Japan Farmers Markets

Fish burger and craft beer at Ishinomaki's Genki Ichiba ! Even as we gear up for the Rugby World Cup Final this weekend, my eyes are on the markets happening around town. The mix of rain and sun recently means winter crops are settling in nicely, so look for daikon mabiki , carrot thinnings , and, of course, plenty of sweet potatoes. This is a delicious time and the season only gets tastier as it goes along. Make a special treat for the game, and see you at the market! Market of the Sun Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10 Market of the Sun (a.k.a. Taiyo Marche)  professes to be one of the largest, and it is certainly a good one. A short walk from Tsukiji Market and its wonderful surrounds, this market is worth a visit for its lovely selection of foodly and crafty items that rivals the goodies found at the UNU Market. 10am to 4pm Step out of Kachidoke Station at Exits A4a or A4b and look for the tents. Koenji Farmers Market Saturday, November 1

Bud from Gypsy Chicks Farm at Dayton's Second Street Market. Typhoons come and go, and the warm temperatures seem to linger a little longer this year. While that translates into more eggplant and tomato, it also makes for some fine market visiting weather! Whip up a tasty soup for watching the rugby matches with the multitude of squash on offer or make a spicy dipping concoction with some of Peppers.jp's potent harvest. This time of year the options are endless! See you at the market! Market of the Sun Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13 Market of the Sun (a.k.a. Taiyo Marche)  professes to be one of the largest, and it is certainly a good one. A short walk from Tsukiji Market and its wonderful surrounds, this market is worth a visit for its lovely selection of foodly and crafty items that rivals the goodies found at the UNU Market. 10am to 4pm Step out of Kachidoke Station at Exits A4a or A4b and look for the tents. Koenji Farmers Market

Wojcik Farms at The Tecumseh Farmers Market ! That last typhoon certainly did some damage and local farms felt it as much as anyone with greenhouse roofs damaged and row covers flung hither and yon. While the fruit and veg you see this weekend may have some bumps and bruises, don't hesitate to purchase. After you whack it up for cooking, who will know? We're all in this together, so supporting these farmers is one of the best things you can do for the future! Market of the Sun Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15 Market of the Sun (a.k.a. Taiyo Marche)  professes to be one of the largest, and it is certainly a good one. A short walk from Tsukiji Market and its wonderful surrounds, this market is worth a visit for its lovely selection of foodly and crafty items that rivals the goodies found at the UNU Market. 10am to 4pm Step out of Kachidoke Station at Exits A4a or A4b and look for the tents. Oiso Farmers Market Sunday, September 15* Thi

Oasis 21 Organic Farmers Asaichimura in Nagoya. Photo courtesy of Takako Yoshino. The first article in a series called Women of Taste is up at The Japan Times. Takako Yoshino, manager of the Oasis 21 Organic Farmers Asaichimura in Nagoya, is the first. Yoshino is a visionary and a community-builder focused on creating a sustainable market for farmers and eaters. Her work weaves a connection between the tables set up each Saturday morning at Oasis 21 to the rural areas surrounding Nagoya as well as between the customers and farmers who join her there. What she is doing is extraordinary, delicious, and wonderful. Others in the series will include a baker, a food photographer and designer, a farmer, and a chef. These are all women I have met or known for some years and whose stories I have long wanted to tell. I'm grateful to The Japan Times for sharing my excitement and taking on this series. If all goes well, it may get extended, so please read and share the articles. Most o

Elaine from Needle Lane Farms representing at The Tecumseh Farmers Market . Summer is winding down, although the temperatures in these early days of the month seem to convey something else. Yet, these warm days turn fields into a cornucopia of delights that farmers bring to market tables each weekend. It also means that as the temperatures gradually cool, it will be good weather for canning up tomato sauce or other delights to be enjoyed over the winter months. So, grab a hat, a shopping bag, and head on out to one of these lovely markets! Market of the Sun Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15 Market of the Sun (a.k.a. Taiyo Marche)  professes to be one of the largest, and it is certainly a good one. A short walk from Tsukiji Market and its wonderful surrounds, this market is worth a visit for its lovely selection of foodly and crafty items that rivals the goodies found at the UNU Market. 10am to 4pm Step out of Kachidoke Station at Exits A4a or A4b a

Clearly, I'm a big fan of farmers markets and local growers and producers. Organic growers and producers, too, are among my very favorites. I talk about this a bit in my About Me page, but suffice it to say that I believe that those farmers are where our best hope lies for the future. It was a real pleasure then to write about Eat Local Kobe for The Japan Times and help spread the word about some very good work underway in that city. The market is a wonder, and the farmers there are the kind of people who make you want to up stakes so you can talk to them regularly and help out. Eat Local Kobe is the kind of food hub the world needs. Read my story about it here and plan to head on down there to see it for yourself!

Tudashi Sasaki and his apprentice, Masanao Miyawaki, at the Oasis 21 Organic Farmers Asaichi in Nagoya. One of the best farmers markets around and well worth a visit if you are in Nagoya on a Saturday morning. A prolonged rainy season or just, you know, climate change, has kept the worst of summer's heat at bay for a few blessed weeks. Fields are damp and things slow to grow and tough to harvest, but this Midwesterner has been enjoying it. According to my neighbor, summer may be on its way, but we shall see. In the meantime, this week's bevy of markets is here to tempt and distract with tasty delights of the season and plenty of fun. Head on out and see what you can find! Koenji Farmers Market Saturday, July 20* Spotted a handful of years ago while riding the Chuo Line,  this little market  is still going strong. A circle of red awnings in front of the  Za-Koenji Public Theatre  marks the spot where friendly folks with good food and interesting stories await. *A wee b

Futoshi Ota of Ome Farm at the UNU Market. Don't miss their amazing honey and beets! The weather may be unseasonably cool, but only the tomatoes are complaining. The rest of us are enjoying the reprieve from the heat and humidity yet to come. Take this opportunity to visit one of these great markets and get the ingredients for jamming, pickling, or just plain old eating. A visit to the market is one of the best ways to celebrate the season! Market of the Sun Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14 Market of the Sun (a.k.a. Taiyo Marche)  professes to be one of the largest, and it is certainly a good one. A short walk from Tsukiji Market and its wonderful surrounds, this market is worth a visit for its lovely selection of foodly and crafty items that rivals the goodies found at the UNU Market. 10am to 4pm Step out of Kachidoke Station at Exits A4a or A4b and look for the tents. Koenji Farmers Market Saturday, July 20* Spotted a handful of years ago while

Ryuhei Tanaka with his amazing norabo paste at the annual Vege&Fork Market.  A wet weekend is forecast, but these markets will be going unless things get particularly dodgy. Just think: if you brave the weather, there will be more of those first tomatoes fresh off the vine for you to snag. You'll also find plenty of growers and producers happy to chat about recipes and just about anything else. Each of these markets offers a fair bit of cover, too, so you won't suffer too much as you shop. See you at the market! Kamome Marche Saturday, June 22 Set on the upper level of the Yokohama Bay Quarter, this little market offers nice variety given its size. Vendors from Yamanashi, Yokohama, and other parts of Kanagawa brave the steady ocean breeze and offer everything up from fruit to wine to fresh vegetables. 11am - 5pm Map Kamakura Farmers Market Every day This market is an absolute treasure of a small local affair featuring Kamakura heirloom fruits and vegetables

Kichijoji's Harmonica Yokocho Market in colder weather. Worth waking up for! Welcome to the most farmers-markety weekend of the month! There is no shortage of great markets to visit this weekend, so whichever you choose will make you infinitely happy. There is a forecast for rain on Saturday (at the moment, anyway) so be sure to bring an umbrella with you that day. Regardless, charge on out to see what edible treasures there are to be found! Koenji Farmers Market Saturday, June 15* Spotted a handful of years ago while riding the Chuo Line,  this little market  is still going strong. A circle of red awnings in front of the  Za-Koenji Public Theatre  marks the spot where friendly folks with good food and interesting stories await. *A wee bit of a best guess here as they haven't updated  their blog  yet. Do check before making the trip over there. I haven't been wrong yet about the date, but there is always a first time for everything. 11am - 6pm Map Oiso Farmers

Michihiro Maruyama and his amazing brussel sprouts at Eat Local Kobe! The first of the spring-summer rains are falling as I sit down to post this week's list of markets. This rain is a welcome guest to gardens and fields alike. It will also draw out the ajisai (hydrangea) that are so much more remarkable than expected. I used to think of them as an old lady flower (Sorry, Mom!), but they are true works of art everywhere I turn. Meanwhile, as the rain falls and an office assistant naps in my lap, I offer this list to inspire your foodly creativity and satisfy your seasonal cravings. Market of the Sun Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9 Market of the Sun (a.k.a. Taiyo Marche)  professes to be one of the largest, and it is certainly a good one. A short walk from Tsukiji Market and its wonderful surrounds, this market is worth a visit for its lovely selection of foodly and crafty items that rivals the goodies found at the UNU Market. 10am to 4pm Step out of Kach

Shingo and Maiko Nakano of Morning Dew Farm at Eat Local Kobe. Natural farmers and amazing chefs! Summer is making steady inroads these days, and the rainy days of June are just what is needed by everything in field and furrow. Market tables will be loaded with early tomato and cucumber offerings, and the season's first onions and even some early potatoes will be on hand to greet visitors. Wander out to one of these wonderful spots and see what tasty treats can be found. See you at the market! Market of the Sun Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9 Market of the Sun (a.k.a. Taiyo Marche)  professes to be one of the largest, and it is certainly a good one. A short walk from Tsukiji Market and its wonderful surrounds, this market is worth a visit for its lovely selection of foodly and crafty items that rivals the goodies found at the UNU Market. 10am to 4pm Step out of Kachidoke Station at Exits A4a or A4b and look for the tents. Koenji Farmers Market Satu