Nishiki Market

I have seen the face of God. He is a hungry God, and he is a happy God. In other words, I have been to Kyoto's Nishiki Market. Nishiki Market is about a 1/2 mile stretch (my measurements could be off) of stalls selling traditional Japanese foods. Moreover, most of the foods are Kyoto specialities.
Nishiki market feels like a cross between a farmer's market and a festival. As you stroll down the narrow path (all housed in the Terumachi shopping district), you submerge yourself in the scents, sights, and sounds of food. The mellow acidity of really good miso. The crackle of new takoyaki. The jewel-tone shimmer of layers and layers of fresh caught fish. The splash of an eel, wrested expertly from his tub by the unagi salesman. Baskets of konpeito. The ubiquitous call of "Irasshaimase!" Most amazingly, while Nishiki market was crammed with people and wriggling with the bustle of food, I never felt rushed nor badgered. Shopmakers proudly explained their products, even when they busily were scrambling to help another customer. Everyone, artisans and customer alike, seemed content to appreciate food for food's sake.

Of course, as with any really good market, samples are usually within an arm's reach. The samples are not just for the uninitiated. On several occasions I witnessed elderly women, clutching 70 lb bags stuffed with produce, arguing about the alleged quality of an item. Needless to say, I sampled well. I was especially taken by the pickle stands.

Japan is of course home to beautiful food. However, I tend to think people focus too much of wagashi (sweets) and seafood items. The real beauty is in the humble pickle. Vinegar, seasoning, and a pickling method are really all that are needed to go into pickle making. However, the Japanese have perfected this procedure without over-complicating it. Thus, you get walls and walls of cruncy, chewy, soft, pungent, fragrant, delicate, and hearty pickles. Daikon, cabbage, eggplant, melon, cucumber, mung bean-- you name it, they've pickled it.

At the end of the day, I ended up buying some manju and two types of pickles. The manju was delicious, as is to be expected. Stuffed gently with red bean paste, it was gooey, buttery, and satisfying. However, it was not quite as masterful as the pickles. The first pickles I purchased were radish pickles-- they're light and crispy, with just a little bitter spiciness. I'm almost through the bag, as they're really delicious served alongside congee. After purchasing these pickles, I walked away from the store, ready to head home. However, i ended up returning in order to purchase the pickled cucumber. This is not a regular pickled cucumber. Instead, it is pickled in homemade miso paste and homebrewed sake. The result is a rich and complicated product that begs to be devoured (not too quickly though-- the sake is potent.

Enjoy the pictures. I will sorely miss Japanese markets when I return to the US.