Kyoto Food Diary Part 2

Kyoto’s Pantry: Nishiki Market.

One of the most famous market streets in Japan is the Nishiki Market, in the heart of Kyoto city. A narrow street with no space for cars is home to about 130 different food stalls and eateries. The whole spread of what the locals eat can be found here, with small specialised stores sell everything from rice, meat, vegetables, tofu, sweets, Japanese pickles and much more. Some of the larger stores have enough space to host eateries inside. Nishiki market is somewhere any passing foodie needs to visit.

Pickles that can be bought here can make a decent souvenir for any Japanese people you know.

 

Bento from Hishiiwa

I’ve always wanted to try some bento from here, as this store is famous for supplying food to the prestigious teahouses in the Gion district.

The shop is located in a picturesque part of the city.

The bentos are quite pricey coming in at 6500 JPY for the larger box, and 4500 JPY for the smaller box. While you can usually buy these normally at Kyoto station, I decided to buy it in the Gion location, which requires a reservation to be made in advance.

The staff recommended that we finish this bento in the next few hours, as the humid summer heat isn’t kind to food.

The bentos were made with traditional Japanese cooking traditions in mind, with light seasonings and stocks to bring out the delicate natural flavours in the ingredients. A truely sophisticated meal.