Kochi city in Kochi prefecture, is where a street market selling various fresh vegetables and local foods known as the "Nichiyou-ichi" has been held every week, with a history continuing for more than 300 years since 1690.
It takes place in a main street known as the "Otesuji", which is run nearby the Kochi Castle. Over 400 shops line up to form a 1,000m long sunday market, making the Nichiyou-ichi the longest street market existing in Japan. On Sundays, one side of the road with 2 lanes on each side will be closed and turned into a pedestrian precinct.
This time, a writer born and bred in Kochi will actually walk through the Nichiyou-ichi, to report on recommended shops and preferred ways to enjoy your visit.
Let's set off to visit the march of Tosa, to meet the various local products and warm-hearted locals.
Being held in Kochi for over 300 years. What is Nichiyou-ichi?
Given the name "Tropical Tosa", Kochi prefecture is known for its warm climate and long hours of sunlight. All kinds of vegetables are grown under this rich nature provided by various geographical features from the mountains of Shikoku, the flat grounds, and the coastal areas. The street market of "Nichiyou-ichi" is famous for showcasing these specialties of the agricultural prefecture of Kochi.
The Nichiyou-ichi is crowded every week with locals and tourists
In search for fresh vegetables harvested in the morning and hand made daily dishes, it attracts many people not only from locals living nearby, but also domestic tourists in and out of the prefecture, along with tourists from abroad, showing a rapid increase these days.
It became popular not only because it is the longest street market in Japan, but also because the real pleasure of this tropical market lies within the somewhat exotic atmosphere surrounding and the enjoyable interaction with the friendly storekeepers.
The "Ichi (market)" culture rooted in the everyday lives of the people of Kochi.
Other than the municipally-run Nichiyou-ichi, you can find markets taking place on tuesdays, thursdays and fridays around the prefectural office. Non-public markets can be seen in various regions as well, such as the Saturday market gaining popularity recently known as the "Kochi Organic Market", taking place in Kochi Ike Park.
Many shop owners of the Nichiyou-ichi also participate in other markets as well, so you might be able to find them even if you've missed out the Sunday market.
A variety of colorful vegetables of Kochi are available
Now, please allow us to tell an interesting story related to the "Ichi".
When traveling within the prefecture, you will often come across unmanned farmer stores called "Ryoushin-ichi", meaning a "Conscientious Market" in English. It is called by this unique name since the store has no one watching out, thus the decision to pay for the product fully relies on the conscientiousness of the purchaser.
Planning your visit in the morning is recommended. Being held at the center of the city, it’s easy to access.
The Nichiyou-ichi starts early in the morning, with stores opening at AM 5:00 from April to September, and AM 5:30 during October to March. Though it won't close until sunset, we strongly recommend you to plan your visit in the morning, since it's common for stores to close early depending on the pace of sales and weather conditions. You should note that Hot-selling daily dishes may be sold out before noon.
It is about a 10 minute walk from Kochi station to Otesuji, the street where the market is being held. Rental bicycles for tourists are available for free at the Kochi Tourist Information Center "TOSATERRACE", located in front of the Kochi station. You should try arriving early if you are travelling by car, since you need to take traffic congestion and vacancy of parking lots into consideration. Travelling on a tram is also recommended for an exotic ride. The one day tram ticket is a handy option in this case, since you can head towards your next destination on tram after you've enjoyed your time at the Nichiyou-ichi.
It’s about a 10 minute walk from JR Kochi station to Otesuji
A tram operated by the Tosaden Kotsu circulates through the city
The local's way of walking through the Nichiyou-ichi
The Nichiyou-ichi extends east and west, with the total length reaching nearly 1km. You can start your tour anywhere you wish, but it will be even more enjoyable if you know the features and characteristics of stalls available in the eastern and the western areas in advance. From here on, our local writer will introduce the recommended way of walking through the Nichiyou-ichi, to make the most out of your visit.
The characteristics of the eastern and western areas of the Nichiyou-ichi
Strolling along the market while viewing the scenery of the Kochi castle on the west
When counting the districts starting from the eastern end, Nichiyou-ichi 1-chome is followed by Nichiyou-ichi 2-chome, and by continuing your walk toward the Kochi Castle, you will arrive at the 6-chome located at the western edge of the market.
Though farm products are mainly available anywhere throughout the market, each area can be largely characterized by the products sold. For example, while stalls at the eastern area focuses on local farm products and daily dishes, the region in the center sells various snacks suitable for eating around, and the western area features on garden plants, flowers, and daily goods such as Tosa Knives.
You can acquire general information about the Nichiyou-ichi from tourist brochures and free magazines, which are distributed in booths standing in various spots within the market. Maps of the Nichiyou-ichi are also available in English here.
By the way, the miniature tram is a product sold exclusively at the Nichiyou-ichi. With it being available nowhere else, it’s a perfect choice if you’re looking for souvenirs.
”Gomen” is a place-name in Kochi. The tram made from cement is only available here.
Seeing through the products along the way, and purchasing them upon return
Though every area of the Nichiyou-ichi is crowded with people, you should start your tour from the eastern side if you came from the Kochi station.
While strolling, you will encounter various shops one after another, each selling fresh vegetables, fish, handmade sweets, and daily dishes. If you have time, we recommend you to enjoy conversations with the friendly store staff, while checking and comparing the prices of the products along the way. The most efficient way to shop is to mark all products of your interest first, and then purchasing them on your way back. However, note that hot-selling daily dishes such as the "Inaka Zushi" often become sold out at early timings, so you should buy them without question whenever spotted.
As for the warm climate, gardening is also popular in Kochi
You may eventually get worn out by the crowd, since shops are especially concentrated near the center of the market. Don’t give up though, since various tasty snacks such as the Imoten(tempura of a sweet potato) and old fashioned-style ice creams, awaits you on the road. These snacks are perfect for eating as you tour along, so hold on and try to reach the western area by taking small breaks along the way. At the Nichiyou-ichi 6-chome located in the western edge of the market, unique items suitable for souvenirs such as the Tosa knives, antique goodies, bonsai, and flowers are sold.
Enjoying conversations with the storekeeper
Enjoying a smiley conversation with a married couple owner of an organic vegetable store.
Above all, the delightful smiles of the shopkeepers makes up the best part of the Nichiyou-ichi.
As most stalls open in the same lot every week, owners of nearby shops are in close relationship with each other. Being close friends, you can see that they share a strong spirit of mutual assistance. For example, when an owner has to leave the store for a moment, neighboring shop owners deal with the customers on behalf of them. They also give a hand to families, by playing with their children and buying time for the parents to concentrate on shopping. Why not get in touch with the warm nature of the people of Kochi at the Nichiyou-ichi.
Don't forget to bring a shopping bag with you
Due to the enjoyable shopping experience, you may find yourself in a state where both of your hands are filled with shopping bags before realizing it. Eco-packs come in handy for situations like this, so don't forget to bring it with you. A Kochi-like bag designed with an image of Ryoma Sakamoto and Naruko(a device used in a festival in Kochi called "Yosakoi") is available too, so you may want to buy it on this occasion to further boost your festive mood. Parcel delivery services are also available in designated booths, so you can send bulky items directly to your hotel.
Goods related to Ryoma Sakamoto are also available
Various recommendations (The Food)
Over 400 stores are lined up at the Nichiyou-ichi. Of Course you can enjoy yourself more than enough by simply strolling through the market, but to make it even better, why not try and appreciate the various specialty dishes at the stalls also popular among the locals? We will introduce several stalls, which are perfect for having lunch or stopping by upon feeling hungry during your long distance walk.
Sure enough to begin with, the local vegetables
Let’s purchase the vegetables of Kochi while enjoying conversations with the storekeeper
Fresh vegetables and fish are a must have when speaking of Kochi.
Under the blessings of the sun, the vegetables shine in freshness to dress up the market with vivid red and yellow colors coming from tomatoes and citrus fruits. Chilled cucumbers can be eaten on the spot.
The fishes are conveniently prepared, with them being smoked, dried, or processed in some way making it ready for preservation. The local specialty of Kochi known as Chirimenjako(dried young sardines), is not only a perfect choice as a snack, but it also matches extremely well with alcohol.
A classic high-grade tomato of Kochi, the ”Tokutani Tomato”
With so many quality products, it's hard for us to pick a store in particular for recommendation. As for this reason, we wish for you to have active conversations with the storekeepers to find the preferred store of your choice. By asking them questions like "What is this vegetable?" or "How is it cooked?", you can expect them to reply cheerfully in a distinctive dialect of the Tosa region. Stores with written English guidance has increased recently, making the Nichiyou-ichi a casual attraction for tourists from abroad as well.
A long line forms in front of the sweet potato tempura stall
freshly-fried sweet potato tempura
"Ohira Shoten" is a famous stall among locals, known for serving delicious freshly-fried sweet potato tempura, the “Imoten”.
Queues of people constantly form long lines in front of the store, but thanks to the skillful store staff frying the potatoes efficiently, you can purchase it without waiting long.
Give this "Imoten" a try, and you will be obsessed by the crunchy snack-like texture of the battered tempura, along with the soft and sweet taste of the potato.
In addition to the Nichiyou-ichi, Ohira Shoten participates in the Mokuyou-ichi, which is held every Thursday. However, you should keep in mind that it doesn’t open during the period starting from the end of July to early September.
The aroma of the grilled Yakitori will make you feel hungry
The Yakitori stand across from the Ohira Shoten is also a well-known stall of the Nichiyou-ichi.
It will come in sight at a timely manner, since it's located at the center of the market, and you should be feeling a bit hungry from strolling through the crowded Nichiyou-ichi by then. Taking a small break for a snack with the delicious Imoten and Yakitori, will surely fill you with satisfaction.
This Yakitori stall also participates in the Mokuyou-ichi, so you can visit it on Thursdays as well. This is equally recommended since it is not as crowded as the Nichiyou-ichi, making the purchasing process much smoother.
The sushi of the mountain, Inaka Zushi
Popular stores are crowded with customers even in the morning
You should also try "Inaka Zushi", a local cuisine of Kochi. It's a unique sushi made only from food of the mountains. Ingredients such as bamboo shoots, konjac, shiitake mushrooms, and Japanese ginger are included.
The sushi vinegar used for the rice is made from mandarin orange and yuzu, with a refreshing flavor created from adding sesames and ginger.
Inaka Zushi (Image)
Since each shop has a distinct taste with different seasonings and ingredients, you can enjoy a variety of home-made flavors of Tosa. We strongly recommend to purchase it whenever spotted, since the sushi often becomes sold out early in the day, as it has gained rapid popularity after being frequently introduced by many medias recently.
Hiyashiame (cold candy drink) and the Ice Crin (old fashioned-style ice cream)
The Kochi specialty "Ice Crin" is a must-buy, especially during the hot seasons. Though the appearance of it placed on a cone seem no different from a standard ice cream, it has a completely different texture with that being close to a sherbet. The sweet and refreshing taste perfectly fits for situations when feeling a bit tired from walking too much. Other than the Nichiyou-ichi, it's also regularly sold at festivals and stores located along the coastal roads.
”Hiyashiame” is made from ginger and starch syrup.
When speaking of sweets to curing fatigue, "Hiyashiame" is also another optimal choice.
Though it is not that familiar in regions outside of Kansai and parts of Chugoku/Shikoku, it's a cold drink made by adding squeezed ginger juice into a starch syrup.
A warm version of this is called "Ameyu", which is made available during the winter season. Feel free to add ginger as you like, to create your preferred taste.
Various Recommendations (Souvenir)
Kochi is most known for its agricultural products, but there are other high quality goods worth mentioning. Handicrafts, goldworks, bamboo works, and Japanese paper are all typical specialties of Kochi. You can purchase these at the Nichiyou-ichi too, where most of these handcrafts and goods being sold around the center of 6-chome. All of them are considered as ideal souvenirs, so why not spare some time to have a look at it.
Cutting tools of Tosa.
”Tosa Knives” are known for its sharpness and durability
With a history of 400 years, cutting tools are one of the representative traditional crafts of Tosa. With a high flexibility of design, it's known as a "Free Forging Craft", since all of the making process including the forging, edging, and finishing are handled by a single craftsman. Alongside the high quality, the relatively affordable pricing makes it even more suitable for everyday use.
The "Kujira Whale Knife", which represents the history of Whale fishing in Kochi, is also a popular souvenir. The cute looking shape and the safety design with a round knife point makes it a perfect choice as a first knife for little children.
Bamboo works
A beautiful pot mat bamboo craft
Since 80% of the entire prefecture is covered by forests, Kochi is famous for its various wooden products. A famous shop specializing in bamboo products named "Forest", opens regularly on the forest owners' cooperative booth.
With various goods such as coasters, pot mats, and smartphone holders, simply looking at these elaborate handicrafts full of unique ideas is fun enough. Out of these, Kanji-shaped magnets are especially suitable for souvenirs, with characters such as "旅(journey)", "愛(love)", and "働(work)" being popular among tourists from abroad.
Japanese accessories
Handmade Japanese accessory shops are extremely popular not only between locals in search for goods of everyday use, but also among foreign tourists as well. A store staff told us, "Pouches and dolls made from cloth with Japanese pattern work is a favorite for many foreign tourists. A lot of customers from China visit us recently".
Accessories made from cloth used in Kimonos are popular
Other than these, there are many other variety shops selling goldworks, antique articles, and excellent bargains, so don’t hesitate to visit whatever shops that catch your attention.
Other nearby spots you should also visit
Since the market is held at the center of Kochi city, there are tons of other sightseeing spots in nearby areas. Of these, all are recommended and definitely worth visiting, so plan your tour so that you can stop by at other spots as well upon visiting the Nichiyou-ichi.
Sightseeing, shopping, and gourmet. "Nichiyou-ichi" is packed with everything a tourist would ask for.
After a 2.5km round trip walk through the Nichiyou-ichi, you will surely experience a good kind of tiredness along with a feeling of satisfaction.
It's also easily accessible from Kochi station, so a challenge to experience all four seasons through multiple visits to Kochi is also something you may want to try. Though it's closed during the New Year season and the period when the Yosakoi festival is held, the cheerful storekeepers are ready to welcome you every Sunday all year around.
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