Akita's Kitchen [Akita Citizen Market] From dinner ingredients to souvenirs!

Akita City's Market is located close to the station in Akita City, the prefectural capital of Akita Prefecture. It's about a five-minute walk from the west exit of the station. Surrounded by banks and shops, this large, eye-catching gray building is a treasure trove of fresh ingredients that support the dining tables of the city's residents

We would like to introduce you to Akita City Market, a treasure trove of Akita Prefecture ingredients, conveniently located near Akita Station. Not only is the market filled with seasonal ingredients throughout the year fun to browse, it's also a great place to choose food souvenirs

A place where Akita's seasonal foods come together

When you think of Akita Prefecture, what kind of ingredients come to mind? Rice cultivation is thriving in Akita Prefecture, and it is the third largest rice producing prefecture in Japan. The rice variety "Akita Komachi" is famous nationwide. Akita is also home to many other representative ingredients, such as Hinai Jidori chicken, one of Japan's three great local chickens, Yuri beef, which is popular for its vibrantly marbled meat, and Yatsuryu melon

Of course, seafood is also famous. Sandfish, which is used to make fish sauce, is a fish that represents Akita. Not only is it used to make fish sauce, but it is also an essential fish in shottsuru, a specialty dish that is enjoyed in winter

Link: Akita's winter symbol, the "Hatahata"

Akita City Market is lined with a wide variety of Akita's ingredients. Located close to the station, it is a market representative of Akita Prefecture

Akita City Market is a treasure trove of ingredients with over 50 years of history

The predecessor of Akita Citizen's Market was established in 1951. It originally started as "Asakura Citizen's Market" and continued to support the dining tables of local citizens despite undergoing construction and store changes until it took on its current form in 2003. In recent years, there are many food stores around Akita Station, but there are still many local citizens who believe that "if you want fresh Akita ingredients, you should go to Citizen's Market." This historic market is truly a symbol of local production and consumption in Akita Prefecture

This is a photo of the aisle of the Akita City Market. There are rows of fruit and vegetable shops. Of course, this is only one section of the Akita City Market, and there are also many other food-related stores such as butchers, florists, fishmongers, and processed food stores. Just looking at the market will make you hungry

The ingredients available in store and in stock change depending on the season and harvest. You might even find some rare ingredients that can only be purchased locally

Purchased ingredients can be shipped from the market to various locations

On the other side of the fish sculpture is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant directly managed by the Citizen's Market. As a direct managed store of the market, it has an established reputation for the freshness and deliciousness of its ingredients

The perfect accompaniment to sushi is zappa soup. Zappa soup is a miso soup packed with fish bones, condensing the delicious flavor of fish. As of July 2017, it is still one of the most popular menu items. If you've been touring the market and feel like enjoying some local flavors, why not take a break at the directly managed store inside the market?

lastly

Akita City Market is the food hub of Akita Prefecture residents. It is packed with the charm of Akita food, from fresh fish to vegetables and processed foods

It's easy to get to as it's close to Akita Station. If you're looking for food to buy as souvenirs, why not check this out? Of course, don't forget to enjoy the food at the restaurants inside the market!

INFORMATION

ako

Writer living in Akita Prefecture. We will spread the charm of Akita, from minor things to major things!