Ichiba(market) of Osaka

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Ichiba - Japanese Various Market

There are three big cites in Kansai district where we live - Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. They have different characters although closely located to each other; simply said, Osaka is the city of sturdy commoners, Kyoto a city of discriminating court nobles and Kobe is home to fashionable trading merchants. Kyoto has the Imperial Palace from olden times, and had been the center of traditional culture for a long time. Kobe developed as a trading port after the Meiji period(1868-1912) so people had been eager to take over Western life style and fashion. Osaka had been the center of Japanese commerce for a long time, and is known as 'Tenka-no-daidokoro'( Kitchen of The World). Osaka is also referred to as 'Kuidaore'( Eat to death!). I was born in Osaka and we seem to be honestly acknowledge our genuine desire. Therefore, various vigorous markets developed in these places.

For example, when I was a small boy, my mother used to go Hounan Market with me. Hounan Market was a large market, which was very famous for their big discount of fresh food. The market was old and not beautiful and very crowded with customers. Once a week, my mother and I went to the Honan Market by bicycles which took about 40 minutes traveling along a bush roadway in a line; my mother biking in front of me. It was quite a thrilling tour for a small boy; our bicycles were fully loaded with lots of fresh foods, which would last one week at big discount price, biking precisely straight along the edge of busy carriage way. There were many native markets, but it was the age before the arrival of the super market. Super markets became popular and support grew for the new shopping style, and most traditional native markets declined and disappeared. However, some native markets survived in spite of the growing trend, such as Nishiki Market in Kyoto, and Kuromon Market in Osaka. These markets attracted shoppers due to their high touch service and professional knowledge. Visiting such native markets is fun both for us Japanese and foreign tourists.

Kuromon Market †

Kuromon Market is the most famous fresh food market in the Kansai area. Lots of fresh fish shops developed to satisfy the greedy appetite of the Osaka people. Early in the morning cooks of sushi and other restaurants come to buy their cooking ingredients, and at noon housewives come to buy the most fresh and inexpensive fishes for their family. Even if we don't need to buy fresh food, we can enjoy exciting fresh food shopping, interaction between shopkeepers and Osaka's obachan (strong housewives). Among the fresh food shops there are some sushi and other restaurants, whose very fresh and inexpensive foodstuff are from the market ! We can also enjoy the large fishes monuments , which are hung near the ceil.

Near the Kuromon Market there are couple of unique native markets. We can walk around these markets and enjoy a variety of unique shopping atmospheres.

Doguya-suji ( Restaurant's Tools Shop Street) † †

About 50 shops which sell restaurant tools gather here, and new restaurant owners must come here to prepare their stores. Everything they need can be bought here, pots, kettles, knives, dishes, bowls, cutleries, menu board, noren (flag of the store), various signs and so on. It is impossible to find something in a restaurant which were not bought and sold here. Of course, a couple of stores are selling imitation restaurant food samples. As you may know they are very sophisticated dishes and you must not believe they are imitations. They are originally ordered by restaurants to display the precisely same dishes in front of the store. Customers see them and consider which dishes they like. In olden time, they were made of wax of candle, but recently they are made of plastic. Recently, restaurant dish samples became popular especially among foreign tourists, and makers provide them as gift or souvenirs with adding keyholders. At Doguya-suji, you can buy both real samples and suveniors at couple of stores. In the future we will add an article about Morino Sample, who is a sample food maker in Osaka. Visitors can try to MAKE their samples by themselves!

Nihonbashi-Shoutankai † †

Near the Nanba Station, there is a small shopping mall called 'Nihonbashi Shoutenkai'. About 30 stores are gathered in small back road area like Hongkong or Bangkok. They were established just after WWII, and is full of nostalgic feeling. Most stores sell used and recycle items, or industrial tools and electric goods. Stores famous for selling used kimonos are Daifukuya and Kimonoya. They have been excellent stores, and when we began our business they were very supportive. They are famous for their high discount sales price and friendly service to both Japanese and foreigners. Rumor is that hear foreign stewardess enjoy shopping here.

Information of KIMONOYA Address 556-0005 Nihonbashi 4-17-3, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City Tel 06-6641-4699 Open 10 a.m - 6:00 p.m. Close Thursday

Nihonbashi Denden Town † †

This street suffered dramatic change in these 10 years. Nihonbashi Denden Town is a large, professional town and notable producer of electric products. Till 15 years ago, when we had to buy electric products in Kansai district, everyone thought of this town first. I used to go and buy computers, because the prices were the lowest, and the variety the largest. Many electronic stores, from very small specialized shops to giant major companies stores, competed for business. There were no alternative places. However, Nihonbashi Denden town dramatically changed. Electronic mega stores opened in Umeda and Namba, and computers became more readily available to consumers. Gradually, we stopped going to Nihonbashi to buy computers and until recently Nihonbashi didn't cross our mind at all. Several days ago, I went to Nihonbashi, and was astonished to see a dramatic change in the town. Most major electric product shops had closed, and 'otaku' item shops increased. I couldn't imagine such a change had really occurred. Now Nihonbashi was reborn as the town of otaku! We are not sure you could have the image of this Japanese 'otaku' - mania of Manga and anime. I am not so familiar with manga items, so everything looks strange to me, one who remembers the old Nihonbashi. There are many figures(anime dolls) shops, TV game, DVD & manga shops among small pc parts shops. Many anime otaku people seem to like pc games, and they also love to build up and made their pc. So these kinds of shops survived and multiplied in numbers. There also is a maid cafe like Akihabara. Nihonabashi Denden Town is changing and it is not like it used to be, but if you love anime and pc games, you may enjoy and find that there is another Akihabara in Osaka.

• Kuromon Ichiba -

• Nihonbashi Shoutankai -

• Denden Town -

• Douguyasuji -

• Kimonoya -

Map of Osaka

Please add your comment here! †

Original text is written by Ichiro on 20th Jan 2009. You can read the original text in this frozen page Ichiba(market) of Osaka(Original) This site is hosted by ICHIROYA