Oct 1, 2013 - 1 min read

Kuromon Ichiba Arcade

Osaka's Kitchen

By John Carter

Community writer

None of the fish on sale match the gigantic size of the plastic sea creatures that adorn the Kuramon Ichiba Markets

Uomaru at Kuramon Ichiba Markets specialises in otoro or tuna belly which is prized as the wagyu of tuna

Outside a small supermarket you can buy fresh bentos for ¥400. I asked for rice too and a huge portion is only an extra ¥20!

Everything is fresh; Here a woman prepares some meat to go on sale at Kuramon Ichiba Markets

Fillets of skipjack almost ready to go on sale

These baby tako (octopus) were too interesting to eat at Kuramon Ichiba Markets

Fugu reaches a reasonably high price though its probably better prepared for you

Known as the kitchen of Osaka, the Kuromon Ichiba arcade really lives up to its name as fresh fish and vegetables of a high quality are in abundance. Though it is no Tsukiji the fish on sale is just as fresh. In fact, many are still alive.

You’ll find fugu (blowfish) is a common sight here and if you dare then there are several restaurants where you can enjoy this potentially deadly delicacy.

For those who’d rather not take the risk, many of the shops have their own tanks filled with blowfish, making for a strange aquarium type experience. Conveniently located near the Sennichimae arcade, a hub for cooking equipment and kitchen goods, everything you need to prepare and serve the perfect Japanese meal is easily obtainable. At around a 10-minute walk from Kaneyoshi Ryokan and about five minutes from Nipponbashi Station it’s easily accessible. Visiting around 10 am is advisable as the market is full swing by then.