Browse artisanal crafts, pickled foods and fresh fruit and vegetables at the Miyagawa Morning Market. This open-air marketplace is located along the beautiful Miyagawa River in Takayama's historic old town. Experience unique culinary treats in a traditional Japanese setting.
The market began as a way for farmers to exchange fresh produce and handmade goods and it is now one of Japan’s largest morning markets. Come here to look around the stalls, many of which are still run by farmers.
The market starts at around 6 a.m., when sellers begin fastidiously setting up their stalls. Visit early to see the markets at their most lively. In the summer season, approximately 60 vendors line up along the riverfront. In winter, that number drops to around 10.
Produce stalls offer locally grown vegetables and fruits as well as pickles, breads and spices. Check out souvenir chopsticks and Japanese sweets at the craft stalls. Clothing vendors sell beautifully weaved dresses and handmade zori slippers.
Purchase a sarubobo, a cloth doll believed to bring good luck. Intricate wooden figurines, carved using the Ichii Itto-bori chiseling technique, are also commonly sold at the market.
Stall owners are usually very happy to let shoppers sample their goods for free. Try special Japanese yoghurt, egg marshmallows and fried snacks as you explore. Buy Hida beef sushi or a beef bun and sit down near the Miyagawa River. While you eat, spot koi fish swimming with the sunlight reflecting off their bright scales.
Head to the nearby Jinya Market, where the stalls are exclusively owned by farmers. Running for over 300 years, Jinya Market has long been a place of trade for the people of Miyagawa. Dried foods and unusual vegetables like potato stems and carrot leaves are sold here. Ask the farmers how they make their dried produce and pickles.
Find Miyagawa Morning Market in the eastern part of town, about a 10-minute walk from Takayama Station. The stalls stay open until around noon. Most stall owners understand basic English.
