Kitchen,” it's packed with all kinds of Kyoto foods and long-established shops. It's really fun to browse, eat, and shop as you go. Besides all kinds of Kyoto-style pickles, you can also find dashi tamagoyaki from Nishiki Hirano, tamagoyaki from Miki Keiran, and fresh seafood from Nishiki Uoriki. If you like pickles, don't miss long-established shops such as Nishiri and Masugo. The colorful varieties of Kyoto pickles have flavors that are also very distinctive of Kyoto. Along the way, you can also pick up popular snacks such as soy milk donuts, takoyaki, and matcha sweets. There's a new surprise every few steps. If you want to experience Kyoto's everyday side, Nishiki Market is the place to go!

  • BobbyJenny
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    Visiting Kyoto's Nishiki Market is like setting off on a food adventure! The entire street is lined with delicious-smelling snacks—octopus egg skewers, tamagoyaki, grilled seafood, soy milk donuts—and everything looks so tempting!

    I ate as I walked, and every item had a different surprise. The freshly grilled seafood was especially fragrant, and eating it piping hot was so satisfying! Beyond the food, you can also experience the lively, welcoming atmosphere of a traditional Kyoto market.

    This visit to Nishiki Market wasn't just about eating—it felt more like discovering Kyoto through my taste buds.

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Details

Name in Japanese
京都錦市場商店街振興組合
Postal Code
604-8054
Address
609 Nishidaimonjicho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Telephone
075-211-3882 (Kyoto Nishiki Market Promotion Association)
Holiday
Varies by store
Business Hours
Varies by store
Directions
1) A 3-minute walk from Shijo Station on the Karasuma Line Kyoto Subway
2) A 3-minute walk from Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line
3) A 4-minute walk from Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line
4) A 10-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Main Line
Credit Cards
Varies by store
Official Website
Official Website (English)
Hokkaido Tohoku Kanto Chubu Hokuriku Kansai Chugoku Shikoku Kyushu Okinawa