2 Best Shopping in Kochi, Shikoku

The best place to mingle with locals is at the Hirome Market. A few stores at the busy market sell interesting pottery, jewelry, and souvenirs, but everyone's really here for the food. Serving everything from sushi to ramen and fried chicken to curry, the dozens of tiny eateries and food counters have so many delicious dishes that you couldn't try them all in a year. If your chosen spot doesn't have a picture menu, you can always point to someone else's plate across the broad wooden tables. The market is 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 ramen stand beside the entrance, a big orange-and-green sign above the hangar-bay door, and a large crowd of well-fed locals.

Dating back to the late 17th century, this popular weekly market offers a mile of fruits and vegetables, flowers, snacks, and a smattering of crafts. It's not a great place for souvenir shopping, but why not try some yuzu-an in a pastry pocket? This Kochi specialty replaces the red beans often found in desserts with a paste made from the sour yellow yuzu citrus grown in the prefecture. Nichiyo-ichi runs along broad, palm-lined Otetsuji-dori Street from Harimaya Bridge right up to the gates of Kochi Castle. The 300 or so stalls operate from roughly 6 am to 3 pm.