Purchasing Tosa Food at the Gairo-ichi Market!

Fresh food that you don’t normally see at the supermarket!

   We went to buy food at the “Thursday Market”, which is held every Thursday. It takes place around 270m away from the streetcar/tram stop opposite the Kochi Prefectural Office (Kencho-mae) and consists of about 77 stalls. This market is full of local customers, as opposed to tourists from outside the prefecture, and gives an impression of being deeply rooted in the local community. As well as juicy fruit and vegetables in an array of colors, the market offers a range of seasonal Tosa flavors, including seafood, side dishes such as sushi rolls, and homemade bread and mochi. It’s also fun to ask stall owners for advice about which food to choose! They kindly told us what was in season, and how to use it when cooking.

 

   In addition, the “Sunday Market”, has been representative of the city dweller’s kitchen for over 300 years. It spans approximately 1300m starting from the foot of Kochi Castle, has around 420 stalls, and is bustling with both locals and tourists.

Eat Local

Fresh vegetables sold in an outdoor
market.

What is the “Eat Local” movement?
   Until recently, people have only eaten food that was located close to them. But in our current day and age, it’s very easy to buy food products that were produced from unknown sources in faraway countries. This may be convenient for consumers, but it can lead to safety concerns about unknown food sources and the weakening of local economies due to low sales of local products. That’s where chisanchisho comes in.

   Chisanchisho, literally meaning “local production for local consumption,” was started to protect local economies and give consumers peace of mind knowing that their food is fresh, delicious, and comes from a trusted source. In this issue, we’ll refer to chisanchisho as “Eat Local.” Since its inception, the Eat Local movement has also proven to benefit health by providing in-season, high-nutrient produce, benefit community building by creating relationships between producers and consumers, preserve local scenery and food traditions, and even help the environment by reducing fuel emissions caused by transporting goods. The same logic for Eat Local is now even being applied to other industries, such as automobiles and craft goods.

How to Get Involved with Eat Local

   We introduced a restaurant from Yasai de Genki-ten PLUS in the article above, but here are four more ways to get involved with Eat Local!

 

● Locally Grown Sections—check out the locally grown section of your supermarket, and read food labels.

   There is a section at most supermarkets called the “直販コーナー”(chokuhan kōnā) where locally grown produce is sold. You can read the where the produce was grown and the farmer’s name by looking at the sticker on the bag.

 

● Outdoor Markets—Did you know that there is an outdoor market like Sunday Market every day?
   There are outdoor markets in Kochi City every day of the week except for Monday. The details for the markets other than the famous Sunday Market (loc. Otesuji) are written below.
   Tuesday Market (Kamimachi 4 cho-me & 5 cho-me), Wednesday Market (Hyakkokucho 3 cho-me), Thursday Market (Honmachi 5 cho-me), Friday Market (Atagomachi 1 cho-me), Saturday Market (Ike Park)

 

● Local Marketplaces—find and use local markets at “Road Stations”
   There are “Road Stations” (michi no eki) along highways with large parking lots, restrooms, restaurants, and local goods shops. They also sell local produce, so visit them when out on a drive!

 

● Creating Culture—speak face to face with farmers and spread the word!
   When you talk face to face with the people who grow your food, you learn new things and gain a deeper understanding of food and your region. And by talking to your friends about your experiences,
you can contribute to the spread of Eat Local culture!

Everybody loves our fried sweet potato!

   The longest queue at Kochi’s Sunday or Thursday market is always at the “Imoten shop”. Imoten is fried sweet potato tempura. It may not sound very special, but please try it! You will find it is very different from Imoten you would make at home. The sweet potato remains juicy inside the crispy batter, and it’s so addictive that once you have started eating it, it is hard to stop. Imoten has been popular amongst people of all ages for a long time.

Ryōshin-ichi ~The Honesty Market~

   When you walk along a road or a path in the countryside, you may happen to see a shed-like set of shelves laden with fruits and vegetables etc. All the goods have price tags and there is a small box to put your money in. As there is no shop assistant, all you need do is deposit your money and take your goods.

What attracts you to “Ichi”

   We can see a variety of “Ichi” (markets) in Kochi. They have different names such as Nichiyō-Ichi (Sunday Market), Ryōshin-Ichi (Honesty Markets), Chokuhansho (Direct-Selling Markets), etc.

Taishōmachi Ichiba

   There is a market called Taishōmachi Ichiba exclusively dealing with fish in Kure, Nakatosa Town, in western Kochi. The market is crowded with seasonal fresh fish that are caught and landed at the Kure fishing port every morning and afternoon throughout the year.