Sightseeing in Kobe: A visit to the Uonotana Fish Market (魚の棚)

Japan is a country that has a lot to offer its visitors, with anything from new and modern to graciously traditional. I never get tired of visiting local areas and seeing their colorful and lively markets where old and new come together like nowhere else. During this year's new year holiday to Kobe (See also: New Year Celebration at a Japanese Temple - Taisan-ji (太山寺)) we stopped by the local Uo no tana (魚の棚) fish market to try out some local delicacies and feel the atmosphere.

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The market is more specifically situated in Akashi, just seven kilometres west of Kobe. Uonotana literarily means "fish shelf", and this market has been a crucial provider of seafood to the local community for more than 400 years. The extensive selection of seafood comes directly from the nearby Akashi Straights, and representatives from restaurants in Kobe and Kyoto come to the market already from 3:30 am to get their supply of fresh fish. 

The Uenotana Fish Market can be a good alternative if you want to experience a less touristy version of the more well-known Tsukiji Market in Tokyo. There’s a large selection of various seafood available, but unlike Tsukiji Market there are few if any foreign tourists to see at the market.

As neighboring cities Kobe and Osaka have their own friendly rivalry going on, and even Osaka's Takoyaki meatball with octopus inside has gotten its own twist here; The so-called Akashiyaki comes with a dashi (fish broth) to dip in, giving it a distinguished broth flavor different from the regular takoyaki you get in Osaka.

 But although the seafood is the main attraction of this market you can also find a variety of other small shops here too such as kitchenware, tea, kimono and local specialties.

Above: Buying Japanese tea at the market

Above: Japanese Taiyaki at the market

The market is easily reached by foot as it is situated only a 5 minutes walk from the nearby JR or Sanyo Akashi train stations. If you're visiting Kobe and looking for a local experience please stop by Akashi and check it out!

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below.
- Anette

Related blog posts

• All blog posts from Kobe
• New Year Celebration at a Japanese Temple - Taisan-ji (太山寺)
• Sightseeing in Kobe: A visit to the Uonotana Fish Market (魚の棚)
• All blog posts from Osaka
• All blog posts from Kyoto
• All blog posts from Japan 

■ Basic Info

• ・ Uo no tana Fish Market (魚の棚商店街)
• ・Address：1 Chome-4-1 Honmachi, Akashi-shi, Hyōgo-ken 673-0892
• ・Homepage: http://www.uonotana.or.jp (Japanese only)

About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.