Originally, Nishiki Market was a market for people living in the immediate area. However, in recent years, it has become popular as a place to visit and wander through.
As soon as you step into the market, you will notice the sweet aroma of fresh food in the air. In fact, Nishiki Market has become famous as a local spot for food excursions, and is very popular both with the local citizens and tourists from all over Japan.
Freshly-made tofu donuts and roasted chestnuts are on offer at Konnamonjya (Tofu Café) and Kyotanba, two shops which are both well-known. Spit-roasted dishes are also worth trying - most people find them very easy to eat – and some of these, like sea eel broiled with soy sauce, and fresh tuna carpaccio (a dish made of fresh fish generally thinly sliced or pounded thin and served as an appetizer) are available at the Kimura Fresh Fish shop. Famous for its fluffy dashimaki egg rolls, the Tanaka Eggs shop has also brought out a spit-roasted version of dashimaki. Torisei (a chicken and duck specialty store) brought its crispy fried-chicken-in-a-cup to the market in 2008, and now offers a full line of dishes.
A gourmet food excursion through Nishiki Market offers the chance to taste many of the flavors available at the market, so it’s well worth visiting when you come to Kyoto.