Published on May, 2025
Thanks to Toshi-san and the Japan Wonder Travel team for a fantastic 10/10 tour. I highly recommend doing this if you want an authentic Nishiki Market, Kyoto food market experience.
You learn much about the market's history, its context in Kyoto and how it operates today. Most sampled foods are classic Kyoto dishes, and Toshi explained how they came about. I particularly liked the tofu skin and daggertooth pike conger tempura, both quintessential Kyoto dishes. And, of course, the wagyu beef and sake tasting were both a treat.
Toshi-san maintained a perfect tempo for the tour, allowing me to explore some of the food and drinks more thoroughly. Including trying some off-the-menu dishes like ayu (a Japanese sweet river fish) and tako tamago (mini octopus and quail egg).
Toshi-san grew up close to Nishiki Market and shared interesting stories and anecdotes about how his family produced some of the foods in the market and how he contributed as a boy. These insights and local knowledge made the tour more personal and genuine.
I have lived in Japan for 10 years and am a big fan of Japanese food and drink. Take this tour if you're interested in Japanese and Kyoto culinary culture!