Hirome-ichiba

Hirome-ichiba Review

The best place to mingle with the locals is at their two popular markets. Kochi goes for culinary treasure over material stuff, and while the busy, hivelike market has interesting pottery, jewelry, and photographs, everyone's really here for the food. This exciting maze of mini-restaurants and food counters has enough strange, delicious food that you couldn't try everything in a year. Displays, pictures, and abundant people traffic will help you ask for what you want, and you can always point to someone else's plate across the broad wooden tables. It's at the western end of the main arcade, close to the castle, about 15 minutes by foot from JR Kochi Station. Look for the mass of bicycles parked around a squat coffee stand beside the entrance, a big orange-and-green sign above the hangar-bay door, and a large crowd of well-fed locals.