Markets are always fascinating places, especially far from home. There is an amazing roofed market in Kyoto, which is not completely overrun with tourists and where you can see normal people and sample the excellent food.

Being in Kyoto, the day of course started with some temples… But right afterwards I went to the market.

Temple Temple

It would not be Japan if you would not see perfect fresh fish and other inhabitants of the oceans everywhere, but in Kyoto you couls also see sweet water fish (and sparrows on a stick).

Sweet water fish and sparrows. Sweet water fish and sparrows.

A Kyoto speciality seems to be baby octopus filled with quails eggs.

Baby-Octopus Baby-Octopus

A really refreshing snack are those slightly pickled cucumbers, cooled on a block of ice.

Salzgurken Salzgurken

This market is a fascinating place where you can spend hours and hours eating stuff and watching people.