Nishiki Market in Kyoto, Japan

Address: Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8055, Japan

Nishiki Market (錦市場) Information

Nishiki Market is a marketplace in downtown Kyoto, located on the east end of Nishikikōji Street, one block north and parallel to Shijō Street and west of Teramachi Street. Rich with history and tradition, the market is renowned as the place to obtain many of Kyoto’s famous foods and goods. Wikipedia

History and Story:

Nishiki Market is part of the food culture of Kyoto.

Nishiki Market is often referred to as “Kyoto’s Kitchen”. Kyoto vegetables, river fish from Lake Biwa, conger eel, guji, bamboo flounder, yuba, namafu, etc. Fresh vegetables, fish, and other seasonal ingredients that are used not only in traditional Kyoto cuisine but also in Kyoto’s home cooking called obanzai are gathered together. Experiencing Kyoto’s unique food culture is a charm that cannot be experienced anywhere else. One of the pleasures is to hear the expert knowledge and how to eat from the store staff. At the end of the year and the New Year, it is a tradition of Kyoto to be so crowded with people that it is impossible to move forward.

According to the “Kyoto Nishiki-koji Agricultural Market Record”, which tells the trends of the Nishiki Market from 1771 to 1774, Jakuchu was actively involved in the continuation of the Nishiki Market. Around that time, a dispute arose over the business of Nishiki Market, and Jakuchu stopped his painting career and worked to resolve the issue as a town old man. As a result, Nishiki Market was able to escape its predicament. Jakuchu was the benefactor of Nishiki Market, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is the revitalizing ancestor of Nishiki Market.

The symbol of Nishiki Market, the 390m arcade.

With a width of 3.3m to 5m, Nishikikoji Street stretches for about 390m from east to west and is lined with various shops on both sides. The red, yellow, and green arcade, which is often posted on Instagram, has become a symbol of Nishiki Market, and you can enjoy a walk even on rainy days.

How to get there:

By train:

About 3 minutes on foot from Subway Karasuma Line “Shijo” Station
About 3 minutes on foot from Hankyu Kyoto Line “Karasuma” station
About 4 minutes on foot from Hankyu Kyoto Line “Kyoto Kawaramachi” station
About 10 minutes on foot from Keihan Main Line “Shijo” Station

By bus:

From Kyoto Station, take the city bus No. 5 and get off at Shijo Takakura (in front of Daimaru Department Store), and walk for about 2 minutes.

By taxi:

Please tell them to go to “Nishiki Market”.

By car:

From the Meishin Expressway, take either the “Kyoto-Minami Interchange” or “Kyoto-Higashi Interchange” and follow National Route 1 towards the city center.
Then, head north on Gojo-dori and turn east onto Shijo-dori.
From the second traffic light on Shijo-dori after turning east (Takakura-dori), you will see an arcade on the north side between the sixth traffic light (Gokoumachi-dori).
That is Nishiki Market.

From the Meishin Expressway, take National Route 1 to the center of the city from “The Kyoto Minami Interchange” and “Kyoto Higashi Interchange”.
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Go north from Gojo Karasuma
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Head east from Shijo Karasuma
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Turn east at Shijo Karasuma, and you can see the arcade on the north side between the second traffic light (Takakura-dori) and the sixth traffic light (Miyukicho-dori). This is Nishiki Market.

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