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Feel the Diverse Culture of Japan on Shintora-dori Ave. in Toranomon
July 26, 2017
The stands at Tabisuru Shintora Market change every three months, with a different theme each time in order to highlight different regions of Japan and their unique products.
Currently, with a theme of a Summer Festival the market is featuring goods from five towns in Niigata prefecture, with products such as sake, salmon, ramen, and soba taking center stage.
There are even workshops held periodically that teach you to make traditional items.
Have you ever wanted to learn about and experience lesser-known areas of Japan before you take the plunge to visit them in person? If so, you're in luck, because the Tabisuru Shintora Market allows you to do just that.
Now in its second phase after first opening in late February, the stands at Tabisuru Shintora Market change every three months, with a different theme each time in order to highlight different regions of Japan and their unique products. There are four stands dotted along the main avenue of Shintora-dori Ave., which also runs past Toranomon Hills, as well as a store produced by Isetan Mitsukoshi and Tabisuru café inside the Good Morning Café & Grill. There are even workshops held periodically that teach you to make traditional items.
Currently, with a theme of a Summer Festival the market is featuring goods from five towns in Niigata prefecture, with products such as sake, salmon, ramen, and soba taking center stage. I visited a couple of the stands to try out some of the food and drinks on offer.
My first stop was Murakami, a town known for its agriculture and salmon. We ordered a sake flight in order to be able to try different varieties, and even as someone who doesn't know much about sake, I enjoyed them all. We had some types that are normally not available outside Niigata and one that was almost like drinking wine. It all went very well with the jerky-like slow-cured salmon, which softens up deepens in flavor when soaked in sake for a bit.
Next we headed to the stand representing the towns of Tsubame and Sanjo. Both are manufacturing towns, and this stand has a factory theme to it. At the recommendation of the barman - himself from Niigata - I ordered a local craft beer to start with. It was served in a double-walled metal beer cup, which keeps it cold longer. They were so beautiful and unique, that I really want to visit one of the factories to see how they're made! This stand also sells ramen that is popular amongst factory workers in Tsubame Sanjo, but I was already getting full so decided to save that for next time.
The Niigata-themed offerings at Tabisuru Shintora Market will be available through the end of September before the theme changes again to something else. The market is set to run until 2020 in order to promote other areas of Japan ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics while also focusing attention on the reinvigorated Toranomon area. The stands will change every few months, so make sure you visit often to try as many things as you can from all over Japan!
Kelly