Nichiyo Market

(Source : Latte Time)

Located near Kochi Castle is the giant 1.3-km-long Nichiyo Market. Palm trees line the sides of this large-scale, open-air market with around 430 stores. This is a market with a tradition of over 300 years offering just about every special product that can be found in Kochi. There is a vast variety of goods focusing primarily on vegetables and seasonal farm goods, as well as specialty goods like “imo kenpi” (fried sweetened sweet potato fries), “imo ten” (fried tempura sweet potatoes), “ice creen” ice cream, handmade “inaka-zushi”, “mochi” (rice cakes), and also daily necessities, potted plants, and gold fish which can all be found in the market. While listening to the regional “Tosa-ben” dialect of Kochi being flown back and forth between the locals through the busy market you can feel the warmth of this very special place.

(Source: Latte Time)

Market to Meet People and Seasonal Goods

Here rows of street stalls line up all along the main street of Kochi City. In the Nichiyo Market, full of the busy chatter of locals, you can find just about anything you please like Kochi’s fresh foods and artistic crafts! We recommend heading over in the morning because a lot of the best seasonal goods sell out quick.

(Source: 日本観光手帳)

Kochi’s Seasonal Goods

There are many goods to be found in the Nichiyo Market but the main attraction has got to be local citrus fruits like yuzu and buntan, and seasonal vegetables like tomatoes and ginger. Nichiyo Market is definitely the place if you’re looking for goods to go with the season. You can find loads of stalls offering wide varieties of “inaka-zushi” which utilize seasonal ingredients atop rice for a special sushi experience.

(Source: とあるwebコンサル若輩社長の一日一生ブログ～これが広島じゃけん～)

Eat while you Walk

While exploring the giant market, you’re sure to find many stalls that will make your mouth water. There are all kinds of treats to enjoy like the famous “ice creen” ice cream, freshly fried warm “imo-ten” sweet potato tempura, and Tosa-gyu beef skewers. Come get your fill of all the food that Kochi is so proud of.

(Source: Re-vival from Kochi.)

Our Recommendation: Inaka-zushi

Inaka-zushi is the sushi of Kochi’s mountainous areas where oftentimes instead of fish you’ll find main ingredients like bamboo shoots, konnyaku, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and turnips. One can see the great variety of inaka-zushi depending upon the season, place, or store where one may even find fish like mackerel and hairtail, or inari-zushi (rice wrapped in fried tofu) and yokan (sweet beans jelly), all of which making up the special diversity of inaka-zushi.