Omicho Ichiba is a lively covered food market which has been in operation since 1721. Nicknamed “Kanazawa’s kitchen”, here you will find about 170 shops, selling seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables, and confectionery. There are also a number of grocery stores, clothing stores, flower stalls, and restaurants. The market has a very cheerful atmosphere and is a great place to explore Kanazawa’s food and drink culture.
Inside Omicho Ichiba
As Kanazawa is situated on the Japan Sea coast it is famous for its seafood. A stroll through Omicho Ichiba will give you an idea of the incredible and colorful variety of marine products available in this town.
A colorful display of seafood
Crab, shrimp, and yellowtail amberjack are particularly known for their quality, but look out for edible seaweed too. Strips of sweet wakame seaweed are commonly used to flavor soups, and stringy mozuku seaweed is served in vinegar. Both are renowned for their health benefits! Many stalls have food samples you can taste, and others sell snacks you can eat as you walk around, with fresh oysters fried, broiled, or eaten raw being an especially tasty treat.
Fresh oysters at Omicho market
No trip to Omicho Ichiba is complete without stopping at one of the many restaurants and enjoying a bowl of kaisendon, or sashimi style raw fish on a hot bowl of rice. Though the 2nd floor of the market has a special restaurant section, all the best kaisendon places are on the 1st floor.
Sashimiya is just one of many fine restaurants serving kaisendon
There are many popular restaurants here, but searching for one in the market’s maze of alleyways will only leave you frustrated. Better to put your map away, and if you find a friendly looking restaurant with empty seats and reasonable prices just go in. You won’t be disappointed.
Kaisendon prices vary by shop and topping
In addition to seafood, Kanazawa is known for its sweet rice which is nourished by frequent rainfall and natural mineral waters. It’s no surprise then that the town also has three very well established sake (rice wine) breweries: Fukumitsuya, Yachiya and Nakamura Shuzou. You can find these and other brands of sake from around Ishikawa Prefecture at Sake no Ohzawa Jizake Ichiba.
Sake no Ohzawa Jizake Ichiba
This is the only liquor store inside Omicho Market and it has been here for over 100 years. It stocks about 500 sake products centered on Ishikawa, Fukui, and Toyama, and the staff can point you toward seasonal local bottles.
A range of local sake varieties
Access
Omicho Ichiba Market is about a 15 minute walk from Kanazawa Station. By bus, take the Kanazawa Loop Bus, a Hokutetsu route bus, or a West JR Bus to Musashigatsuji / Omicho Market; the market is about 1 minute on foot from the stop. The Kanazawa Loop Bus flat fare is 220 yen for adults and 110 yen for children.
The market entrance from Meitetsu M’ZA side
Hours vary by shop. A useful general guide is 9:00 – 16:00, though many retail shops open around 9:00 and close around 17:00, while restaurants often run around 11:00 – 17:00, with some opening early or staying open later.
Holidays vary by shop, but many businesses close during the New Year holidays.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 20-May-2026.
