Omicho Market, Covered marketplace in Kanazawa, Japan
Omicho Market is a covered marketplace in the Aosogacho neighborhood of Kanazawa, Japan, made up of a network of indoor lanes lined with stalls and small shops. The stalls sell fresh fish, seafood, vegetables, and local produce, and several small restaurants are scattered throughout.
Omicho Market dates back to the Edo period, when it grew into one of the main supply points for people living in Kanazawa. Over the following centuries, it kept expanding while holding on to its role as the city's main food market.
Some stalls at Omicho Market double as small cooking spots, where vendors grill oysters, squid, or crab right in front of you. The goods on display shift with the seasons, so what you find in summer looks very different from what fills the stalls in winter.
The market sits in a central part of Kanazawa and is easy to reach on foot or by bus from Kanazawa Station. For a quieter experience with more locals around, mornings are the best time to go; by midday, the lanes fill up with visitors coming to eat.
Many vendors at Omicho Market know their regular customers by name and offer small tasting samples before any purchase. Trying before buying is a normal part of shopping here, not an exception.
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