Information of Shops

Marutsune

“Even today, we stubbornly use a stone mortar to make our surimi fish paste,” they say. “With stainless steel, the material does not stick to the edge, but with a stone mortar, the material sticks to the edge, so you have to stir it many times to get the surimi to blend. Oddly enough, that's what makes it so good. In fact, there used to be several stores in Nishiki Market that made and sold fish pastes and fried fish cakes, but this store is now the only one. We make not only fish cakes for oden (vegetables and fish cakes cooked in dashi stock) and authentic kamaboko fish cakes, but also creative fried fish cakes.”

• fish cake

Masugo Main store

The name “Masugo” has been passed down since they were a brewery operated in Nishikyogoku, Kyoto in the mid-Edo period (1603-1867). It was in 1930 that the company became the current manufacturer and seller of Kyoto pickles. They have three stores in Nishiki Market, and the Main Shop is large enough to offer a wide range of products from daily items to souvenirs and gifts. They are particular about ingredients and production methods, and make their pickles every day at the back of the shop.

• pickles

Kawaichi

“I can't introduce something I haven't eaten,” the owner says. He makes sure to eat the produce he sells to become knowledgeable about it. Conversation at the storefront, the point of contact between people, is the crux of this kind of business, so the owner makes sure to have a knowledgeable person standing in the shop. He says that the staff in the storefront will always be a personable veteran greengrocer, so people should feel free to ask any questions they may have.

• vegetables
• fruits

Torisei

Torisei has been selling chicken for about 110 years. The store is a long-established poultry specialty store whose popular items are duck breast and chicken thighs cut up in the morning. In the back of the store, you can always see the busy workers. It is said that a shop visited daily by many customers is able to keep its merchandise fresh and tasty, and this is truly the case at this thriving shop. Torisei is dedicated to morning-cut chicken and duck meat. They also wholesale this meat to restaurants and accept orders to ship it to other parts of the country.

• chicken
• deli

Kinshin

Kinshin operates from early in the morning. The work starts by around 5 am. They do not do retail, as they cater to professionals only. They are a fish store that has everything from fresh fish to frozen fish, delivering specialized ingredients to restaurants and ryokans in Kyoto and Shiga as well as other parts of Japan. It is a highly specialized store, unique to Nishiki.

• fresh fish

Masugo North

The shop’s name is derived from the sake brewing business that they operated in the mid-Edo period(1603-1867) in Nishikyogoku, Kyoto. The current business of producing and selling Kyoto pickles began in 1930. They have three shops in Nishiki Market, and this store, the North Shop, features everyday products such as sweet-and-spicy takuan radish and pickled mibuna green, fermented products such as white miso, and commercial products for restaurants, hotels, and ryokan (Japanese-style inns).

• pickles

Yamamoto Banba

Yamamoto Banba specializes in fresh, live river fish. They use Nishiki's underground water to deliver river fish straight to restaurants while they are still swimming. They also focus on making prepared specialty dishes using river fish. Because they process and use live fish, the taste is very delicious. They sell these products, which are made with fresh river fish from Lake Biwa and specially seasoned, in their store and ship them to other parts of Japan.

• freshwater fish
• processed fish
• deli

Shimamoto Nori Dry Food

This store specializes in dried food products such as nori seaweed, bonito, kombu kelp, and shiitake mushrooms, and its clients include sushi restaurants, kappo restaurants, famous ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurants), and hotels. The owner, who wants customers to experience Kyoto's dashi stock culture, welcomes customers to ask him anything about dashi, such as how to choose the right type of dashi for a particular dish, or the best way to eat the shop’s products. The smell of freshly shaved bonito flakes is wafting to the front of the store.

• dry foods

Kinki

The aged signboard on the storefront and the product display stand make this tofu shop picturesque. The store was founded in 1901 as a branch of Kamo Tofu Kinki in Kiyamachi, so it has been in business for nearly 120 years. With the store’s dedication to handmade products, the beans are soaked in Nishiki's underground water to rehydrate them, and the traditional taste is preserved by not using machines.

• soy food

Nishiki Daitomo

Merely saying "dry foods shop" does not convey the depth of this store. The store owner says, "You may find what you are looking for," but it would be more appropriate to say, "You may find something you never thought you would find.” You will find everything from food for votive offerings, ingredients for chakaiseki (tea ceremony kaiseki dishes), and Japanese sweets to rare bottled ingredients. Some items are not on display in the store, so feel free to inquire.

• dried salted fish
• soy food
• dry foods
• Japanese sweets