Takotamago
A baby octopus stuffed with a boiled quail egg – sweet, chewy, slightly cute, surprisingly good. You can find these curious cephalopods at several of Nishiki Market’s fish stalls. Other skewered seafoods worth tasting are grilled mackerel (head, tail, and gills intact), tuna sashimi, and the delicious soft squid with roe.
Picked Vegetables
Tsukemono, or pickled vegetables, are ubiquitous to local cuisine. Large wooden barrels of preserved cucumbers, cabbage, and daikon line small stretches of Nishiki Market’s narrow thoroughfare. One notable pickle is shibazuke, a Kyoto specialty. Distinguished by its purple-y, almost neon hue, it’s a blend of cucumbers and eggplants that have been salted and brined with red shiso. Pickles are said to aid in digesting rice and fried foods, which will come in handy as you savor your way through Nishiki Market’s more decadent selections.
Deep Fried Fish Cakes
Soft and bursting with rich flavors, Kyoto’s satsuma-age are served on short wooden sticks, easily nibble-able as you browse the rice toppings, dried fish, and plastic sushi-shaped keychains peddled by nearby vendors. The fish cakes come in a variety of flavors: edamame, crab, red ginger, green onion, potato, and even cheese. While some might find them too oily, or too fishy, they’re kind of addictive, and before long you might find yourself reaching for a second skewer.
Black sesame soft-serve
Gomafukudo is one shop that specializes in everything sesame: seasonings, salad dressings, dumplings, bread, mochi, and several kinds of Japanese sweets. Their black sesame squares – small, perfect cubes of pure sesame paste, lightly sweetened with honey – make a unique gift for friends at home. But the black sesame ice cream, topped with freshly ground white sesame seeds, is a crucial treat to try.
Senbei
These are not your store-bought rice crackers – senbei, as they’re known in Japan, come in a multitude of flavors, and are anything but boring. The crackers are baked or grilled, and then coated in seasonings like wasabi, salt, soy sauce, red pepper, shiso, or seaweed. Typical rice crackers are light and airy, but these have a slightly heavier taste, while still maintaining a satisfying crunch. Order one or two warm senbei to eat on the spot, and then purchase a bag from Mochiyaki Senbei to snack on at home.