黒門市場 – Kuromon Market

This may just be my personal opinion, but I really prefer visiting Osaka’s Kuromon Market over Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market.  It’s more relaxed, and there’s so much more to see than just seafood.  Added is the fact that everything looks absolutely delicious and fresh.  I especially like the “people’s market” atmosphere.

Kuromon Market (or Kuromon Ichiba in Japanese), used to be called Emmeiji Market until the end of the Meiji Period due to there once being a temple (Emmei-ji) near the site.  It was known for having a large black gate in the northeast corner of its grounds, so the marketplace later became known as Kuromon (“Black Gate”) Ichiba/Market, even after the temple and its black gate were long gone.

The market spans about 600 meters with at least 170 shops, the majority of which specialize in the freshest and best quality of meat, fish, vegetables, and other ingredients from around the country and abroad. And for nearly 200 years, everyone from restaurant chefs to housewives have come here, drawn by the taste, freshness and variety of its products. It’s for this reason that Kuromon Market has also been called “The Kitchen of Osaka”.

The only drawback to this market is that since everything is so fresh as a tourist it’s hard to buy anything, but it’s also hard to not buy anything!

Vital Information:

• Open: Hours vary by shop, but most are open from about 9:00to 16:00 or 18:00.

• Closed: Sundays

• Free Admission

• Semi-English Friendly

• 3-5 minute walk from Nipponbashi Station on the Sakaisuji Subway Line (use Exit 5 or 10)