We're back in Kyoto
The cultural heart of Japan
There is a lot of history here.
but it is also the Kansai region
and that means good food.
Enter Nishiki Ichiba
A 5 block shopping street.
known as Kyoto's kitchen
and for a good reason.
Long time Kansai resident Kevin Riley and I
are here to sample the goods.
Many shops have been operating for centuries
with the first shop opened in 1310
It's a street food paradise with a huge variety
Let's get to it
Let's see what Kevin has found.
First, he has to break through the path
It's best to arrive before noon if you don't want to fight the crowd
He's found something unique at this UNAGI shop
A real Kyoto speciality
Hello, you speak English?
A little
Can you tell me what this is?
Eel liver!
Unagi no kimo
ok, I'll have one Unagi no Kimo, then.
Unagi no Kimo
is packed with vitamins, iron and calcium.
It's a healthy affordable snack.
and very Kyoto, too.
There are several UNAGI shops in Nishiki Ichiba
serving eel liver.
On the other side of the market,
I met some visitors from UK,
who are viewers of ONLYinJAPAN
They recommended this shop
It has Tonyu donuts.
Tonyu is soy milk.
Very healthy, right?
There is a choice of flavors
10 for 300yen
Buy more, and save!
I went for the 10 pack
So these are Tofu donuts with Kinako on it. Looks really good.
Let's give it a try.
It's fresh, it's hot, it came right out of the oil
You can see the syrup dripping.
For volume and taste, this is a real bargain
This can't be healthy. It's too good.
Back to Kevin.
He followed his nose to a Macha Green Tea shop
Macha is ground green tea leaves
And they do it right in this shop.
Kyoto's Uji Macha is considered one the best in Japan
What does Kevin have there?
Macha Warabi Mochi
A Kyoto flavored snack
Slightly sweet.
Look at that freshly ground macha powder on that mochi
yum
Usually I eat with different kind of powder on it,
this one has got the Macha
Different taste, but tastes like Warabi Mochi
with a bit of Macha taste
Great summer dish, cools you down.
This is Hamo, a kind of Eel.
Ike-Hamo is fresh Japanese conger eel.
It's popular in Kyoto
Not so much elsewhere since there are so many little bones in them.
Real hassle to prepare
These eel are said to give the eater more power
because they can live in real tough conditions.
It's been lightly boiled, and chilled.
Packed to take away.
but the shop let me sit in the back to sample it.
400yen is a low price to pay for a Kyoto delicacy.
It really doesn't have that much flavor, though.
best to eat with one of the sauces.
Wasabi.
The verdict?
That was good.
At one of the market was something very curious looking.
Looks like a bunch of alien babies.
in a sweet red sauce.
They are baby octopi...and I guess they look, well, delicious.
There is a whole colony of octopi to choose from.
and inside the head, there is a surprise.
I don't know.
I just feel bad.
Taco Tamago.
An excellent snack for the adventurous.
for 250 yen.
It's good.
There is an egg inside.
It's chewy.
It reminds me of the Tako in Takoyaki.
What's strange about this is that you're eating the whole body.
and gives you an image of that you're eating a creature from the deep.
I have no idea how they got the little egg in the head.
but it's good.
better not ask too many questions, though.
Just have fun with it.
It's an octopus on a stick.
How crazy is that?
Not far away from Nishiki Ichiba Market,
Higashiyama's Kiyomizu 3 chome area.
It's close to Kiyomizu-dera temple.
A lovely street and area to stroll around.
Many tourists dress up in a Kimono, to liven up their experience.
but we're here for the food.
This shop is famous for Uji-macha tea.
Delicious and icecream.
It's also the first to serve it in a pet bottle
for people on the go.
We ordered the Macha Soft icecream cone.
Wow that looks so good.
Better way to end a street food binge, than with ice cream.
It's a middle of summer. Getting hot here.
It's really good.
You don't always need a reservation at a fancy restaurant to try Kyoto's best.
When visiting, try it all!
On the streets of Kyoto.